David Beckham produced an inspirational captain’s performance as England swept Ukraine aside with a 3-0 friendly victory that will send Sven-Goran Eriksson’s squad into their World Cup qualifying campaign in high spirits.
Beckham, severely criticised for his lacklustre performances at Euro 2004, responded to his critics with a vintage all-action display in which he scored England’s opener and made their second for his new Real Madrid teammate Michael Owen.
A fine evening’s work was rounded off when Manchester City midfielder Shaun Wright-Phillips, making his international debut as a second-half substitute, fired in a superb solo third.
Eriksson said Beckham has made his point.
”For me he has always done very well for England. If he is not the best on the pitch, he is criticised and I can’t understand that.
”But of course, his performance today was the perfect answer to anyone who ever doubted David Beckham. It was very positive that he had a good performance. It was good for us and it was good for him.”
England kick off their World Cup qualifying campaign with back-to-back fixtures in Austria and Poland on September 4 and 8.
”That is the serious stuff but tonight was an excellent football game and that is what we needed at this moment.”
Beckham said the performance was a shot in the arm for England after the disappointment of their quarterfinal exit from Euro 2004.
”We were all disappointed after the championships and I think we needed this performance. The fans needed it, the players needed it and the manager needed it.”
It was not all good news for Eriksson, however. The eventual outcome belied a hesitant start by England and the Ukrainians, who adapted quicker to a surface that had been rendered precariously slippery by a pre-match thunderstorm, should have capitalised on some slipshod defending by their hosts in the first half.
Oleh Husyev gave an early indication of their threat with a shot that bounced in front of David James and spun off the turf at a speed that caught the England goalkeeper by surprise. Fortunately for him there was no Ukrainian following up as the ball cannoned off his chest.
Andriy Rusol detracted from the positive early impression with a cynical check on Owen as he looked set to go past him, earning himself a booking in the process.
Ukraine’s clearest chance came in the 13th minute after Shevchenko’s sharp turn sent Terry slithering to the turf on the left of the England box. The AC Milan striker squared the ball for Ruslan Rotan but the midfielder’s shot, from 16 yards out, flew over the bar.
Ukraine’s goalkeeper, Oleksandr Shovkovsky, coped competently with a Frank Lampard volley. But he was badly at fault on England’s opener.
Allowed a free run from the right-back position, John Terry advanced deep into the opposition half before striking a low cross towards the back post.
The pace of the ball caught out both Rusol and the goalkeeper, whose lunge came too late to prevent Beckham from sliding in to claim his 14th England goal from close range.
Beckham turned provider when England extended their lead five minutes into the second half.
From close to the right touchline he turned inside and away from two lethargic challenges before floating a left-footed cross in towards the six-yard line.
Owen had pulled away from his marker, Oleg Shelayev, and Shovkovsky was slow to come off his line once more, allowing the striker to head the ball into an empty net. It was the 24-year-old’s 27th goal on his 61st appearance in an England shirt.
Ukraine’s resignation was underlined by the sight of Shevchenko departing two minutes later. His replacement Andriy Voron almost made an immediate impact with a deft flick for Rotan, who was denied by James’s close-range block.
Jermain Defoe should have made it three almost immediately after Kieron Dyer touched on Frank Lampard’s cross to Jermain Defoe, who contrived to hook the ball wide from barely six yards out.
But the home fans did not have to wait too long for Wright-Phillips to round off the evening with the pick of the three goals.
After intercepting a slack pass inside his own half, the Manchester City midfielder accelerated towards the Ukrainian box at exhilarating pace, carried the ball wide of Rusol and fired a low shot across Shovkovsky and into the far bottom corner. — Sapa-AFP