DONETSK, (Reuters) – A Wayne Rooney header and a slice of luck when Ukraine were controversially denied an equaliser gave England a 1-0 win over the co-hosts and a place in the quarter-finals of Euro 2012 yesterday. Rooney headed home a Steven Gerrard cross when he was left unmarked at the far post after 48 minutes to celebrate his return to the side after serving a two-match ban.
That was enough to give England first place in Group D and secure a clash with Italy in Kiev on Sunday.
Ukraine, who dominated possession for most of the match, thought they had levelled just past the hour mark when Marco Devic’s shot was initially parried by goalkeeper Joe Hart.
The ball looped back towards goal before it was hacked away by defender John Terry, although television replays suggested the ball may have crossed the line.
If it did, England had a huge helping hand from the soccer gods who looked the other way in Bloemfontein two years ago when Frank Lampard scored a ‘goal’ against Germany in the World Cup.
That effort in South Africa definitely did go over the line although it was inexplicably missed by the referee and linesmen.
England coach Roy Hodgson said Devic’s shot on Tuesday had probably crossed the line but told reporters it was about time England’s luck turned after they also had a ‘goal’ harshly disallowed against hosts Portugal in Euro 2004. “We’ve suffered with bad luck in the past, against Portugal and Germany, maybe it was a case of if there was going to be luck, we were going to get it.”
As if to emphasise that perhaps England’s fortunes are turning, they held on to win against the host nation in a major tournament for the first time in six attempts since they beat Switzerland in the 1954 World Cup finals.
