England 1-0 Ukraine: Rooney Finally ... and bit

England has won by Ukraine minimum thanks to a goal from Rooney reappeared. A goal that allows them to climb onto the top spot in Group D building on the resounding defeat of France to Sweden to avoid the crossing with Spain in the quarterfinals, where they will face Italy Cassano for a spot in the semifinals.

The English Team is a team that lacks many things: it has generated game who does not own any top striker Rooney plus their solid defense and more dependent on the accumulation of two lines in front of your area a good plan. But there they are: after a draw with France on the first day, have been able to prevail against Sweden (3-2) and co-host Ukraine, bringing the total to seven points that make them champions of Group D.

The game was another mediocrity more in this championship. Ukraine was a want and I can not, England, otherwise. You look at the lineup of Roy Hodgson and some of their substitutes and can not help but ask yourself one question: do you really can not suggest anything else? The fact that they were worth a draw to advance to quarters did not help, of course, is a situation that everyone agilipolla (see the game in Spain against Croatia), but the fact is that Pross played just three games (except, of course, when Sweden demanded a comeback) and half an eye on your goal and only half an eye on the contrary.

Hodgson and all England waited for the return of Wayne Rooney as water in May. A Rooney who had not scored a goal in a tournament with his national team since 2004 (he had not done in the World 2006 and 2010, Britain was not involved in the Euro'08). But after serving two-game penalty, the third was to come and kiss the saint. With the invaluable help of Pyatov, the undisputed star of the England team got the goal that gave them victory and, unexpectedly, I deviated from the path that led to Spain.

Ukrainian National Team tried, that you can not blame her. But it was the blanks. Andrei Shevchenko with a physically depleted that he could not get in the starting lineup and had to resort Oleg Blokhin midway through the second half, Ukraine reprized the role of the other co-hosts: they were high to low during the championship, although more serious was the case of Zbirna, which began with a victory against Sweden and then diluted to the two countries that bathes the English Channel.

The post-game statements coach and captain make it clear that the British are aware that they are not for great joy. A note was that Hodgson had had tight ass because they would need to cross to Spain when he acknowledged that they had some luck, "If someone had said we were going to win the group would not have been many buyers. Many did not think going to finish first. " And for his part, Steven Gerrard, recognizes living in rooneydependencia for further progress in the tournament: "If Wayne keeps the streak surely take us far."

But beware, be aware of the true level at which it is and not try to deceive by unwarranted optimism is a good thing. England knows he has to give much more if you want to remove to Italy, a team that is far from the innocence of Sweden and Ukraine.