Midfield player says point in Kiev is a good result.
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England captain Steven Gerrard declared himself satisfied with the Three Lions’ goalless draw with Ukraine in Kiev on Tuesday night in their crucial FIFA World Cup Group H qualifying tie, according to reports on SkySports.com.
Roy Hodgson’s side left the Olympic stadium with a hard-earned point in their bid to qualify for next summer’s World Cup finals in Brazil, and still lead their group with now only two matches left to play.
At present, England hold a slender one-point advantage over both Montenegro and Ukraine in the race for Rio, with Hodgson and Co facing fixtures against the former and fourth-in-the-table Poland, both at Wembley Stadium next month.
And if the Three Lions were to win both of those last two remaining qualifiers, then they will be guaranteed an automatic place in South America next year.
However, even if England do slip up in one of those two contests, then they may still have the opportunity to make it to Brazil via the playoffs that take place in November should they finish the group in second place.
But, despite the hard-fought draw in the Ukrainian capital, Gerrard and co still came in for some fierce criticism back home in the English press for their limp display, although the Liverpool captain was keen to defend his team’s performance, saying their slightly defensive approach was the sensible option.
“Defensively we were solid and the result never looked in doubt,” said Gerrard after the match.
“Before the game the challenge from the manager was let’s keep it in our hands, let’s make the two final games at Wembley – if we win them then we’re through.
“We’d like to create more. But sometimes if you’re too risky at places like this you can get undone at the back.
“It’s important to be defensively right first and foremost.”