This match is going to be intense, and neither of these teams are averse to physical play. That's terribly convenient, considering that the referee for the match isn't averse to yellow cards. Viktor Kassai of Hungary previously officiated the match between Italy and Spain in this tournament, during which he handed out seven bookings. In the Euro 2012 playoff match between Estonia and Ireland, which the Irish won 4-0, he handed out six bookings, including two red cards. Milner, Young, Tymoshchuk and Yevhen Selin are facing a suspension if they pick up a yellow.
Glen Johnson says former team-mate Shevchenko is still one of the best around. “He didn’t have the best part of his career when he was at Chelsea, but you don’t lose your quality overnight," says England defender. Right-back Johnson played with Shevchenko at Stamford Bridge, where the striker scored just nine goals after signing from AC Milan for £30.8million.
Shevchenko left Chelsea after three unhappy years, but has rediscovered some of his old form at Dynamo Kiev and scored twice in Ukraine’s Group D opening victory over Sweden.
England face Ukraine in their final Group D game in Donetsk on Tuesday needing to avoid defeat to qualify for the quarter-finals, with the co-hosts chasing a win to be sure of staying in the tournament after defeat to France.
“Sheva’s a fantastic guy,” said right-back Johnson, who quit Chelsea in 2007 and is now at Liverpool. “He didn’t have the best part of his career when he was at Chelsea, but you don’t lose your quality overnight. He’s still one of the best strikers around. I rate him very highly.
“He was very genuine, although I don’t think he was too confident with his English – but he tried to join in with everything.
“Every player at the European Championship wants to be at his highest level, so I am sure he’ll be up for it against us.“Everyone has ups and downs during their career, but, arguably, Sheva’s one of the best strikers around.
Teams’ Information:
England Squad Possible Lineups
Goalkeepers: Butland, Green, HeartStrikers: Carroll, Defoe, Rooney, Welbeck
Midfield: Downing, Gerrard, Lampard, Oxlade,-Chamberlain, Milner, Parker, Walcott, Yound
Defense: Baines, Cahill, Cole, Jagielka, Johnson, Jones, Lescott, Terry
Coach: Roy Hodgson
Ukraine Squad Possible Lineups
Goalkeepers: Goryainov, Koval, Pyatov
Strikers: Devic, Milevskiy, Seleznyov, Voronin, Shevchenko
Midfield: Aliyev, Garmash, Gusev, Konoplanka, Nazarenko, Rotan, Tymoschchuk, Yamolenko
Defense: Butko, Khacheridi, Kucher, Mikhalik, Rakitskiy, Delin, Shevchuk
Coach: Oleh Blokhin
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