SPORTS
Ukraine coach Oleg Blokhin loses his cool, England coach Roy Hodgson admits his team got lucky
Baku, June 20 (AZERTAC). England manager Roy Hodgson admitted his side had a slice of fortune as they defeated Ukraine 1-0 to top Group D and set up a Euro 2012 quarter-final meeting with Italy, while the home side`s coach vented his fury at his side`s misfortune.
Wayne Rooney made an instant impact on his return to the starting XI following suspension, nodding home the only goal of the game early in the second period after Steven Gerrard`s whipped cross was missed by goalkeeper Andriy Pyatov.
But Ukraine were convinced they had equalised shortly after the hour mark when Joe Hart could only partially stop Marko Devic`s shot before John Terry hooked the ball clear from under his own bar.
Coach Oleg Blokhin was incensed, with replays showing the ball had cross the line, a fact which was missed by the additional official stationed just yards away at the Donbass Arena in Donetsk.
Hodgson said: "This was an away game with a capital `A`: there were 60,000 people in and only 4,000 brave England fans.
"When we needed a bit of luck, when the ball may have crossed the line, we got a bit of luck and went on to win the match."
Ukraine coach Oleg Blokhin expressed his anger with the officials after the co-hosts exited Euro 2012.
Blokhin said: "We scored a clean goal in the 63rd minute, as the ball crossed the goal line by over a metre.
"What can I say? There are five refs on the pitch and the ball was over the line. Why do we need five refs then? Devic scored a goal and I don`t know why it wasn`t allowed.
"We had rotten luck tonight because the ball was not willing to go into the goal and England were lucky to score."
Blokhin then lost his temper with a journalist and said: "Let`s go outside and have a man conversation.
"Have you ever played? You write what you like. You don`t like my team or me. I understand you are a journalist. You should respect me."
Hodgson, who had just two matches in charge before the start of the tournament, stressed his team were a work in progress.