Two out of two wins for England in Euro 2024 qualifier.
They came from all four corners of Ukraine, the inconsolable, heartbroken, devastated, grieving so desperately, praying and hoping that one day that the wicked mass murderer Russian president Vladimir Putin simply rots in hell. The tears have been shed in gallons, an abundance of suffering that can never be properly measured because you simply forget how long war can just drag on interminably. Already Ukraine is traumatised and will be permanently and maybe that's even more of a tragedy.
But on Sunday evening a small corner of Ukraine gathered in their thousands at Wembley Stadium, massed away tightly at one end of the ground. For 90 minutes they were emotionally united, delighted to be at the home of a country whose sympathies remain just as unconditional as ever. In vast rows of yellow and blue flags, they stood brave and honourable, undaunted, unperturbed by the occasion itself and just grateful to be in a welcoming sporting environment where nobody would judge them, criticise them or humiliate them.
For the duration of England's second Euro 2024 qualifier against Ukraine, yellow and blue clad supporters spent all of the match, jumping up and down joyfully, bouncing together, arms linked, all wedded to the same underlying theme of the afternoon. They were our kindred spirits, the men and women who just want to wake up every morning in the hope that one day they'll be given the freedom and the luxury of open spaces to play football from morning to evening, displaying their skills and participating in the Beautiful Game. At the moment it is a forlorn hope but at least here was a temporary truce.
Nobody was ever going to say this was an easy game for Ukraine since football may not be their foremost consideration or over riding priority. Instead they lined up against an England side searching for their second consecutive victory in their opening Euro 2024 qualifier. Last Thursday of course England broke the habits of a lifetime or seemingly so by beating the European Champions Italy in Naples. It may have been a significant breakthrough but then this is England we're talking about so anything could and probably will happen.
And so Wembley welcomed home their battle hardened if ultimately defeated Euro 2020 runners up as if painful memories had been summarily obliterated from their minds. Ukraine of course were looking for some modicum of revenge after the 4-1 thrashing by England in the 2018 World Cup at a time when Russia was just being a grizzly bear with a sore head. What we witnessed at Wembley on Sunday evening was the steady evolution of an England in transition, still recovering from the body blows of both Qatar and Russia and re-connecting on the same wavelength.
Here we have an England side, who although missing out on a major international trophy, are still testing the waters after dipping their toes at the shallow end and finding that they do belong in the highest echelons of world football. For the opening twenty minutes to half an hour, England moved the ball around like pawns and bishops on a chessboard. They looked comfortable and assured, never in danger of losing the game but just waiting for the right moment to pounce. Their movements were strategic but simple, nothing to get excited about but then there were carefully constructed platforms to score when the mood took them.
In years gone by, England would have strolled onto the old Wembley with some kind of masterplan only to find that there were pieces missing, components of their game that still needed refining and tweaking, a side who were just awkward and cumbersome. These were the days when the ball would spend so much time in the air that reconnaissance missions were sent to look for the ball. The ball resembled a hot potato when England had possession and sides were built on strength and endurance rather than technical ability and skill.
Now of course England are much more socially aware of their surroundings. Gareth Southgate, England's smartly dressed boss, has revolutionised thinking back at St George's Park and most of the England players now genuinely look forward to future confrontations rather than being scared stiff. Now a football is something to be treasured and relished, where friendly relationships are formed and the sense of bonding can never be disguised. It's true. England are changing and changing for the best.
When England returned home from Qatar just before Christmas, the festivities were somewhat tinged with sadness. England hadn't brought home the World Cup after all so what was there to celebrate? We'd got to a quarter final against France but even Napoleon Bonaparte would have been laughing all the way to the Champs Elysees had he known what happened. England's cross Channel rivals had stolen their thunder and the spirit of entente cordiale among the French had ensured that England would be taking the first plane home.
Still, here we were back at Wembley once again on the last Sunday of the month and England were ready and waiting to go again. Regrettably Ukraine were nowhere to be seen, on the outside looking on, hovering on the periphery but never really engaging in the game. For a while England tapped out a veritable Morse Code of passing movements, short, succinct and clear passes that restored your faith in the national side. This was an England side building and re-building, gently as she goes, patient, possessive, proactive and constructive, considerate rather than rash and hurried, protective rather than panicky.
When John Stones and Kyle Walker had erected their portcullises and fortresses in England's defence, there would be no way through for Ukraine who threatened only sporadically. Both Stones and Walker are now ageing rapidly but there's a great deal to be said for experience. Walker still looks like the fastest athlete and Stones just happens to be in the right place and the right time so there would be nobody to encroach on their territory.
Once again Declan Rice was magisterial, shifting around in front of England's rigid back four, a player of flair and flexibility, nipping into tackles with impeccable timing and always a master of the solid interception, throwing the full force of his body into challenges in a way that had to be admired. Then there was Ben Chilwell who although now settled at Chelsea has found that the season has not been quite as successful as he would have hoped. Chilwell looked secure and responsible, never resorting to over elaboration when simplicity was all that England needed.
In England's midfield James Maddison made his international debut and looked every inch the controller, the barometer, easy going, a player of the highest culture and excellence. Maddison, rather like his midfield partner Jack Grealish, could form the most compatible of partnerships. He is pleasing to the eye, passing the ball cleanly and accurately, stylish to his fingertips. At Leicester he looks the kind of player who may find himself travelling to pastures anew since relegation battles may not have been in his job description when he joined the club.
And so it was that England fired on all cylinders again. Jude Bellingham was quite breath taking once again, breezing past players effortlessly and authoritatively, picking his moments to find the right ball for one of his colleagues and by far the most exciting discovery the England side have made in ages. Bellingham is still blissfully young, elegant, the complete article, never anxious or nervous and just England's future. At times you thought of Paul Gascoigne and hoped for a similar package but without the troubled private life that so sadly accompanied Gazza on his footballing journey.
Then the goals inevitably arrived. We had to wait for a while but then England opened the scoring. Arsenal scoring sensation Bukayo Saka, a John Radford or Charlie George in the making was just inspirational for England and is destined for honours within the game. Saka is almost impossible to catch when he's in this mood. There were times when the Arsenal forward seemed to running rings around the Ukranian defence, tricking, dropping his shoulder, teasing his opponent mockingly, checking back onto his other foot and then driving the ball forcefully into the net.
His reward came shortly before half time. Jordan Henderson, now in the autumn of an admirable career at both club and country level, fed a typically perceptive pass inside his defender and Saka picked up the ball on the edge of the penalty area. What followed was a masterclass of wing play with Saka cutting back onto his favoured foot before curling a beautiful shot that flew past the Ukranian goalkeeper. It was a goal fit to win any football match let alone this one.
The second half, for what it was worth, seemed just a terrible anti climax with England apparently content with their afternoon's work. England just stroked the ball around as if the match had now been reduced to a training ground routine. Job done for England. It was good to be following an England match at the beginning of the spring equinox. Optimism had replaced a world weary disappointment following England's failure to bring home the World Cup.
England manager Gareth Southgate, now as dapper and chipper as it was possible to be, distanced himself from his menswear salesman persona, always respectable and unfailingly polite. At some point an England football team and manager will win something and you find yourself wondering whether the always diplomatic and former Crystal Palace defender may be the one to lift that elusive trophy. Nobody deserves it more.
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