England edged closer to next year’s World Cup finals after a scrappy 0-0 draw in Ukraine left the Group H leaders in pole position to secure a ticket to Brazil with two matches to play.
A point from an untidy match which featured few goalscoring chances after a hectic opening 10 minutes moved England on to 16 points, one ahead of Ukraine and Montenegro with Poland two points further back.
Unmarked Ukraine defender Artem Fedetskiy wasted his side’s best opening after 73 minutes when from six metres out he headed straight at keeper Joe Hart from a corner.
Frank Lampard then almost capped his 100th England appearance with the winner when his stooping header crept past a post in stoppage time.
England welcome Montenegro to Wembley on Oct. 11, the same night Ukraine host Poland. In the concluding fixtures four days later, England host the Poles with Ukraine away at San Marino and Montenegro playing Moldova.
England, still unbeaten in competitive fixtures under Roy Hodgson in regulation time had few alarms after the opening exchanges with Hart rarely tested by a Ukraine side that showed little of the vibrancy that secured a 1-1 draw a year ago at Wembley when they were denied victory by a late Lampard penalty.
Hart was perhaps fortunate not to concede a penalty inside the first 60 seconds when made contact low down with Roman Zozulya as the striker looked to meet a dangerous low cross, a corner rather than spot-kick awarded.
England also threatened early on with Steven Gerrard testing keeper Andriy Pyatov from long range and moments later the keeper had to come flying out of goal to clear the danger from Theo Walcott.
Ukraine again tested England’s creaking backline with right back Fedetskiy unable to get on the end of a teasing cross, then Gary Cahill was forced to make a timely interception with Zozulya lurking.
The rest of the half dissipated into stalemate with neither Hart or Pyatov suffering undue alarm.
Ukraine, surprisingly, appeared reluctant, or unable to raise the tempo after the break with England comfortable at the back, although the visitors also lacked conviction in attack.
Left-sided midfielder Yevhen Konoplyanka did his best to lift the hosts, his curling freekick from the edge of the box on 71 minutes deflecting narrowly wide.
Two minutes later an unmarked Fedetskiy headed straight at Hart from a corner.
England, missing the injured Wayne Rooney and suspended fellow frontman Danny Welbeck, lacked penetration with Rickie Lambert an isolated figure as the lone striker.
They did almost steal the points in the closing seconds but Lampard was unable to get his header on target after a long throw-in was flicked into his path.
Source: Buenos Aires Herald