England

3-0

Ukraine

Beckham 28
Owen 50
Wright Phillips 71

International Friendly
St. James' Park, Newcastle
18 August 2004

England have beaten Ukraine 3-0. A goal from captain David Beckham broke the deadlock midway through the first half, and Michael Owen extended the lead early in the second half. Wright-Phillips then scored a fantastic debut goal carrying the ball from the half way line to the edge of the box and despatching the ball into the corner.

First Half

One great run from Michael Owen early on was brought to a premature end by Ukrainian defender Andriy Rusol but apart from that the game struggled to get going.

After some scrappy play the game finally settled and it was the Ukraine who threatened to score the first of the match as Andriy Shevchenko and Rusian Rotan both had good opportunities to put the visitors a goal up.

England held on though and on a counter-attack made possible by Owen dropping very deep, scored through David Beckham.

The ball ran free on the right wing and John Terry collected before delivering a perfect, curling cross low into the area.

It was missed by everyone and at the back post Beckham slid in to get to the ball just ahead of Ukrainian 'keeper Oleksandr Shovkovskyy.

Ukraine still tried their best coming forward but England's defence looked firmer as time wore on.

Second Half

Kieron Dyer, Glen Johnson and Jermain Defoe enter at half time.

England start the second half brightly and just five minutes after the break a beautifully flighted ball from David Beckham is met by Michael Owen to extend England's lead.

With 20 minutes of the half to go Shaun Wright-Phillips picks the ball up in his own half and carries it forward on a jinking run to the edge of the box. He then fires home low into the far corner to give England a commanding lead.

The final whistle blows and England have won 3-0.

England: James, G Neville (Johnson, 45), King, Terry, Cole, Beckham, Lampard, Butt (Dyer, 45), Gerrard (Wright-Phillips, 55), Smith (Defoe, 45), Owen

Ukraine: Shovkovsky, Federov, Rusol, Yezerskyi, Nesmachny, Tymoschuk, Shelayev, Vorobey, Rotan (Zakarliuca, 67), Husev, Shevchenko. Subs: Gusev, Rebrov, Voronin, Kormiltsev, Zakarliuka, Nazarenko, Radchenko, Matiukhin, Reva.

Referee: M McCurry (Scotland)
Attendance: 35,387