LONDON: Gareth Southgate hailed “ruthless” Bukayo Saka as the England forward’s breathtaking goal inspired a 2-0 win against Ukraine that maintained his side’s perfect start to their Euro 2024 qualifying campaign on Sunday.
Southgate’s team followed an impressive victory against Italy in their Group C opener with another composed display highlighted by Saka’s brilliance and the latest example of Harry Kane’s predatory instincts.
Saka has been one of the standout performers in Arsenal’s climb to the top of the Premier League this season and the forward was at his very best once again at Wembley.
It was Saka’s pin-point cross that allowed Kane to give England the lead in the first half as the Three Lions captain extended his record tally for his country.
Kane wrote himself into the record books against Italy, scoring his 54th international goal to surpass Wayne Rooney as England’s all-time leading goalscorer.
Surrounded by his wife and children, the Tottenham striker was presented with a golden boot before kick-off, but quickly got back down to business with goal number 55.
Kane had been more instrumental than most in England’s progress to major tournaments in his career, scoring 34 times in just 29 qualifying group matches.
Aged 29, Kane is at his peak, while the 21-year-old Saka is only just starting to explore the vast depths of his potential, as he showed with his superb long-range goal.
“Once he receives inside and turns you know there’s a chance that might happen. It’s a top-level finish,” Southgate said.
“That’s really the ruthless part he’s added to his game in the last 18 months.
“There were times where you weren’t certain he was going to finish, and now you’ve got real confidence when he’s through on goal.
“Everyone can see technical quality. It is the mentality that is the outstanding part.”
England’s 2-1 victory over European champions Italy on Thursday — their first success on Italian soil since 1961 — was a significant statement of intent in their bid to finally win a first major trophy since 1966.
Dismissing Ukraine in business-like fashion ensured the positive mood will continue while England wait to resume their qualifying campaign against Malta and North Macedonia in June.
“I’m really pleased. We made a difficult game look straightforward,” Southgate said.
“To back up the Italy result was important but there is still room to grow.”
Patient England
It was an emotional occasion for more than 1,000 Ukrainians and their host families, who were invited to the game as special guests of England’s Football Association having been displaced by the war with Russia.
Showing solidarity with Ukraine, England’s players joined their opponents before kick-off behind a Ukrainian flag with “Peace” written across it.
“It was amazing to see so many Ukrainian fans here. We knew it was going to be emotional and we all have tremendous sympathy with what’s going on. Everyone’s supporting Ukraine,” Southgate said.
Beaten in the 2018 World Cup semi-finals and the European Championship final two years ago, England are still chasing their trophy holy grail.
In their first home game since last year’s World Cup campaign ended in a painful quarter-final defeat against France, Southgate’s men showed their hunger has not been dulled by so many agonising near-misses.
England had been patient against Ukraine’s massed defence and, while their build-up might have looked ponderous at times, it was a steady approach that paid off in the 37th minute.
Saka whipped a perfectly-weighted cross towards the far post and when Oleksandr Karavaev couldn’t get enough power on his attempted clearance, Kane stuck out a boot to deflect it in from close range.
Having provided the assist for Kane, Saka got on the scoresheet himself three minutes later.
Taking possession 20 yards from goal, the Arsenal forward easily evaded Mykola Matviyenko and curled a sublime strike over Anatoliy Trubin into the far corner for a jaw-dropping goal that brought the previously subdued Wembley crowd to their feet.
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