Wayne Rooney marked his England return with the goal that secured a place for Roy Hodgson's side in Euro 2012's last eight - but it was a rough passage eased by major helping of good fortune and controversy against Ukraine. Hodgson instantly restored Rooney after a two-match suspension in place of Andy Carroll with orders to make a belated mark on the campaign after sitting out the draw against France and the victory against Sweden. And, after missing a simple header in the first half, Rooney ensured that England topped Group D and set up a quarter-final meeting against Italy in Kiev on Sunday with his first goal in a major tournament since scoring twice in the 4-2 win against Croatia in Lisbon at Euro 2004. England could have met world and European champions Spain but that eventuality was avoided by Sweden's 2-0 win against France and now they must overcome the Italians to progress further. Ukraine, however, will complain about a contentious second-half incident when Marko Devic's shot appeared to cross the line before it was scrambled away by John Terry but it was missed by the officials. The incident immediately revived the debate about goal-line technology, with a final decision expected to be taken in Zurich on 5 July. England will regard it as a measure of justice for Frank Lampard's disallowed 'goal' against Germany in Bloemfontein at the 2010 World Cup - but it was also an illustration of how they rode their luck for long periods in front of a predictably partisan home crowd. But, once again, Hodgson's men found a way to get the result they required and there is a real air of respectability about their campaign even though they had to survive a first-half siege from a Ukraine side desperate for the win they needed to reach the knockout phase. Oleg Blokhin's team lost the talismanic Andriy Shevchenko to a knee injury but still showed enough to put England through several torrid spells. A lack of match sharpness was perhaps to blame for Rooney squandering England's best chance after twenty seven minutes. It appeared he only had to make clean contact with The Scum team-mate Ashley Young's cross to score but Rooney lacked conviction and sent a far-post header tamely wide of keeper Andriy Pyatov's goal. Either side of Rooney's fluffed chance it was a tale of Ukrainian domination as they exploited England down both flanks and showed greater fluidity as they struggled to gain any control. 
Scott Parker was desperately urging England's players to keep possession - but it was easier said than done amid waves of Ukraine attacks and it needed penalty area block from the Stottingtot Hotshots midfield man to thwart Devic. England keeper Joe Hart had to save smartly from the dangerous Andriy Yarmolenko, who also raised the hopes the Donetsk crowd as he evaded several challenges in the area before running out of space. Rooney made no mistake with his second headed opportunity as Steven Gerrard's delivery from the right was once again the creative source. The cross took two deflections and slipped from the grasp of Pyatov for a simple far-post header. The crowd was momentarily silenced but Ukraine refused to lose heart. Artem Milevskiy should have done better than send a header wide but the real controversy came when Hart partially blocked Devic's effort and Terry made a desperate scramble to hook the ball off the line. The Ukrainians claimed a goal and subsequent replays appear to show the ball had crossed the line before Terry's intervention. There was still time amid the drama for Ashley Cole to almost mark his ninety seventh cap with a goal but the erratic Pyatov made a fine recovering save after another inelegant attempt to deal with a cross. With twenty minutes left it was time for the entrance of Ukraine's great sporting icon Shevchenko, who received a thunderous ovation as his country looked to him to rescue their Euro 2012 campaign. It was a task beyond even Shevchenko, who was soon booked for a rash challenge on Young, and, as Hodgson said, England can dream a little more ahead of the confrontation with Italy in Kiev.
A spectacular Zlatan Ibrahimovic goal helped Sweden beat a France side who finish Group D runners-up and will now meet Spain in the Euro 2012 last eight. France stuggled to get going - that's what happens when you leave Yohan Cabaye out the side, chaps - and Ola Toivonen went close for Sweden when his shot stuck the outside of the post. Ibrahimovic eventually punished the France when he brilliantly volleyed in from fifteen yards from a Sebastian Larsson cross.
Olivier Giroud wasted the French side's best chance, heading over when well place, before Larsson smashed in a close-range shot for Sweden's second a few moments from time. It was a first defeat in twenty four internationals for France and manager Laurent Blanc will not only be left to worry over a last eight meeting with the European and World champions, but also a very disappointing performance from his side. Sweden had already been eliminated before the game after defeats in their first two matches but they led early in the second half against both Ukraine and England before going on to lose. Despite their exit, Sweden had also given notice they were determined to finish on a high as the players chose to train last Sunday rather than taking up manager Erik Hamren's offer of having the day off. Les Bleus, though, did not heed the warning signs and began in casual manner.
The first openly gay footballer in Europe tweeted during the Euro 2012 clash between England and the Ukraine as part of a campaign to raise awareness of an anti-gay crackdown in the tournament co-host country. Marcus Urban played for German second division team Rot-Weiß Erfurt in the 1990s, but came out at a time when it was almost unheard of for a footballer. Urban teamed up with campaign group AllOut.org to live tweet during England's crucial Group D clash against the Ukraine. They want to raise awareness of the fact that the parliament in Ukraine is currently considering a 'gay gag rule,' which would make it illegal to say the word 'gay' in public. AllOut.org has launched an international campaign to urge president Viktor Yanukovych to speak up against the growing anti-gay sentiment across the Ukraine. 'The situation for lesbian and gay people here in Ukraine is urgent, and we need supporters like Marcus and All Out members all around the world to speak up with us,' said Zoryan Kis, executive director of Fulcrum, a Ukrainian LGBT organisation. AllOut.org claims that six senior politicians from European Union countries have already refused to attend Euro 2012 in protest at the deteriorating human rights situation in the Ukraine.
The British government has boycotted the group stage of Euro 2012 in protest at the situation, as well as the jailing of Ukrainian opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko. Tymoshenko has been charged with the killing of the businessman and MP Yevhen Shcherban sixteen years ago, but her party claim that the charges are part of Yanukovych's campaign to eliminate his political opponents. 'Leaders are telling Ukraine that they can not reap the benefits of the European community while rejecting its commitment to human rights,' said Andre Banks, executive director of AllOut.org. 'Euro 2012 has become the focal point for everyone from heads of state to pro-footballers ready to give Ukraine a red card for the country's ever expanding pattern of human rights abuses.' The protest is also aimed at showing how difficult it still is for footballers to come out as gay. Urban said that he quit football twenty years ago due to the 'pressure to conform' in the professional game, and he feels that those pressures still exist for players today.
Paddy Power has confirmed that it will pay Nicklas Bendtner's one hundred thousand Euros fine for showing the brand's name on his underpants during Denmark's game against Portugal. The bookmaker said on its blog that UEFA had decided to tackle the matter 'after solving all the social, political and race issues surrounding Euro 2012. We can't do anything about UEFA's chilled-out attitude to racism or political oppression, but we can do something about the Pantsgate,' the company said. 'We've decided to foot the bill for the fine. Paddy Power are paying Bendtner's massively over-the-top one hundred thousand Euros fine.' Paddy Power's 'head of mischief' Ken Robertson added: 'We pride ourselves on listening to our customers and what we heard loud and clear yesterday was that Nicklas Bendtner should not suffer as a result of UEFA's double standards.
We don't believe that Nicklas should be penalised for nothing more serious than wearing his lucky underpants which in fairness was only a bit of fun.' There has been widespread outrage in the football world as the obscene severity of the punishment handed out to Bendtner when compared to fines levied against national football associations some of whose supporters have been found guilty of racist and violence behaviour. Rio Ferdinand and Vincent Kompany have both criticised UEFA after Croatia's £64,561 fine for racism, fifteen thousand smackers less than Bendtner's fine for revealing sponsored pants. Shiekh Yer Man City captain Kompany called on UEFA to 'review their priorities.' The Scum's Ferdinand tweeted: 'UEFA are you for real? Eighty thousand pound fine for Bendtner? All of the racism fines together don't even add up to that.' He continued: 'Platini was a great player but him and his colleagues alienate themselves with exactly this type of rubbish.' A UEFA spokesman said: 'It is up to the disciplinary committee to decide on the sanctions (in each individual case) and the written reasons (for Bendtner's punishment) are being sent to the Danish FA.'
Scott Parker was desperately urging England's players to keep possession - but it was easier said than done amid waves of Ukraine attacks and it needed penalty area block from the Stottingtot Hotshots midfield man to thwart Devic. England keeper Joe Hart had to save smartly from the dangerous Andriy Yarmolenko, who also raised the hopes the Donetsk crowd as he evaded several challenges in the area before running out of space. Rooney made no mistake with his second headed opportunity as Steven Gerrard's delivery from the right was once again the creative source. The cross took two deflections and slipped from the grasp of Pyatov for a simple far-post header. The crowd was momentarily silenced but Ukraine refused to lose heart. Artem Milevskiy should have done better than send a header wide but the real controversy came when Hart partially blocked Devic's effort and Terry made a desperate scramble to hook the ball off the line. The Ukrainians claimed a goal and subsequent replays appear to show the ball had crossed the line before Terry's intervention. There was still time amid the drama for Ashley Cole to almost mark his ninety seventh cap with a goal but the erratic Pyatov made a fine recovering save after another inelegant attempt to deal with a cross. With twenty minutes left it was time for the entrance of Ukraine's great sporting icon Shevchenko, who received a thunderous ovation as his country looked to him to rescue their Euro 2012 campaign. It was a task beyond even Shevchenko, who was soon booked for a rash challenge on Young, and, as Hodgson said, England can dream a little more ahead of the confrontation with Italy in Kiev.A spectacular Zlatan Ibrahimovic goal helped Sweden beat a France side who finish Group D runners-up and will now meet Spain in the Euro 2012 last eight. France stuggled to get going - that's what happens when you leave Yohan Cabaye out the side, chaps - and Ola Toivonen went close for Sweden when his shot stuck the outside of the post. Ibrahimovic eventually punished the France when he brilliantly volleyed in from fifteen yards from a Sebastian Larsson cross.
Olivier Giroud wasted the French side's best chance, heading over when well place, before Larsson smashed in a close-range shot for Sweden's second a few moments from time. It was a first defeat in twenty four internationals for France and manager Laurent Blanc will not only be left to worry over a last eight meeting with the European and World champions, but also a very disappointing performance from his side. Sweden had already been eliminated before the game after defeats in their first two matches but they led early in the second half against both Ukraine and England before going on to lose. Despite their exit, Sweden had also given notice they were determined to finish on a high as the players chose to train last Sunday rather than taking up manager Erik Hamren's offer of having the day off. Les Bleus, though, did not heed the warning signs and began in casual manner.The first openly gay footballer in Europe tweeted during the Euro 2012 clash between England and the Ukraine as part of a campaign to raise awareness of an anti-gay crackdown in the tournament co-host country. Marcus Urban played for German second division team Rot-Weiß Erfurt in the 1990s, but came out at a time when it was almost unheard of for a footballer. Urban teamed up with campaign group AllOut.org to live tweet during England's crucial Group D clash against the Ukraine. They want to raise awareness of the fact that the parliament in Ukraine is currently considering a 'gay gag rule,' which would make it illegal to say the word 'gay' in public. AllOut.org has launched an international campaign to urge president Viktor Yanukovych to speak up against the growing anti-gay sentiment across the Ukraine. 'The situation for lesbian and gay people here in Ukraine is urgent, and we need supporters like Marcus and All Out members all around the world to speak up with us,' said Zoryan Kis, executive director of Fulcrum, a Ukrainian LGBT organisation. AllOut.org claims that six senior politicians from European Union countries have already refused to attend Euro 2012 in protest at the deteriorating human rights situation in the Ukraine.
The British government has boycotted the group stage of Euro 2012 in protest at the situation, as well as the jailing of Ukrainian opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko. Tymoshenko has been charged with the killing of the businessman and MP Yevhen Shcherban sixteen years ago, but her party claim that the charges are part of Yanukovych's campaign to eliminate his political opponents. 'Leaders are telling Ukraine that they can not reap the benefits of the European community while rejecting its commitment to human rights,' said Andre Banks, executive director of AllOut.org. 'Euro 2012 has become the focal point for everyone from heads of state to pro-footballers ready to give Ukraine a red card for the country's ever expanding pattern of human rights abuses.' The protest is also aimed at showing how difficult it still is for footballers to come out as gay. Urban said that he quit football twenty years ago due to the 'pressure to conform' in the professional game, and he feels that those pressures still exist for players today.Paddy Power has confirmed that it will pay Nicklas Bendtner's one hundred thousand Euros fine for showing the brand's name on his underpants during Denmark's game against Portugal. The bookmaker said on its blog that UEFA had decided to tackle the matter 'after solving all the social, political and race issues surrounding Euro 2012. We can't do anything about UEFA's chilled-out attitude to racism or political oppression, but we can do something about the Pantsgate,' the company said. 'We've decided to foot the bill for the fine. Paddy Power are paying Bendtner's massively over-the-top one hundred thousand Euros fine.' Paddy Power's 'head of mischief' Ken Robertson added: 'We pride ourselves on listening to our customers and what we heard loud and clear yesterday was that Nicklas Bendtner should not suffer as a result of UEFA's double standards.
We don't believe that Nicklas should be penalised for nothing more serious than wearing his lucky underpants which in fairness was only a bit of fun.' There has been widespread outrage in the football world as the obscene severity of the punishment handed out to Bendtner when compared to fines levied against national football associations some of whose supporters have been found guilty of racist and violence behaviour. Rio Ferdinand and Vincent Kompany have both criticised UEFA after Croatia's £64,561 fine for racism, fifteen thousand smackers less than Bendtner's fine for revealing sponsored pants. Shiekh Yer Man City captain Kompany called on UEFA to 'review their priorities.' The Scum's Ferdinand tweeted: 'UEFA are you for real? Eighty thousand pound fine for Bendtner? All of the racism fines together don't even add up to that.' He continued: 'Platini was a great player but him and his colleagues alienate themselves with exactly this type of rubbish.' A UEFA spokesman said: 'It is up to the disciplinary committee to decide on the sanctions (in each individual case) and the written reasons (for Bendtner's punishment) are being sent to the Danish FA.'
