World Cup Qualifying Preview: Ukraine - England

Posted Monday, September 09, 2013 by YAHOO Sport

Victory for England over Ukraine will leave the team as a huge favorite to qualify from Group H for World Cup 2014.

Roy Hodgson's side, which is level with Montenegro on 15 points but ahead on goal difference, ran out a 4-0 winner against Moldova on Friday and remains the only unbeaten side in the group.

But Ukraine, which hammered San Marino 9-0, is only a point behind and will sense an opportunity to overhaul its visitor in Kiev.

England has problems up front, too, withWayne Rooney (head), Daniel Sturridge(thigh) and Danny Welbeck (suspended) all consigned to watching the match.

That leaves Southampton's Rickie Lambert as the main threat. His international career is off to a flying start with two goals in as many games.

England will need to break a pattern that has emerged during its qualifying campaign if the club is to earn some breathing space at the top of the group. On each of the previous three occasions that the team has won, it has followed it up with a draw.

Ukraine is enjoying an excellent run of form, with 15 goals and four clean sheets from its last four matches.

Mykhaylo Fomenko's men were impressive against England at Wembley last September, when it took Frank Lampard's late penalty to deny the team all three points following Yevhen Konoplyanka's first-half opener.