England await European finals

Coach Hope Powell sees her team through to the finals

Euro Championship play-off second leg

England 2-0 Ukraine
(England win 4-1 on agg)

BBC Sport Online's Tony Leighton reports from Brisbane Road.

England clinched a place in next year's European Championship finals with some ease in front of a record attendance for a women's international in this country.

A cheering Brisbane Road crowd of 7,102 watched a depleted England team dominate from almost start to finish against a Ukrainian side which fell away badly after opening reasonably well.

Despite England creating a host of goal-scoring opportunities, it took a bizarre own goal by 'keeper Veronika Shulga to give the home side a 63rd minute lead.

Substitute Rachael Yankey hit the second goal 11 minutes from times, giving Hope Powell's team a 4-1 aggregate victory.

England started the game slowly, not for the first time in European action. However, they did take time to adjust to a line-up which was slightly unbalanced, as coach Powell made three forced changes to the side which had won the first leg.

There were a couple of early scares as winger Galyina Ivanova forced 'keeper Pauline Cope into a sixth minute save. Then striker Svetana Frishko miss-kicked when well-placed seven minutes later.

Built up pressure

From that point, however, the home side took control and would have been well ahead by the interval but for some excellent saves by Shulga and a couple of badly missed chances.

The keeper tipped over the bar a good 27th minute effort by striker Kelly Smith, unusually plying on the right wing. Shulga then denied Arsenal's Marieanne Spacey on three separate occasions as England built up the pressure.

Tranmere winger Sue Smith wastefully shot wide from close range just before the interval but it was Smith's cross which led to the opening goal.

She floated the ball in from the left but Shulga, who had gifted England one of their first leg goals, inexplicably turned the ball into her own net under no pressure whatsoever.

Any resolve the Ukrainian team had dissolved at that point. Fulham striker Yankey, a 71st minute substitute for Spacey, was given time and space to sweep in Angela Banks' 79th minute cross.

England now go forward to the eight-country championship finals, which will probably be hosted by current champions Germany next June.