The way this match panned out in the end, it will almost certainly be seen as a vital point won by England rather than two lost.  Although it always remains very important that you win your home games in these competitions, it looked for a long time that England would succumb to a clever performance by Ukraine at Wembley and lose their proud record of not being beaten in a competitive match at home for five years.

After the easy victory over Moldova, England seemed to start this match under the impression that it would be just as simple to beat the Ukraine.  But this was a different kettle of fish entirely and their lethargic start was almost punished beyond repair as the visitors were quickly out of the blocks.  Oleg Gusiev's early effort took a deflection off of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and the ball looped to the far post, which it clipped, forcing Joe Hart to scramble across goal, well beaten.  It was a warning for the home side that they had to buck their ideas up.  Tom Cleverley, so impressive against Moldova, was finding this game a lot tougher as he struggled to find the space and freedom he had enjoyed on the previous Friday.  Gradually though England got to grips with their task and both Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard used all their experience and worked tirelessly to change the direction of the match.

It was one of those games where both sets of forwards always looked likely to score against defences that certainly showed nerves and some hesitancy early on.  Ukraine had come to Wembley with a definite plan to have nine players back at all times and rely on swift breakaways.  England's problem was to find a way round this solid wall and at times they found it very difficult.  Up front Ukraine's Yevhen Konoplyanka had tremendous pace and in the midfield Anatoliy Tymoschuk showed all the experience of a man with 121 caps to his name.  He shackled Cleverley brilliantly and it was to be a night of learning for the Manchester United midfield player.  Again the visitors went close when a low cross into the box was hacked away by Glen Johnson.  It took England ten minutes to get into the contest but at that time they so nearly took the lead with their first real chance.  Jermaine Defoe picked up possession on the left, held off two challenges and cut inside to rifle a tremendous shot past Andriy Pyatov.  It looked a superb goal, but the crowd went from joy to despair as they noticed the referee had given a foul against Defoe and the goal was ruled out.  Replays showed that it was a very harsh decision and it wasn't to be the last the official gave on the night.  The theatrical collapse by Andriy Yarmolenko after Defoe's challenge had hoodwinked the ref, and the Ukraine penchant for falling to the floor at the slightest touch was to incur the wrath of the crowd on more than one occasion.

To rub salt into the wound Ukraine then almost scored themselves when Cleverley lost possession and when the ball ran loose only a fine clearance by Gerrard from the goalline prevented the shot going in.  Phil Jagielka then had a header from a Gerrard corner at the other end and on the half hour Denys Garmash was left unmarked in the box.  Luckily his volley went over Joe Hart's crossbar.  At this point the game was wide open and on 34 minutes great play by Johnson, James Milner and Gerrard set up Defoe, who unselfishly nodded the ball across goal to the incoming and unmarked Cleverley.  The youngster just had to score surely?  No!  Somehow he contrived to fire his shot against the keeper's legs when it seemed much easier to score.  Four minutes later the visitors took the lead with a wonderful goal.

Konoplyanka picked up possession out on the left and as Gerrard went to close him down the Ukrainian cut inside and curled an unstoppable right-foot shot into the far top corner giving Hart absolutely no chance to save.  Sometimes you have to hold up your hands and say what a wonderful goal, and this was one of those occasions.  And if truth be told Ukraine deserved the lead at that point too.

It was ironic that the one player for England who was not having the best of nights was the one who had all the chances fall at his feet.  Cleverley had two more chances in quick succession before the break, the first coming following a right-wing cross, when he scuffed his shot from a good position.  Then, shortly afterwards he found himself in another great position only to see his shot strike the outside of the post.  Credit the lad for continually getting into the mix, but on another day he could have had five goals! 

The Ukraine came out for the second half more determined than ever to hold on to what they had and England were struggling to find the guile to break them down.  Johnson fired in a dangerous cross that was deflected for a corner and then Lampard shot wide after good work by Defoe.  On 54 minutes Gerrard was booked after leading with his elbow in a challenge with Ruslan Rotan and his team were just starting to show frustration at the way things were going.  But to be fair they kept plugging away, probing and trying to pass the ball around the defenders.  A good clearance by Leighton Baines saved the day when a rare attack from Ukraine threatened and Hart saved a weak header from a corner.  On 62 minutes Roy Hodgson made his first change, bringing on Danny Welbeck for the unfortunate Cleverley, and the other Manchester United player immediately looked lively.

On 69 minutes Johnson made one of his typical runs and was so unlucky to see his low shot to the far post turned away by Pyatov's hand at the last moment.  The referee, in his wisdom, gave a goal kick!  Daniel Sturridge then came on for the disappointing Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and England went 4-3-3 as the pressure grew.  Milner's cross was just too high for Defoe, Defoe shot wide and England then went close from a corner.  After 83 minutes Gerrard and Sturridge combined to set up Welbeck but the striker could only toe-poke the ball against the post.  Oh, the agony on the England bench!  A minute later there were howls for a penalty as Welbeck went down, and then Ukraine broke away and almost sealed the match but thankfully Roman Zozulya missed a golden chance from close range.

It looked at this stage that England were going to suffer a rare home defeat but there was still time for two further stings in the tail.  Sturridge and fellow sub Ryan Bertrand combined to get the ball into Welbeck and this time the striker stayed composed and tried to dink the ball past Yevgen Khacheridi only to see the big defender block it with an arm.  This time the referee did get it right when he awarded England a penalty.  Up stepped the unflappable Lampard for the second game running to fire home a super penalty.  It was a deserved equaliser for the home side.

The referee was to have the final say though as in the 89th minute Gerrard went into a 50-50 challenge with Garmash, who stepped across the England captain, and although the Liverpool man won the ball the reaction of Garmash, going down as though he had been hit by a 12 bore shot gun, convinced the referee that it was a foul worthy of a second yellow card and Gerrard was off.  It was the final blot on the Turkish official's poor night and now Gerrard misses the home game with San Marino.  All in all, England did well to finally gain some reward from their efforts.  Their performance had not been a particularly good one but they kept going, kept working and finally and deservedly gained their point.  It may prove important in the great scheme of things.