November 1, 2000
Seton-Hall star Smith helps England to victory over Ukraine 2-1

By Colin A. Aldis and Jennifer O'Neill

UEFA 2001 Women's Championship, Play-Offs 1st Leg

Ukraine 1 England 2 Monday 30th October, 14.00pm

In this first ever meeting at senior level, (U-18 team won 4-0 in 1999) between the two nations, this was England's most important victory for 6 years, to bring home a 2-1 lead from the away leg in Borispol, nr Kiev.

The England team did the same with Iceland in 1994 and with a home win as well they qualified for the 1995 World Cup in Sweden. The confidence from this match, against a team marginally ahead in the Kessler rankings, should help realise a dream for some of the players who have never competed in a major finals tournament (6of the current squad were in the 1995 squad).

Although nothing should be taken for granted in the second leg to be played at Leyton Orient FC (venue of a recent 2-1 win over Finland) on Tuesday 28th November 2000, there could be an added incentive, as the finals may be held in England.

On a day when there was chaos in England, due to bad weather, rain, high winds and flooding, the away team, despite some early jitters, managed to keep Ukraine out during a goal-less first half, and might have gone into the break with the lead, but when Angela Banks found the net, she was given offside.

KELLY SMITH (celebrating her 22nd birthday and her WUSA place in Philidelphia, Pa) replaced the Arsenal striker for the second half, and on 58 minutes, met a cross from Sue Smith, and volleyed home for the opener, and the 100th for England under the FA regime. The 2nd goal arrived on 84 minutes, after KAREN WALKER had replaced Marieanne Spacey, and her tame shot confused the tall Veronica Shulga, and the ball ended in the net. Into the 4th minute of stoppage time, Ukraine
managed to get a consolation goal, when captain NATALIA ZINCHENKO scored with a shot passed Rachel Brown into the right corner, much to the annoyance of the England party, because 1996 Olympic Final referee, Bente Skogvang had only signalled 3 minutes to the 4th official.

UKRAINE:
1. Veronica Shulga (GK) FC PDV Ryazan
5. Victoria Izhko FC Energiya Veronezh
9. Lyudmyla Pekur FC Donchanka
4. Yulia Karpenkura FC Legenda Chernigov
3. Oxana Andruschenko
6. Natalia Zinchenko(C) FC PDV Ryazan
7. Svitlana Stasyuk
8. Nadiya Myshchenko FC Nurnberg
2. Yuliya Titova
10. Tetyana Chorna FC Legenda Chernigov
11. Tetyana Verezoubova FC PDV Ryazan
subs:
13. Galyna Mykhaylenko
(73 min, for S. Stasyuk)
14. Nataliya Zhdanova FC Kievan
(74 min, for I. Titova,
18. Nataliiya Ignatovich FC Kubanochka
(82 min, for N. Zhdanova)
not used:
12. Iryna Zvarich FC Lengenda Chernigov
15. S Frishko
16. Lyudmyla Lemeshko FC Legenda Chernigov
17. Nataliya Malyga FC Nurnberg
Head Coach: Anatolyi Piskovez

ENGLAND:
NAME CLUB 1-11 SUB APPS GOALS
Rachel Brown(GK) Univ. of Pittsburgh 4 6 10 -
Kate Chapman Fulham FC 3 1 4 -
Julie Fletcher Charlton Athletic 10 1 11 -
Maureen Marley Everton 33 2 35 1
Sam Britton Everton 40 3 43 3
Becky Easton Doncaster Belles 26 11 37 -
Karen Burke Doncaster Belles 42 4 46 5
Tara Proctor Charlton Athletic 6 4 10 -
Susan Smith Tranmere Rovers 23 5 28 7
Marieanne Spacey Arsenal 83 2 85 28
Angela Banks Arsenal 2 3 5 1
subs:
Kelly Smith Seton Hall Univ 20 1 21 4
(46 mins, for A. Banks)
Karen Walker Doncaster Belles 57 3 60 32
(75 mins, for M. Spacey)
Faye White Arsenal 10 5 15 2
(80 mins, for S. Britton)
not used:
Leanne Hall(GK) Doncaster Belles 1 1 2 -
Rachel Yankey Fulham 11 4 15 2
Rachel Unitt Everton - 2 2 -
Danielle Murphy Univ. of Florida 11 6 17 -
Apps up to and including Finland match, 28th September 2000
Head Coach: Hope Powell

GOALS:
Ukraine: N. Zinchenko (94 min)

England: K. Smith (58 min)
K. Walker (84 min)

Referee: Bente Skogvang (Norway)

Attendance:2000 (est)(free entry)