Hopes up for Three Lions

PICTURE: AP

With a limp and a blunt dagger, England staged the classic smash-and-grab.

Co-hosts Ukraine might have been robbed under the floodlights.

There’s no reason for England to go all euphoric over their crucial 1-0 victory over Ukraine this morning (Singapore time), but they can at least take comfort in a performance that could be described as utterly professional at the Donbass Arena.

With this hard-fought win, England are not only through to the Euro 2012 quarter-finals, but they have also avoided a dreaded meeting with defending champions Spain.