Dirty TackleRoy Hodgson thought Steven Gerrard ‘extremely unlucky’ to get sent off for comical challenge
England salvaged a 1-1 draw in their World Cup qualifier against Ukraine thanks to a Frank Lampard penalty kick in the 87th minute. While Lampard scored his third goal in England's two qualifiers thus far, captain Steven Gerrard got himself sent off just one minute later after being booked a second time for trying to reach the ball by lunging between Denys Garmash's legs and falling on his back.
That prompted England manager Roy Hodgson to prove the lengths to which he will defend his players. From the Telegraph:
"Steven Gerrard is extremely unlucky to be sent off," Hodgson said. "The two fouls he was adjudged to have committed weren't worthy of cards. I thought all the yellow cards were very harsh. I don't think there were a lot of bad fouls, or fouls full stop. So I'm going to say there were far too many cards for the fouls committed."
This was the first time Gerrard has been sent off in his England career and it will keep him out of their next qualifier against San Marino. Which he can probably afford to miss.
Video of the challenge right this way...
