England manager Roy Hodgson has confirmed that Frank Lampard will win
his 100th cap in the vital World Cup qualifier away to Ukraine on
Tuesday.
Lampard, 35, will join Chelsea team-mate Ashley Cole and England captain Steven Gerrard among the centurions appearing in Kiev.
“Lampard will play tomorrow night,” Hodgson said. “That's quite a first.
I'm happy to have been part of that. All things being equal Frank will
play and start the game tomorrow and win his 100th cap
“I don't think there will be many players who will play for England for
two or three years let alone 14 years. Fourteen years is a long time to
be representing your country. We don't have that many international
matches so I think people who want to play 100 games for their country
have to play for a team that wins major international tournaments and
play for a very long time.”
Hodgson said he will make only one change from the team that beat Moldova 4-0 on Friday night, with Manchester United forward Danny Welbeck suspended as a result of the caution he received at Wembley.
"There will only be one change to the team and that's the person who
will replace Danny Welbeck,” he said. “I'll leave you to guess that."
Hodgson also condemned the violence that saw England fans attacked by Ukraine fans said to be carrying knives.
“We deplore that, everyone deplores that and I'm certain people in Kiev
deplore that,” Hodgson said. “I don't know the circumstances. It's
unfortunate these things can happen when football fans get together. I'm
sad it's occurred and I only hope our fans are not going to be put off
and the fans aren't so badly injured they can't attend the game.”
Ukraine coach Mykhaylo Fomenko, meanwhile, has described Tuesday's game as the most important of his 34 years in management.
England currently lead Group H on goal difference, with a match in hand
on second-placed Montenegro, but Ukraine -- a point behind England
having also played seven games -- can seize control with a home victory.
Asked whether the match was the most important of his career, the
64-year-old former Dynamo Kiev and Metalist Kharkiv boss replied: “Not
only of mine. We don't want to make you [the Ukrainian people] angry.”
Fomenko gave little away in the press conference and offered little when
quizzed on his opponents. When questioned about the absence of Wayne
Rooney, he said Hodgson was better placed to answer. Asked what he knew
of Rickie Lambert, who will start in Rooney’s stead, he replied: “It's a
secret.”
He was no more forthcoming on his own team. When asked about his own selection plans, his response was only: “We will see.”
Fomenko, who was named Ukraine boss in December last year, said he expects "150%" from his players.
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