READINGS : Euro 1988 England USSR

June 18, 1988

Waldstadion

Frankfurt am Main

West Germany

53.000 spectators

Referee: Jose Rosa Dos Santos (Portugal)

England: Chris Woods, Gary Stevens, Kenny Sansom, Tony Adams, Dave Watson, Trevor Steven, John Barnes, Steve McMahon (53`Neil Webb), Glenn Hoddle, Gary Lineker (64`Mark Hateley), Bryan Robson. Coach: Bryan Robson.

USSR: Rinat Dasaev, Vladimir Bessonov, Vagiz Khidiyatullin, Oleg Kuznetsov, Vasiliy Rats, Sergei Aleinikov, Gennadiy Litovchenko, Alexander Zavarov (86`Sergei Gotsmanov), Alexei Mikhailichenko, Oleg Protasov, Igor Belanov (45`Victor Pasulko). Coach: Valery Lobanovsky.

The Soviet Union beat England 3-1 to progress to the semi-finals and leave Bobby Robson's team without a point to their name.

Any chance England – already eliminated – had of heading home with at least some degree of consolation was ended in only the third minute, when Sergei Aleinikov put the USSR in front. Though Tony Adams drew England level, a goal in either half from Alexei Mykhailichenko and Victor Pasulko was enough for Valery Lobanovsky's team to reach the last four once again.

Their cause was helped no end when Glenn Hoddle was easily dispossessed early on, Aleinikov surging through the middle and turning sharply before finishing past Chris Woods. Hoddle helped to make amends on 16 minutes, whipping in a free-kick which Tony Adams met with a bullet header.

Each team was subsequently denied by the woodwork, Trevor Steven for England and Oleg Protasov for the USSR, before Mykhailichenko made a perfectly timed run into the penalty area and headed in Ihor Belanov's cross. Pasulko finished from close range to make it three, completing a miserable tournament for England while leaving the USSR in buoyant mood ahead of the semi-finals.