Saka compared to Messi after England display
Jacque Talbot
- 9 Sept 2023 19:35 BST
- 3 min read
Bukayo Saka has been compared to Lionel Messi after the winger’s display in England’s 1-1 draw with Ukraine.
On pundit duty, Joe Cole sang the praises of the Arsenal attacker following his display for the Three Lions.
The former Chelsea and West Ham player said: “So the defender can't stop him. He takes it back and he's still got the ability to still whip it with so much power. You know, there's only a few who can do that. Mo Salah’s got it, Lionel Messi has got it, and Saka is another one.”
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Kyle Walker found the back of the net for the first time while representing England in his 77th international appearance but England's unbeaten streak in their Euro 2024 qualifying campaign came to an end as they were held to a draw by Ukraine in Wroclaw.
Ukraine enjoyed strong support from their 40,000 fans at the Tarczynski Arena. The crowd erupted when Oleksandr Zinchenko of Arsenal netted Ukraine's opening goal in the 26th minute, finishing a cross from Yukhym Konoplya. Despite England maintaining possession, they struggled to spark creativity.
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Bukayo Saka is 22 years old. 22. Let that sink in….🤯✨ pic.twitter.com/7Yo7wrJbBr
— afcsphere (@afcsphere) September 9, 2023
Harry Kane to the rescue
However, England's captain, Harry Kane, showcased a moment of brilliance just four minutes before half-time. Dropping back to nearly the halfway line, Kane delivered an exquisite long pass to set up Kyle Walker for his debut goal in his 77th international appearance.
In the second half, Gareth Southgate's team had the upper hand, with Saka's shot nearly finding the net, but Ukraine's goalkeeper, Georgiy Bushchan, managed to tip it onto the crossbar.
While England remains on track to qualify for the upcoming Euros in Germany, their performance in this match left much to be desired, with some criticism levelled at Southgate.
