Stronger together was the message emblazoned around an emotional Wraclow Stadium, just 100 miles from the Ukraine border.
The proud and noisy displaced Ukrainians who filled this steep bowl in Poland certainly felt stronger together as their compatriots continue to live out that mantra in front of the rest of the world.
It was nothing short of inspirational.
From the heartfelt rendition of the national anthem to the half-time video of a beautiful, beautiful country that has been crushed so barbarously.
It was an event to make England’s football fans to count their blessings.
Time for them to pull behind their football team and perhaps show an element of faith in Gareth Southgate and the young men working so hard to reconstruct their own history in what is only a game after all.
For Ukraine, as their players saluted their fans after the final whistle, this was about heady escapism from a situation of life and death.
It was not a time for anybody to feel downbeat about a draw away from home when being stronger together is a more important message to take back to England.
Let’s stop grumbling, for instance, over the selection of Harry Maguire and Jordan Henderson.
Any sane glance down the list of substitutes on the England bench showed there were no other options this international break.
We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info
Maguire’s time may be limited in the international fold unless he finds some club football soon.
But he was here to give Marc Guehi an experienced head to look up to as he continues his development into one of England’s pillars of the future.
By the same token, Henderson may have missed one great chance midway through the first half following good work by Jude Bellingham and Bukayo Saka, but he still works well with the pair of them by turning over quick ball.
Again, of course, it will be harder maintaining that sharpness in the Saudi League and the clock is ticking.
It is crazy to think Southgate does not know that.
But for all the excitement surrounding those two younger players in particular, what marks this England team out from the one that he took to Russia is experience.
The perfect example came at the very first point in this qualifying campaign that the Three Lions had got themselves into a bit of a pickle.
Exhilarating as it was to watch, Oleksandr Zinchenko’s opener was a bad goal to give away.
This England did not panic, though. Quite the opposite in fact.
Less could be said of the away fans in the corner though as frustration spilled over when Harry Kane dropped back into the centre-circle to stand alongside Maguire and Guehi.
How are we going to score with our centre-forward on the ball there?
One sublime pass later, they found out, with equally-experienced full-back Kyle Walker appearing from nowhere to do the honours and tuck the ball past the goalkeeper.
England had scored because instead of individuals pushing hard for that equaliser, the team had shown itself to be stronger together.
Ideally, of course, despite the intimidating energy of the atmosphere banked against them, England would have gone on to score more. As it was, the best they could manage was Saka hittng the bar.
But the perfect start to qualification at the start of the year means this should still be seen as a point gained rather than two dropped.
And if nothing else, such an intense match played out in such heart-rending circumstances should help England fans to find a much-needed sense of perspective.
Source: Read Full Article