Manchester United and England forward Danny Welbeck was last night left with a very sour taste in his mouth after a 4-0 win over Macedonia even though he scored two goals for his country.
Welbeck was booked for time-wasting when he kicked tried to score when the whistle had gone for offside. This means he will miss the game on Tuesday against Ukraine after picking up a yellow card in the match against Montenegro for diving, which was again controversial.
England manager, Roy Hodgson was left fuming at the referee’s decision to book the striker as he is now without Welbeck and Rooney, with Sturridge fighting for fitness.
“I am actually very disappointed to get a yellow card,” Welbeck said.
“You can’t always hear the referee’s whistle. Even then I believed I was onside and I wanted to put it in the back of the net.”
“The main thing is to play your part for the team.”
Rickie Lambert was also left angry at the decision stating, “I really don’t understand it. I was trying to get the reason why [the referee booked Welbeck] but he was having none of it.
“We were 2-0 up, so why would we be time wasting? I really don’t get it. You could see the disappointment in his face at half-time, even though he had just scored. He couldn’t understand it.
“He kept on going in the second half, was very professional. I said to him to keep going, try not to let it affect you and he was top class again in the second half. He could’ve got a hat-trick.”
“I obviously wanted to try my best to help the team and I am hoping to give the gaffer another option as a striker,” added Southampton striker Lambert, who became the first player to score in his first two internationals in 37 years.
“That is what I was trying to do, to impress again, and to score a goal again for England is superb. I was overjoyed to get my first start for England and for it to have gone like that again, it is terrific.”
“Obviously it is going to be a different game again on Tuesday, we know that, and whatever role is in there for me, I am more than ready for it.”
