Rachel Yankey capped a tremendous come-back from Euro 2009 rejection by making her 100^th international appearance in the 3-0 qualifying group victory over Turkey at Walsall writes Tony Leighton.

When Yankey was left out of the national squad for last year’s Euro finals in Finland, many thought it meant the end of the England road for the 30-year-old winger.

But she is back with a bang, as her Player of the Match performance proved when she marked her century of caps with the opening goal in a game that saw Hope Powell’s team clinch top spot in Group Five and so qualify for a Play-Off tie that all eight of the European group winners must get through to reach the finals in Germany.

Yankey, captain for the night against Turkey, said: “It was a very special occasion for me and really nice to be made captain. It was fantastic to get my 100^th cap, but once I crossed that white line I wasn’t thinking about that, I was concentrating on helping England to win a game that could take us closer to the World Cup finals.”

If England make Germany 2011 and Yankey is selected, it will be her second World Cup finals and would go some way to making up for the bitter disappointment of her surprise omission from the Euro 2009 squad by National Coach Powell.

“I loved playing at the last World Cup in China,” said Yankey, “and it would be amazing to be involved again if we get to Germany.

“It was obviously a big disappointment to miss out on selection for Euro 2009, in fact it was a shock to me and I have to admit that at one point I thought I wouldn’t get picked for England again.

“But I didn’t ever think I wasn’t good enough. I believed I’d done enough to go to Finland but it wasn’t to be, that was Hope’s decision and I respect that.

“I think that I’ve shown what I’m about since then, but when I got back into the squad (for the Cyprus Cup in February) I didn’t feel that I had a point to prove because in my heart I totally believed that I was good enough.”

Yankey certainly proved her quality against Turkey, when her 13^th goal in England colours intriguingly squared a centurion’s circle. It was her first goal for the national side since February 2009, when she netted in a 4-1 win against Finland – in what was Powell’s 100^th game in charge.

Now the experienced winger is hoping to stay in Powell’s squad and to possibly pass the 119-caps total of former Doncaster Belles captain Gill Coultard, the only female player before Yankey to make a century of England appearances.

Coultard was coming to the end of her international career as Yankey was starting her own and the Arsenal player said: “Gill’s achievement was greater than mine because England didn’t play as many games in those days as we do now. She was an amazing player and to have my name mentioned together with hers is an honour.

“Getting to 100 caps is without question right up there with the biggest highlights of my career, although it will probably mean more to me when I’ve finished playing.

“I’ve had a good career to now and hopefully I can keep playing, keeping getting picked for England and play as many games as I can.

“I’d love to eventually get past Gill’s record of caps, but the most important thing right now is helping England get to the World Cup finals.

“We’ve got part one finished by topping our qualifying group, now we’ve got the play-offs and then hopefully a trip to Germany.

(Above: Gill Coultard receiving her FA Special Achievement Award in 1999)

“After having a taste of the World Cup finals I want more, just like the rest of the girls in the squad. We don’t want to be sitting at home watching on TV when the finals are being played, we want to be there competing.

“Germany will put on a brilliant tournament and although our play-off tie – whoever it’s against – will be extremely difficult, we’re absolutely determined to get there.”

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