Showing posts with label Ukraine. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ukraine. Show all posts


England profited from a goalkeeping howler and a goal-line controversy as they beat Ukraine 1-0 in Donetsk to top Euro 2012 Group D.

Wayne Rooney headed the only goal early in the second half after an error by Andriy Pyatov, but there was huge controversy when John Terry cleared a Marko Devic shot that had crossed the line.

None of the officials, including the additional assistant referee standing just metres from the ball, appeared to see the incident, and an incensed Ukraine side exited the tournament.

England may feel it is payback for the 2010 World Cup, when a Frank Lampard goal against Germany was ruled out, but this latest embarrassment will surely accelerate the introduction of goalline technology.

The result sets up a last-eight encounter against Group C runners-up Italy, while France will face defending champions Spain after losing 2-0 to Sweden.

However, there should be no ignoring a sub-standard England display. Roy Hodgson's men began the match full of optimism, buoyed by a 3-2 win against Sweden, and welcoming the apparently talismanic Rooney back to the fold.

Superb as Rooney may be for Manchester United, he has not made a positive major tournament contribution for England since 2004 - so expectations that he would transform England into free-flowing world-beaters always seemed a touch optimistic.

So it proved, as they produced a first half as stilted and insipid as anything they produced in their disastrous 2010 World Cup campaign.

Despite missing Andriy Shevchenko and Andriy Voronin from the starting XI, Ukraine dominated, showing England up with their movement and ball retention.

Early on, England's centre-backs went walkabout, allowing the excellent Andriy Yarmolenko space inside the box - but the Ukrainian dallied on the ball and his eventual shot was charged down.

Scott Parker then produced a block to deny Devic, who was first to an Artem Milevskiy lay-off.

Next it was John Terry's job to get in the way of a shot as he stopped a Yevhen Konoplyanka, and Anatoliy Tymoshchuk volleyed the follow-up over the bar.

Despite their seemingly chronic inability to locate a team-mate with a simple pass, England did have their moments, with Rooney guilty of a glaring miss.

Terry found Ashley Young on the left, whose inswinging cross found an unmarked Rooney at the back post, but somehow the striker glanced his header wide.

Back came Ukraine with Yarmolenko testing Joe Hart with a low shot that the goalkeeper did well to hold. And Yarmolenko threatened again with a mazy dribble inside the box that left three defenders in his wake, but led away from goal and he was eventually crowded out.

England cannot play like Spain, nor should they try, but their passing statistics were simply embarrassing. Xavi routinely averages 50 passes per half. In the first half, Danny Welbeck completed five, James Milner seven, Young nine and Glen Johnson 10.


Even when they did hold the ball, they showed no likelihood of going anywhere - a succession of square passes brought a few ironic 'Ole's from the crowd, but the absolute lack of movement off the ball meant Ukraine were perfectly safe.

The goal came early in the second half from a right-sided cross by Steven Gerrard. As the ball came through, a defender got a slight touch and Pyatov missed the ball completely, gifting Rooney the simplest header.

Just after the hour mark, Ukraine equalised. Or at least they thought they had. Artem Milevskiy teed up Devic, whose shot was half-saved by Hart.

Terry ran back to clear, but the ball had already crossed the line - however, referee Viktor Kassai waved play on and received help from his assistants.

Lucky as England were, they may point out that Milevskiy was offside in the build-up.

As news came through that France were losing to Sweden, the pressure eased - England could have conceded an equaliser and still topped the group.

However, there was still a hairy moment as Hart parried a swerving Konoplyanka shot and Joleon Lescott showed good awareness to hook the ball away.

It was deeply unpretty stuff, but somehow Hodgson's men continue to deliver. They may need more luck if they are to see off the Italians.



Sparkling attacking football and goals from Jeremy Menez and Yohan Cabaye earned France a 2-0 win over Ukraine in their Euro 2012 Group D match after the game was halted for 55 minutes due to a thunderstorm in Donetsk.

Dutch referee Bjorn Kuipers took the players off the field in the fifth minute after thunder, lightning and torrential rain descended on the stadium and it was almost an hour before play resumed, with the surface having dried out remarkably quickly.

The win put France on four points, one ahead of the co-hosts who failed to find the form that brought a 2-1 victory over Sweden. England, who followed up their opening draw with France with a 3-2 win over the now eliminated Swedes later on Thursday, also have four points.

"We scored two goals, we could have scored a few more," said France coach Laurent Blanc. "We're improving. Can France go far (in the tournament)? I can't say. Every game is different."

Ukraine coach Oleg Blokhin said his team, who were whistled by frustrated home fans at the end, were sad about the result although he did not want to apportion any blame.

However, he said: "...in the box we didn't try to clear, we just created moments for the French team, so we can't make such mistakes in our defensive line.

"The conditions were the same for both teams, maybe the French team got used to this weather quicker.

"But the French are one of the best in world football and one of the favourites in this tournament."

Despite the weather disruption, the match at the Donbass Arena started at a high-tempo as both teams attacked from the outset, with Ukraine urged on by a raucous, albeit drenched, home crowd.

Menez, brought into the France team for Florent Malouda, had an effort ruled out for a clear offside and then the pacy winger brought a brilliant save from Andriy Pyatov with a close-range strike from a low Franck Ribery cross.

At the other end, Ukraine striker Andriy Shevchenko, who scored twice in their opening win in Kiev, brought Hugo Lloris into action when he raced on to a long ball and fired at the near post but the keeper got down well to save.

Pyatov made another brilliant save in the 39th minute to tip over a powerful header from Philippe Mexes, who met a Samir Nasri free-kick.

It was a pulsating first half and the high tempo resumed after the break with Menez again testing Pyatov at his near post in the 49th minute while seconds later Shevchenko cut in from the left and fired just wide of the top corner.

Menez was a constant threat and it was no surprise when he put France ahead in the 53rd minute, finishing off a brilliant counter-attack. Ribery burst down the left and Karim Benzema fed Menez who cut onto his left foot and fired home.

Benzema was the creator again minutes later when he turned and ran at the Ukraine defence, slipping a smart pass to Cabaye, who held off his marker in the area and made no mistake as he scored his first goal for his country.

With France dominant, Cabaye then struck the post with a fierce drive from outside the area while Ukraine ran out of steam and ideas.

The victory was the first for France in a tournament since their semi-final win over Portugal at the 2006 World Cup and leaves Ukraine still without a win in Donetsk.



A vintage goalscoring display from Andriy Shevchenko gave Euro 2012 co-hosts Ukraine a 2-1 victory against Sweden at the Olympic Stadium in Kiev.

The 35-year-old converted two headers in seven second-half minutes to overturn Zlatan Ibrahimovic's opener for Sweden and send the Ukrainian capital into rapture in the country's first European Championship match.

Shevchenko nearly failed to make Oleg Blokhin's tournament squad, but earned a starting berth and repaid his coach's faith with a finishing masterclass to take his international record to 48 goals from 109 games.

Ukraine go top of Group D after the opening round of matches, following England's draw against France earlier on Monday.

The players emerged to a cauldron of noise, with both sets of fans clad in yellow. Yet the action on the pitch took some time to get going - as did Shevchenko.

The Ukrainian captain had a great chance to open the scoring on 23 minutes, but dragged his shot wide of the far post.

The co-hosts grew in confidence, and the impressive Andriy Voronin tested Andreas Isaksson with a swerving effort from long range, before superb blocks denied Shevchenko and Andriy Yarmolenko.

Ibrahimovic, operating in a deep role behind main striker Markus Rosenberg, spurned a great chance on 39 minutes, when he escaped his marker but sent his free header wide off the far post.

Rosenberg had the first big chance of the second half after Sebastian Larsson dispossessed Serhiy Nazarenko, but Taras Mikhalik threw himself bravely in front of the ball.

On 52 minutes, Ibrahimovic put Sweden in front, ghosting in front of his marker to convert Kim Kallstrom's low cross from close range - Ukraine felt aggrieved as Yevhen Selin lay injured during the build-up, but referee Cuneyt Cakir rightly played on.

Then came the Sheva show. On 55 minutes, he showed his old turn of pace to nip in front of Olof Mellberg and head a superb Yarmolenko cross past Isaksson.

But he had not finished, and doubled his tally by darting to the near post to meet Yevhen Konoplyanka's corner, glancing the ball into the net as 70,000 locals lifted the roof off the stadium.


Sweden had their chances, but could not conjure an equaliser. Ibrahimovic saw a shot parried, before teeing up Johan Elmander with a gorgeous looping flick, only to see the substitute volley high and wide. Mellberg nearly had the final say in the last minute of added time, but lifted his shot onto the top of the net.


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