Ukraine lost their first Euro 2016 game
Monday, June 13, 2016
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On June 12, Ukraine national team played their opening Euro 2016 game. The charges of Mykhailo Fomenko have suffered a defeat at the hands of Germany
Goals: 1-0 Mustafi (19), 2-0 Schweinsteiger (90+2)
Ukraine: Pyatov, Fedetskyi, Khacheridi, Rakits’kyy, Shevchuk (c), Sydorchuk, Stepanenko, Yarmolenko, Kovalenko (Zinchenko, 74), Konoplyanka, Zozulya (Seleznyov, 66)
From the opening minutes, Shakhtar players Andriy Pyatov, Yaroslav Rakits’kyy, Taras Stepanenko, Viktor Kovalenkoand Vyacheslav Shevchuk leading the team with the captain's armband on, took to the pitch.
The Ukrainians created the first chance. Konoplyanka sent a one-touch shot following Fedetskyi’s cross, but Neuer displayed great reflexes and turned it for a corner. Germany responded with a set play goal: Mustafi headed the ball into the back of the net following a Kroos right-flank free-kick.
On 27 minutes, Neuer came to the rescue of the world title holders for the second time, palming off a Khacheridi header. A few minutes later, Pyatov became the hero of the occasion: the goalkeeper of Shakhtar and Ukraine national team parried away Hediry’s attempt following a one-on-one situation. The Ukrainians launched a few threatening attacking moves before the end of the first half. One of those was rounded off by Shevchuk, only for the latter to see it go wide.
The second half began with the attacks by Germany. On 48 minutes, Pyatov stopped a Draxler kick into the far corner, with Kroos’ attempt going inches wide of the goal. On 57 minutes, Rakits’kyy took a free kick from about a 30 metre range, with Neuer reaching the ball just near the goal corner. A couple of minutes later, Pyatov parried away a tough long-range strike by Hediry.
Halfway through the second half, they fielded Shakhtar striker Yevhen Seleznyov. Andriy Pyatov still remained the main character. On 75 minutes, he turned for a corner the long-ranger by Mueller; a few minutes later, our goalkeeper cut the angle and prevented a Schürrle attempt, beating Ozil in a one-on-one.
Towards the end of the meeting, the Ukrainians launched an all-out attack and missed on a counter, with Schweinsteiger firing home a left-wing cross to make it 2-0.
The team of Mykhailo Fomenko will play their next game on June 16 against Northern Ireland.