Germany 2-0 Ukraine: result and match report Euro 2016 Group C
Germany beat Ukraine in their opening Euro 2016 Group C match, with goals from Mustafi and a late clincher from legend Schweinsteiger, playing in his fourth Euros.
Full time: Germany 2-0 Ukraine
World Champions Germany got their Euro 2016 campaign off to a very solid start. They controlled this match for all but a spell of some 15 minutes before half-time and won through a first half Mustafi header and a late Schweinsteiger goal. Kroos and company dominated the midfield, and some of the passing was superb, if a little unhurried at times.
In the second half Germany controlled most of the play and despite one worrying lapse in concentration from their defence near the end they played clinical, efficient football, so much so Ukraine looked beaten mentally despite only being a goal down... until right at the death when Schweinsteiger came on for Götze and scored with almost his first touch to put the matter entirely to bed.
Germany looked pretty good, and with every possibility of getting a lot better. Other sides in Euro 2016: you have been warned.
Live coverage: Germany - Ukraine
Full time! Germany win 2-0 against Ukraine!
90+2'| Schweinsteiger!!!! The legend comes on and makes it 2-0!!
Özil with a great cross to Schweinsteiger and his finish is even better. Fourth Euros and his first of this tournament!.
90+1'| Yarmolenko wins a corner! Shot hit Hector. It comes to nothing.
90'| 3 minutes of time added on.
89'| Germany change. Götze off Schweinsteiger on.
87'| Germany defence have a moment! Ukraine nearly in as the Germany back-line fail to communicate and Mustafi nods back past Neuer. Boateng last ditch cover to prevent Seleznyov taking advange.
87'| Pyatov saves from Özil! Great ball from Kroos. Keeper out and down well.
86'| Götze fouls Fedetskiy and innocently says sorry to everyone, player, ref...
85'| Ukraine have produced very little in this half. They looked tired now too.
84'| Pyatov, as a sweeper clears the ball with Schurrle on a great run in behind the Ukraine defence. That was close!
82'| Schürrle has a nice angle for a shot, but manages to fire the ball off his own other foot. This doesn't help when attempting to score goals. It doesn't go in. Though it's close enough to have Pyatov scrambling across his goal.
81'| All gone a bit flat. Do Ukraine want this? Have they got anything to give. Germany coasting along at the moment at 1-0.
79'| Last 15 minutes possession: Germany 69:31 Ukraine
78'| Change for Germany. Draxler comes off to warm applause. He was good. Schürrle trots on.
77'| Özil doesn't give up the ghost to win the ball back when a move breaks down and Germany just keep pressing. More triangles...
75'| Khedira to Gotze to Muller and his driven shot is tipped round by Pyatov. Great free-flowing football from Germany!
73'| Change for Ukraine. Kovalenko off and 19 year old rising star Zinchenko, comes on.
72'| Another great move from Germany, this time down the left, with Fedetskiy managing to bundle the ball out for a corner.
71'| Seleznyov ends up on the deck after some shoving with Boateng, he thinks he got an arm in the face, but ref Atkinson didn't see anything in it.
70'| Rakitskiy with a vital bit of anticipation to break up a dangerous German move down the right.
67'| First yellow card of the match - for Konoplyanka. Tactical foul, pushing Götze over to stop a dangerous break.
65'| Change for Ukraine. Zozulya off and Seleznyov comes on.
64'| Nice moves from Ukraine, Yarmolenko with skills out right and Konoplyanka on the left.
61'| Khachediri runs all the way across his own box pursued by the German attackers, and eventually tries to find Shevchuk out on the left, but the ball goes straight out. Germany don't take advantage of the throw though.
60'| Germany with nice little triangles in midfield, Kroos often one of the points... and Khedira finally gets the shot away and Pyatov again is equal to it. Another good save!
58'| Still Germany 1-0 Ukraine. Ukraine looking a little more comfortable right now.
57'| Rakitskiy! Nearly beats Neuer with the free-kick, with a well struck hit just inside the post, but the German keeper gets down well.
56'| Ukraine with their first proper move of the second half. Mustafi fouls Sydorchuk having been well beaten by the Ukranian. Dangerous free-kick...
55'| Shevchenko is up and off the bench, but only because he's seen something he doesn't like on the pitch.
53'| Kovalenko down hurt after clashing with Khedira. He should be ok, but that's a sore one.
52'| Germany pressing higher at the moment, Ukraine struggling to get the ball out.
51'| Kroos!! What a drive from the left. Just grazes the woodwork!
50'| Kachediri is ok, though he won't forget that one in a hurry.
49'| Khachediri down, he needs a moment after Hector's studs caught him in a very delicate place.
48'| The second half has started in similar fashion to the first half. Germany bossing the ball.
47'| Draxler stinging drive coming in from the left... great save from Pyatov!
46'| Germany with the first attack, but Götze's cross is easily cleared.
45'| Ukraine get us underway!
Teams coming back out... an exciting second half awaits on the basis of the first 45'
Half-time Germany 1-0 Ukraine
Germany were slightly the better side in that half, and probably deserve their slender half-time lead thanks to Mustafi's fine headed goal, but Ukraine made several chances and if they'd grabbed one nobody would have begrudged them it. Kroos was in fine form in the centre of midfield, Draxler a nippy handful on the left at times.
45+1'| Nasty foul on Draxler on the left, ball swung into the Ukraine box, cleared... and that's half-time!
45'| Just one minute added on. Germany 1-0 Ukraine.
44'| Boateng desperate clearance for a corner from Shevchuk's cross. Neuer grabs it gratefully.
43'| Götze called offside, long ball over the top from Germany, but Ukraine defence are watching their lines.
42'| Ukraine looking lively at the moment, they've had a few corners, and decent attacks here.
40'| Germany with a great chance, but Müller makes a complete hash of it.
37'| Ukraine bundle the ball in but it's ruled out for offside. Konoplyanka sends a cross in and Kovalenko is offside - his header leads to Zozulya eventually forcing the ball into the net, but the assistant ref has his flag up and waving in the night air by then.
35'| Boateng! Goal line clearance from Konoplyanka mis-hit effort!! Yarmolenko sends in a great cross that befuddles the German defence; the ball falls to Konoplyanka who has to score, but he mishits it and gives Boateng the chance to clear, which he nearly doesn't do, but just as he's falling back in the net he gets a toe on it to send it back out. It's not absolutely clear though that the ball hadn't crossed the line...
Ukraine plead for a goal... and we'll turn to the goal-line technology when the game stops... And the tech says no goal. To the naked eye it didn't really look like it had gone over, and UEFA's fancy camera's and computers confirm it.
34'| Germany passing it about nicely, but not looking like they have much penetration. They've gone a little flat at the moment.
33'| Khedira drives through the centre, to Draxler, to Kroos, he sends it in, but it's well cleared by Ukraine. They send it long, but Zozulya isn't that quick. He's got a lot of work to do in a lone role up front.
31'| Germany now with a corner. Kroos takes a fast one. Draxler swings it in, and it's cleared behind for another corner. This one is eventually cleared.
30'| Corner to Ukraine. Balls comes out and falls to Shevchuk who gets a shot off and it's not far away...
29'| Pyatov! Great save to prevent Germany's second. Kroos great ball to Khedira, but his shot his blocked by the Ukrainian keeper.
28'| Draxler so quick down the left, wins the corner. Nothing comes of it though.
27'| Ukraine finally reacted to the Germany goal. Couple of good chances there.
26'| Neuer! Cracking save from the corner! Khachediri got a great header away.
25'| Höwedes fouls out on the right. Dangerous free-kick for Ukraine...swung in, but Müller gets a head to it and sends it behind for a corner.
23'| Mustafi steamrollers keeper Pyatov from the corner. Foul.
22'| Germany continue where they left off when they scored. Dominating possession. Kroos has a dig from outside the area, but it's always going wide. But luckily for him it took a tiny touch and Germany win a corner
19' Foul for Germany out on the right... Kroos swings it in and Mustafi heads home! GOOOOOOAAAAAAALLLLLL! Germany 1-0!
That was a really dangerous ball from Kroos right into the corridor of uncertainty, Mustafi leapt well, but questions have to be asked about the Ukrainian marking.
17'| The ball moves from end to end with little real danger from either side. Kroos fouls Kovalenko, and is given a mild ticking off from ref Atkinson.
15'| Quarter of an hour gone. It's a rather cagey affair. Germany bossing possession. One good chance for each side. Germany 0-0 Ukraine.
13'| Replays show Löw was not chuffed by Hector's lame effort.
11'| Hector with a long throw right to the other side from deep inside his own half, Germany get the ball to Müller who takes the ball up the right, the move breaks down, they try down the left and the ball falls to Hector (who started it all) in a great position in the box and he takes one of the worst shots of Euro 2016, slicing his volley haplessly. The ball is gratefully grabbed by Pyatov.
9'| Very neat at the back from Fedetskiy, to win the ball and flick it to a team-mate to clear, with two German players on him.
7'| Germany very patient as they build in midfield. Özil and Kroos stroking the ball about without a care in the world - apparently...
6'| Germany look much more comfortable on the ball here, but that lightening move from Ukraine showed how dangerous they can be.
4'| Neuer! Saves from a great effort from the centre from Konoplyanka. Tips the stinging shot over.
3'| Draxler! Gets a shot off after Götze's great run, but it goes wide.
2'| Long ball from Boateng straight to the Ukraine keeper. Not what he had in mind.
1'| Germany move it smartly up the pitch but it goes straight out for a Ukraine goal-kick.
Kick-off! Germany gets us underway.
Hand-shakes and toin coss and all that have been dealt with, it's about time to get Germany-Ukraine underway!
Anthems! Ukraine up first, Shche ne vmerla Ukraina (The glory and the freedom of Ukraine has not yet died) is a pretty tuneful number, and the fans are belting it out.
Next up: Deutschlandlied, the Song of Germany. A classic.
The Stade Pierre Mauroy in Lille looks fantastic. The Germany fans seem to have the slight numerical advantage, but both sets of supporters are making a LOT of noise with just over 10 minutes to go before the game gets underway.
Teams
The Germany team is out!
Löw's side will be lining up as follows:
Neuer, Mustafi, Hector, Höwedes, Khedira, Özil, Draxler, Müller, Boateng, Kroos, Götze
Subs: Leno, Hummels, Schweinsteiger, Schurrle, Podolski, Can, Weigl, Tah, Sane, Kimmich, Gomez, Ter Stegen.
Meanwhile Ukraine coach Fomenko has gone with:
Pyatov, Khachediri, Rakitskiy, Shevchuk, Fedetskiy, Stepanenko, Sydorchuk, Yarmolenko, Kovalenko, Konoplyanka and Zozulya.
Subs: Boyko, Butko, Tymoschuk, Kucher, Seleznyov, Rotan, Budkivskiy, Rybalka, Garmash, Zinchenko, Karavayev, Shevchenko.
Referee
Your referee tonight is English whistler Martin Atkinson, originally Bradford, who now lives near Leeds.
Germany - Ukraine preview
The second clash in the group is taking place after Northern Ireland were beaten in the group opener by Poland earlier in the evening. Tonight's game gets underway at 21:00 CEST at Stade Pierre-Mauroy.
Germany are making their 12th appearance at the European Championships, having previously won the tournament three times (in 1972 and 1980 as West Germany, and most recently in 1996).
And Joachim Löw's men head into the finals out to complete a major-trophy double by adding continental glory to their World Cup win two years ago.
Germany unimpressive in qualifying
But Germany have struggled to hit the heights of their 2014 triumph in Brazil, losing to Poland and the Republic of Ireland during an unconvincing qualifying campaign.
They also went down to notable friendly defeats to the USA in 2015 and England in March, before suffering a Euro 2016 warm-up loss to Slovakia last month.
Ukraine's second appearance at the Euros
Meanwhile, this is Ukraine's second time at a European Championships and, having hosted the competition with Poland in 2012, it is the first occasion they have come through qualification to make the finals.
Mykhaylo Fomenko's side, for whom wingers Andriy Yarmolenko and Yevhen Konoplyanka pose the chief attacking threat, booked their ticket to France after beating Slovenia in the play-offs.