Ukraine fought bravely and did the best they could but against an inspired France, nothing to do. 0-2 on the score sheet but nothing is lost yet. In the other game, England beat Sweden 3-2 and eliminated the Scandinavian team. Under Roy Hodgson, England show clear signs of improvement.
Ukraine 0 France 2
Ménez, 53; Cabaye, 55
Ukraine: Pyatov, Khacheridi, Mikhalik, Tymoshchuk, Yarmolenko, Nazarenko, Konoplyanka, Shevchenko, Voronin SUBS: Koval, Goryainov, Kucher, Shevchuk, Rakitskiy, Butko, Garmash, Aliyev, Rotan, Seleznyov, Dević.
France: Lloris, Debuchy, Rami, Mexès, Clichy, Cabaye, Ribéry, Nasri, Ménez, Diarra, Benzema, SUBS: Mandanda, Carrasso, Evra, Réveillère, Koscielny, Valbuena, Matuidi, Malouda, M'Vila, Martin, Ben Arfa, Giroud,
The games was interrupted for around an hour after 4' because of a tremendous thunderstorm. When it resumed, the first half was one-way traffic with few exceptions. The busiest player on the field was Andriy Pyativ, the Ukrainian goalkeeper. He saved from Karim benzema (6') and from Mathieu Debuchy (10').
Ukraine managed a bit of space and on 25', Andriy Yarmenko shot just wide, connecting to an excellent pass from Serhiy Nazarenko. The next minute, France was back on the attack.
26' Ribery passed to Ménez, who shot over; 28' Pyatov saved a shot from Benzema; 29' Pyatov saved from Ménez.
33' Konoplyanka shot over and 34' Shevchenko saw his shot saved by Lloris in another rare Ukrainian incursion. 39' Pyatov denied Ménez.
After the break, Ukraine tried to make a difference - Shevchenko fired just past the left post on 49' but then came the French goals. 53' Jéremy Ménez fired through the legs of Selin and 55' Yohan Cabaye, between two central defenders, fired into the right-hand corner of goal.
As in the first half, Ukraine had a few chances, but France was the deserved winner.
Aleksei FEDEROV
England 3 Sweden 2
Carroll, 23 Johnson o.g. 49;
Walcott, 64 Melberg, 59
Werlbeck, 78
England: Hart, Johnson, Cole, Terry, Lescott, Gerrard, Young, Milner, Parker, Carroll, Welbeck SUBS: Green, Butland, Kelly, Baines, Jones, Jagielka, Walcott, Henderson, Downing, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Defoe.
Sweden: Isaksson, Mellberg, Granqvist, M. Olsson, J. Olsson, Elm, Larsson, Svensson, Källström, Ibrahimović, Elmander SUBS: Wiland, Hansson, Lustig, Antonsson, Safari, Wernbloom, Holmén, Bajrami, Wilhelmsson, Hysén, Toivonen, Rosenberg.
A fascinating first half of football. After an initial testing period, England starting constructing attacks en masse from 5'. On 7', Isaksson saved Parker's shot. Sweden tried to make incursions up the right flank, but on 15' Welbeck headed wide for England. 20' Ibrahimovic tried a long shot, covered by Joe Hart and on 23', 1-0.
Andy Carroll, 1 metre 91, towered above the Swedish defence and launched a powerful header like a rocket searing into the back of Isaksson's goal, latching onto a marvellous cross from his captain Steven Gerrard, from the right, near the line.
England pressed more in the rest of the half but Sweden tried to come back into the game, through the powerful Ibrahimovic. And back into the game Sweden came, and how...
49' 1-1 Melberg, connecting to a free kick in front of the area, shot the ball, which hit Johnson and went in. (Own Goal Johnson). 59' 2-1 to Sweden, Melberg connected this time to a long pass from a free kick.
64' 2-2 Isaksson saved from John Terry. The ball went behind for a corner, from which Walcott delivered a powerful looping shot from outside the area. 76' Hart saved a shot from Ibrahimovic. 78' 3-2 to England. Theo Walcott drifted into the box, ran down to the line on the right, squared to Welbeck, who calmly back-heeled into goal.
92' Isaksson stopped the 4-2, saving a goalbound volley from England captain Steven Gerrard.
With this result, the first victory of England over Sweden in finals phases, Sweden is eliminated from UEFA 2012.
Group D (FIFA ranking pre-tournament)
W D L GF GA P
France (16) 1 1 0 3 1 4
England (7) 1 1 0 4 3 4
Ukraine (50) 1 0 1 2 3 3
Sweden (17) 0 0 2 3 5 0
Games
Ukraine 2 Sweden 1
Shevchenko (2) Ibrahimovic
England 1 France 1
Lescott Nasri
´
Ukraine 0 France 2
Ménez; Cabaye
England 3 Sweden 2
Carroll, o.g. Johnson
Walcott Melberg
Welbeck
Fixtures (Times GMT)
Tuesday June 19 England v. Ukraine 19.45
Sweden v. France 19.45
Scenarios
Sweden is eliminated
Ukraine passes with a victory over England
A win or a draw is enough for England and France
England loses, France draws: England eliminated
France loses by 3 goals; Ukraine draws 2-2: France eliminated
Group A (FIFA ranking pre-tournament) After 2 games
W D L GF GA P
Russia (11) 1 1 0 5 2 4
Czech Republic (26) 1 0 1 3 5 3
Poland (65) 0 2 0 2 2 2
Greece (14) 0 1 1 2 3 1
Games
Russia 4 Czech Republic 1
Dzagoev (2) Pilar
Shirokov
Pavlyuchenko
Poland 1 Greece 1
Lewandowski Salpingidis
Czech Republic 2 Greece 1
Jiracek Gekas
Pilar
Poland 1 Russia 1
Błaszczykowski Dzagoev
Fixtures (Times GMT)
Saturday June 16 Czech Republic v. Poland 19.45
Greece v. Russia 19.45
Scenarios
Russia-Greece
Russia wins: passes to next round
Draw: Russia passes to next round
Greece wins: passes to next round if Poland draws with the Czech Republic
Poland-Czech Republic
Poland wins: passes to next round
Draw: Poland leaves the competition
Poland loses: Czechs pass to next round
Group B (FIFA ranking pre-tournament)
W D L GF GA P
Germany (2) 2 0 0 3 1 6
Portugal (5) 1 0 1 3 3 3
Denmark (10) 1 0 1 3 3 3
Netherlands (3) 0 0 2 1 3 0
Games
Germany 1 Portugal 0
Gomez
Denmark 1 Netherlands 0
Krohn-Dehli
Denmark 2 Portugal 3
Bendtner (2) Pepe, Postiga, Varela
Germany 2 Netherlands 1
Gomez (2) Van Persie
Fixtures (Times GMT)
Sunday June 17 Denmark v. Germany 19.45
Portugal v. Netherlands 19.45
Scenarios :
Denmark v. Germany
Germany wins: Germany through
Draw: Germany through
Denmark wins: Denmark through if Portugal loses or draws
Portugal v. Netherlands
Portugal wins: Portugal through
Draw: Netherlands out; Portugal through if Germany wins or draws
Netherlands wins: Goal difference among the teams with three points
Group C Matchday 2
Group C (FIFA ranking pre-tournament)
W D L GF GA P
Spain (1) 1 1 0 5 1 4
Croatia (8) 1 1 0 4 2 4
Italy (12) 0 2 0 2 2 2
Rep. Ireland (18) 0 0 2 1 7 0
Games
Italy 1 Spain 1
Di Natale Fabregas
Croatia 3 Republic of Ireland 1
Mandzukic (2) St. Ledger
Jelavic
Croatia 1 Italy 1
Mandzukic Pirlo
Rep. Ireland 0 Spain 4
Torres (2); David Silva; Fabregas
Fixtures (Times GMT)
Monday June 18 Croatia v. Spain 19.45
Italy v. R. Ireland 19.45
Scenarios:
Ireland eliminated
The winner between Spain and Croatia passes
The loser passes if Italy does not win against Ireland
If Italy wins, the loser in the Spain v. Croatia match is eliminated
A draw between Spain and Croatia and a win for Italy would see three teams drawn on 5 points.
In this case, here are the UEFA rules:
Final group rankings
To avoid doubt, and in order to ensure that the criteria related to the direct confrontation between the teams remaining equal in points after the group phase are reapplied, the UEFA Executive Committee decided at its meeting in Istanbul on 20 March 2012 to amend paragraph 8.07 of the Regulations of the UEFA European Football Championship 2010-12 as follows - in particular the new clause d) shown in bold:
"If two or more teams are equal on points on completion of the group matches, the following criteria are applied to determine the rankings:
a) Higher number of points obtained in the matches played between the teams in question;
b) Superior goal difference resulting from the matches played between the teams in question;
c) Higher number of goals scored in the matches played between the teams in question;
d) If, after having applied criteria a) to c), two teams still have an equal ranking, criteria a) to c) are reapplied exclusively to the matches between the two teams in question to determine the final rankings of the two teams. If this procedure does not lead to a decision, criteria e) to i) apply in the order given;
e) superior goal difference in all group matches;
f) higher number of goals scored in all group matches;
g) position in the UEFA national team coefficient ranking system (see annex I, paragraph 1.2.2);
h) fair play conduct of the teams (final tournament);
i) drawing of lots"
Timothy Bancroft-Hinchey
Pravda.Ru
Subscribe to Pravda.Ru Telegram channel, Facebook, RSS!