Germany 2-0 Ukraine: Shkodran Mustafi's emphatic header and Bastian Schweinsteiger's clincher help Joachim Low's World Cup-winning side land victory in Lille
- Germany took on Mykhaylo Fomenko's Ukraine for their first European Championship tie in Group C on Sunday
- Valencia's Shkodran Mustafi gave Joachim Low's side a 19th-minute lead with a bullet header from a free-kick
- The 24-year-old was playing instead of the more experienced Mats Hummels at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy in Lille
- Manchester United midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger wrapped up the win late on after a cross from Mesut Ozil
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Factory settings have been restored and the German machine is in working order, starting another major tournament with a win as it was carefully designed to do.
Germany have never lost their opening fixture in the European Championship and stretched that sequence to a dozen games by beating Ukraine in Lille last night.
Shkodran Mustafi and Sebastian Schweinsteiger scored the goals but this was by no means a comfortable victory.
Germany's Shkodran Mustafi (right) celebrates with Sami Khedira (No 6) and Jerome Boateng (No 17) after scoring against the Ukraine
Valencia's 24-year-old centre half Mustafi gave Joachim Low's side a 19th-minute lead with a bullet header from a free-kick
Germany's players celebrate during their first European Championship match of this tournament in Group C on Sunday night
Mustafi (No 2, left) - who was at English side Everton between 2009 and 2012 - enjoys his header with five of his colleagues
Manchester United midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger sealed Germany's victory with a smart finish after a cross from Mesut Ozil
Schweinsteiger, 31, (left) watches as his shot finds the back of the net, past Ukraine's 31-year-old goalkeeper Andriy Pyatov (right)
Schweinsteiger (No 7) - who came on for Mario Gotze (right) in the 90th-minute - scored in added time for the World Cup-winning side
MATCH FACTS
There were times when Ukraine’s vibrant counter-attacking had Joachim Low’s side rattled and Manuel Neuer was required to make two exceptional saves in the first half. Low will expect to iron out the finer details as the competition progresses.
Germany’s form has been inconsistent since Brazil but they arrived in France intent on winning their first European title for 20 years.
Low selected Mario Gotze, hero of Rio, to start up front, rather than Mario Gomez, and he was soon sidling through the Ukraine defence, prompting a chance fired wide by Julian Draxler.
Only five minutes had gone and it set the tone for a fluent opening to a thrilling game, with Neuer soon forced into action at the other end.
Germany’s worries have been at the back as the tournament approached with injuries to centre halves Mats Hummels and Toni Rudiger, and concerns about Jonas Hector at left back.
Ukraine’s first effort came from Hector’s area of the pitch, although it was Mustafi who lost possession to Artem Fedetskiy, who found Yevhen Konoplyanka with an early cross. Konoplyanka connected well, sending a shot curling towards the top corner but Neuer sprang to his left and turned it over with a strong flick of a wrist.
Germany’s goalkeeper, captain in the absence of Schweinsteiger, produced another splendid reflex save to turn over a powerful header from Yevhen Khacheridi.
By this point, his team were ahead and he was protecting a lead, seized in the 19th minute by Mustafi, who would not have played had Hummels been considered fit.
Ukraine's Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk right back Artem Fedetskiy (left) tackles Germany's Wolfsburg winger Julian Draxler near the touchline
Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk forward Roman Zozulya goes up for the ball with Mustafi at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy in Villeneuve-d'Ascq, near Lille
Ukraine's players in yellow and blue, and Germany's in white and black, contest for the ball in the air during the Euro 2016 clash
Mustafi climbed above the Ukraine defence to connect brilliantly with a free-kick expertly delivered by Toni Kroos, who dictated much of the first half from his position deep in midfield.
Sami Khedira ought to have made it two when clean through, soon afterwards, but was denied by goalkeeper Andriy Pyatov.
Ukraine, however, refused to yield and caused Germany problems before the interval, much of the danger coming from their danger men on the flanks.
Jerome Boateng almost turned Konoplyanka’s mishit effort into his own goal but reacted in time to hook the ball clear before it had crossed the line. With goal-line technology in play there was no mistake.
Moments later, Martin Atkinson and his English team of officials made the correct call when they ruled out a goal by Andriy Yarmolenko for offside.
Germany performed with more control after the break. Pyatov saved long-range attempts from Draxler, Kroos and Khedira. Kroos also clipped the post from long range.
Neuer saved a free-kick from Rakitskiy but the challenge of Ukraine faded and Pyatov remained by far the busier of the two goalkeepers, saved from Thomas Muller and Andre Schurrle, sent on by Low in a bid to punish the tiring Ukrainians, screwed a right-footer wide from the edge of the box.
But substitute Schweinsteiger made no mistake with a thumping finish in the 90th minute.
Germany forward Gotze (left) goes to ground in an attempt to tackle Ukraine's veteran left back, Vyacheslav Shevchuk (right)
German goalkeeper Manuel Neuer (in the black jersey) correctly appeals for offside against a Ukraine goal in the first period
Thomas Muller of Germany is placated by then-substitute Schweinsteiger as he walks off of the pitch at half-time in Lille
Bayern Munich's Gotze (No 19) tries to escape the challenges of several Ukraine players as he goes on a mazy dribble
Ukraine's Dynamo Kiev centre back Yevhen Khacheridi (left) chases Germany's Cologne left back Jonas Hector (right)
Germany's 56-year-old manager Joachim Low wore a casual grey T-shirt to watch his team take on Mykhaylo Fomenko's outfit
Arsenal playmaker Ozil (left) turns away from danger as he is marked by Shakhtar Donetsk defensive midfielder Taras Stepanenko
Viktor Kovalenko (centre) is challenged by Juventus' Khedira (No 6) as Real Madrid's Toni Kroos (right) runs clear with the ball
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-3637977/Germany-2-0-Ukraine-Shkodran-Mustafi-s-emphatic-header-Bastian-Schweinsteiger-s-clincher-help-Joachim-Low-s-World-Cup-winning-land-victory-Lille.html#ixzz4BRCZitxQ
