Stand-in
centre back Shkodran Mustafi headed his first goal for Germany and Bastian
Schweinsteiger scored in stoppage time as the world champions survived several
scares to beat Ukraine 2-0 in their opening Euro 2016 Group C match on Sunday.
Mustafi, who started in the
absence of regular centre back Mats Hummels, rifled home a header after 19
minutes to give Germany the lead, which was not
extended until Schweinsteiger, a 90th-minute substitute, swept home from close
range.
Germany, bidding for a fourth
Euro triumph but first since 1996, dominated possession, but also relied on
three top saves from keeper Manuel Neuer and a goal-line clearance by Jerome
Boateng to come out on top.
Ukraine, playing in their
second European championship, harried and hustled their opponents and their
tight defence offered few clear sights of goal to the Germans.
Yet lone striker Roman Zozulya
was unable to offer much threat, except at the very start and in the closing
stages as Ukraine pushed on in search of an equaliser.
In a breakneck first half,
Ukraine's Yevhen Konoplyanka forced Germany keeper Neuer to make a flying save
in the fourth minute before the Germans steadily took control, with Toni Kroos
orchestrating most of their attacks.
It was from his free kick,
that Mustafi, who last featured for Germany in March and only made the side
because Hummels was recovering from a muscle injury, leapt behind Serhiy
Sydorchuk to power in a header.
Ten minutes later Sami Khedira
had the chance to double Germany's lead as Kroos floated a ball beyond the
defence, but he shot straight at the keeper.
By then though, the Ukrainians
had woken up and, driving their full backs higher up the pitch, forced Neuer to
punch over a strong header from Yevhen Khacheridi.
Boateng was then forced into a
dramatic clearance, having first lost the ball before hacking it clear while
back-pedalling into the net. Lone striker Zozulya also had an effort disallowed
for offside as Germany hung on until halftime.
Ukraine posed less of a threat
in the second half, relying on hopeful long balls forward, while their keeper
Andriy Pyatov was forced into action to save a long-range effort from Khedira,
a low drive from Thomas Mueller and from Mesut Ozil, when he was through on
goal.
Germany suffered one final
fright when Mustafi headed back over Neuer's head, leaving the goalkeeper to
scramble back towards his own net, while appearing to body check substitute
striker Yevhen Seleznyov in the process.
Then, in the final seconds,
with Ukraine pushing up, Germany countered and Schweinsteiger slammed in an
Ozil cross to score.
The result extended Germany's
unbeaten run against Ukraine to six matches and maintained their record of
never having lost their opening match in a European Championship.
Germany will play joint group
leaders Poland at the Stade de France on Thursday, when Ukraine take on
Northern Ireland in Lyon.
Several hours before the
match, German and Ukrainian supporters scuffled briefly in the centre of Lille,
though police quickly brought the situation under control.
(Reporting By Philip
Blenkinsop and Alastair Macdonald; Editing by Toby Davis)
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