France firing on all cylinders
Emily Baldwin Group Stage (Group D)
| Ukraine | 0 |
| France | 2 |
Scorers: Ménez (53), Caballé (56) (France).
Venue: Donbass Arena.
Referee: Björn Kuipers (HOL)
Yellow cards: Menez (39), Debuchy (78), Mexès (80) (France), Selin (54) and Tymoschuk (86) (Ukraine).
| Lineups |
|---|
| Ukraine: Andrei Pyatov - Oleg Gusev, Taras Mykhalik, Yevgeny Khacheridi, Yevgeny Selin - Andrei Yarmolenko (Alexander Aliyev 68), Anatoli Tymoschuk, Andrei Voronin (Marko Devic 46), Sergei Nazarenko (Artem Milevskiy 60), Yevgeny Konoplyanka - Andrei Shevchenko (cap). Coach: Oleg Blokhine. |
| France: Hugo Lloris (cap) - Matthieu Debuchy, Adil Rami, Philippe Mexes, Gael Clichy - Yohan Cabaye (Yann Mvila 68), Alou Diarra, Samir Nasri - Jérémy Ménez (Marvin Martin 73), Karim Benzemá (Olivier Giroud 76), Franck Ribéry. Coach: Laurent Blanc. |
France showed why it is one of the favourites of the Euros against co-host nation Ukraine. The French produced a convincing 0-2 victory in a game that had to be suspended for an hour due to a heavy storm, which unleashed its fury on the Donbass Arena in Donetsk.
The French team was superior in the first half, but had to wait until the second to turn this superiority into goals. Both goals were scored inside of 5 minutes after the restart, with both Menez and Cabaye getting on the score-sheet after two assists from Benzema,
France killed off the game in just three minutes of the second half in an exhibition of class. Real Madrid striker Benzema set up both goals, first for Menez to open the scoring in the 53rd minute after he brilliantly cut inside in the area. Then for Cabaye, who finished in style after being one-on-one with Ukraine goalkeeper Pyatov. The two goals were a blow to Ukraine who was unable to get back into the game.
