Euro 2012 scores: France Ukraine was a high voltage game
France and Ukraine was a high voltage game. There is no doubt about it. But the Euro 2012 scores dont really show the intensity of the game
By NVONews.Com Sports Correspondent,
In Donbass Arena on Friday Ukraine experienced the thunder of nature and France both at the same time losing the match by 0-2 in Euro 2012 in the group ‘D’ encounter.
France were helped by their ‘swift passing’ as Jeremy Menez and Yohan Cabaye scored against a fighting Ukraine’s defence.
Thus the hope of going to the quarter finals with two straight wins was also dashed and now the Ukrainians are engrossed in a bit complex situation.
Ukraine coach Oleg Blokhin proved prophetic when he had termed the French side as leader of football.
Interestingly it was 23rd ‘no-loss’ match for France but their only win in last six years at a major tournament. Now the France coach Laurent Blanc says that the hopes the next win would not take another six years.
Since Sweden has already been eliminated from group ‘D’, Ukraine ‘s hope is pinned on Tuesday’s match against England. France would also be hopeful of their last 8 berth as they play the ‘ousted’ Sweden on the same day.
For Indian followers of Euro 2012, the field of the match was awesome. The way rain started to pour in and the thunders and lightning started, one would have easily disappointed as the ground condition could not have been made playable so smoothly. But that happened and there was no curtailment of the timing. That is why nearly 50, 000 spectators could watch a delightful match. Referee Bjoern Kuipers decision to hold the match and then restart it was also quite commendable.
Ukraine coach Oleg Blokhin now thinks that France is probably one of the favorites. About his own team Blokhin said that some players thought that they were already in the quarters but that was not like that. Now he plans to have serious talk with the players
As expected unlike the first match Ukraine’s players found an altogether different opponent in France as they dominated the game right from the start. Ukraine somehow managed to hold on the French in the first half but their efforts exhausted in the second half and they conceded two goals. In fact, France coach Blanc says that they could have scored more.
France’s first goal was set up by Franck Ribery who took the ball on the left, taking forward he passed it to Karim Benzema near the penalty area. Menez took his left foot to shoot inside the near post and the Ukrainian’s were stunned with the goal.
Samir Nasri, the only goal scored in the match against England, could not score any in this match but he set up for the second goal against Ukraine. Samir along with other team mates got the ball passed to Yohan Cabaye who finished with an angled shot.
Ukraine’s hope on Andriy Shevchenko did not bring the desired result though he tried his best. In fact, he took a firm strike in 35th minute but France’s goalkeeper Hugo Lloris foiled it. That was the only threatening moment for France.
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