Ukraine beats Sweden 2-1 in European Championship

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Ukraine beats Sweden 2-1 in European Championship

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Andriy Shevchenko scored twice to give co-hosts Ukraine a 2-1 victory against Sweden at Euro 2012.

12 June,2012 03:06 am

Andriy Shevchenko stole the show from Zlatan Ibrahimovic when he led co-hosts Ukraine to a dramatic 2-1 comeback win over Sweden in their opening Euro 2012 Group D game on Monday (June 11).The 35-year-old Shevchenko, who battled nagging injuries to claim his place in the starting line-up, twice headed the ball past Andreas Isaksson to cancel out Ibrahimovics 52nd-minute strike.Ukraine, taking part in their first European Championship, moved top of Group D with three points, ahead of France and England who fought out a 1-1 draw in Donetsk.Sweden looked on course for a routine win after a slow start when Ibrahimovic, only standing out up to that point by virtue of his white and pink boots, put his team in front.Fielded in a free role as a playmaker, Ibrahimovic casually diverted a Kim Kallstrom pass into the net seven minutes into the second half.Shevchenko, however, hit back three minutes later for Ukraine with a diving header from an Anatoliy Yarmolenko cross as a packed Olympic stadium burst into a huge roar.The striker doubled his tally in the 61st minute when he headed home from a corner at the near post after losing his marker Ibrahimovic. He was later substituted and left the pitch to a standing ovation before being named man of the match.Surprisingly it was Ukraine who imposed a possessive pattern in the early stages with neat quick passing around the box but the Swedish defence remained composed.Sweden, however, looked nothing like the team who scored 31 goals in their qualifying campaign and almost fell behind midway through the first half just when they seemed set to gain control.Shevchenko, who was substituted before the end of the match, celebrated a match winning performance with Ukrainian coach Oleg Blokhin.