Match 2- Ukraine vs Sweden


It's been an interesting build-up for Ukraine, who step onto their own stage and into a sea of yellow and blue on Monday evening. An outbreak of food poisoning resulted in 10 players being taken ill, although all have recovered. Last week, coach Oleg Blokhin said the outbreak "cannot be accidental" - but the team's doctor later blamed salad served at a German hotel.

Blokhin admitted his unfancied squad would have to cope with a "tornado" of interest as the game approached. His Polish counterpart, Franciszek Smuda, admitted some of his players had been "paralysed by the pressure" against Greece, but Blokhin said: "I think the fact that we are not regarded as favourites is good. There will be less pressure."

Ukraine's largely domestic-based squad has been sprinkled with younger players since the coach decided it was time to bring through younger talent. But there's experience, too - not least in the shape of Shevchenko. His know-how, along with the pace of much younger wingers Andriy Yarmolenko and Evhen Konoplyanka, could be crucial in what is Ukraine's first competitive game since the unsuccessful 2010 World Cup qualifying campaign.

He may have complained recently that his forwards don't score enough - but Blokhin's players are more than capable of causing plenty of problems on the counter-attack, even if they are not always the most reliable in possession (or, come to that, in defence). Whether they can manage to cause those problems amid the bedlam of such a high-profile night, though, remains to be seen.

Sweden - who share Ukraine's yellow and blue colours - come in to the game in impressive form, having won their last four games. Erik Hamren's side are in good goalscoring shape and, like Ukraine, have a legendary forward - captain Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

Containing Ibrahimovic will be crucial to Ukraine's chances of emerging with anything. The way Sweden play is considerably more adventurous than it once was: they have added a quick-passing, counter-attacking dimension to the solid (and sometimes rather dull) foundations favoured by Lars Lagerbeck, and Ibrahimovic's touch and imagination are central to it. The results have largely spoken for themselves: an excellent qualifying campaign saw them rattle in 31 goals, including three in a gung-ho win against Netherlands.

But the other side of that coin has been outbreaks of the sort of defensive frailty that wasn't often witnessed under Lagerbeck, with recent friendly matches betraying shakiness in the air.

Hamren, though, isn't budging from his philosophy. "So long as we win our games and score more than the opposition, I'm happy," he said. "If we only play defensively I can guarantee fewer chances for the opposition - but we'll also create fewer chances going forward. We can't get too hung up on the defence."

Ukraine player to watch: Andriy Shevchenko

It's his farewell - he said Ukraine co-hosting Euro 2012 had been the reason to prolong his international career. He may be 35 but his finishing power is undimmed and, although his susceptibility to injury is inevitably far greater than it once was, who would bet against him producing a few more flourishes?

Sweden player to watch: Zlatan Ibrahimovic

A man on form and someone who, when at his swaggering best, seems able to conjure ideas out of thin air. Sweden have moved on: with their formation far less rigid and the emphasis far more on having a go at opponents than containing them, he could have a field day in his role as playmaker.

Key Battle: Olof Mellberg v Andriy Shevchenko

The magnificently bearded Mellberg will be public enemy number one in Ukraine if he can deny Shevchenko the opportunities the home fans will be desperate to see come his way. For the bulk of the qualifying campaign, Mellberg partnered Daniel Majstorovic - but with Majstorovic sidelined for the tournament the Olympiacos player has become even more important, and Sweden can profit if they can take the sting out of Ukraine's start.

Trivia: Ukraine is the only nation making its European Championship debut at Euro 2012

Stat: Ukraine and Sweden have met three times- all friendlies - winning one game each and drawing the other.



Match

both anthems similar sef

ibrahimovitch u berra score today o

game on . .

is this thread on fp?

waste ball

guy cool down now.

first freekick for ukraine . .

hehehe the guy just run

sheva don old sha. sheva of old would have gone in

off target ukraine ..

C'mon Sheva and Ibra show em' how we do it at Milan.

nice shot lacking direction

nice long range effort sweden

chic2pimp: C'mon Sheva and Ibra show em' how we do it at Milan.

sheva don old and ibra is yet to get a shot

oya

which end to end rubbish this na

play the ball jor

i hope dis match wont be boring o
see back header.....

fredoooooo: oya

fredovitch my feed just return since o

hehehe see bullying, ref saw two old men fighting over a ball sheva and melberg

when sheva was sheva.....

freekick sweden tymoschuk this is not bayern behave

mukina2:
sheva don old and ibra is yet to get a shot

sheva , you make me rememba sheva days , with my sheva on playstation , can beat even person wey do playstation sef ,........ SHEVA !!!!!

free kick swe.....

arsenal reject freekick laarson

useless wasteful freekick

mukina2:
fredovitch my feed just return since o

mukinavic , you just come back from afghanistan ?

kallstrom mtn

freekick Ukraine

kalstrom ist yellow

fredoooooo:

mukinavic , you just come back from afghanistan ?

sharaaap nor be you tif am, na why my les bleus draw

this gusef na goat, see how he wasted a cool chance

crowd roaring whenever ukraine are on attack

mukina2:
sharaaap nor be you tif am, na why my les bleus draw

really ? or you no stand on funkymallam mortar