Germany have taken their first step on the way to challenging for the Euro 2016 title, recording a 2-0 win over the Ukraine in their first match of the tournament.
REPORT: GERMANY BRUSH ASIDE UKRAINE
Final score
Germany 2
Ukraine 0
World champions Germany get their UEFA Euros 2016 campaign underway in Lille, as they meet Ukraine in the second Group C game. Join The Roar for live scores and commentary from 4:45am (AEST).
When Germany entered the 2010 World Cup, coach Joachim Loew stated they were preparing for the future, with the likes of Thomas Mueller, Mesut Oezil, Sami Khedira and Manuel Neuer in stead.
Fast forward four years, and that same team emerged victorious. Two years on and Germany is ready to capitalise further in their bid to unseat Spain as the next dominant force in Europe.
Minus the poise of former captain Philipp Lahm and the poaching threat of Miroslav Klose, this is essentially the same German side that won the 2014 World Cup.
Loew remains at the helm, and he will likely opt for a 4-4-1-1 formation that will see Mueller drop in behind a lone striker, likely to be veteran Mario Gomez, with Andre Schuerrle to sub from the bench. Aside from Khedira in front of the defence, the midfield will comprise of Oezil, Toni Kroos and Bastian Schweinsteiger.
The biggest decision for Loew is whether to retain centre-back pairing of Mats Hummels and Jerome Boateng, or whether Boateng is shifted to right back, with Benedikt Hoewedes moving to centre and one of Jonas Hector or Emre Can occupying left back.
Ukraine will largely rely on wingers Andriy Yarmalenko and Yevhen Konoplyanka. Germany stacking the central midfield may force the Ukrainians to resort to wider play, thereby creating opportunities for their striker Yevhen Seleznyov.
Coach Mykhaylo Fomenko will likely rely on a deep 4-5-1 formation, with captain Anatoliy Tymoshchuk in front of the back four – Artem Fedetskyi, Vyacheslav Shevchuk and the Shakhtar Donetsk centre backs Oleksandr Kucher and Yaroslav Rakitskiy.
Ukraine’s emphasis will be on retaining possession around midfield, and expose Germany on counterattacks via the pace of their wingers Yarmalenko and Konoplyanka.
Prediction
Expect a resistant Ukraine, but Germany are vying for European supremacy in addition to their world title, so will likely win.
Stevo
Roar Rookie
Good 'calling' again. Tomorrow morning's game should be a cracker!
Vas Venkatramani
Roar Guru
FULLTIME: Germany 2-0 Ukraine Thanks for your company this morning. I'll be up once again for the 5am kickoff tomorrow between Belgium and Italy in Group E. Join me then. Until then, at Lille, it finished Germany 2-0 Ukraine. Good morning!
Vas Venkatramani
Roar Guru
FULLTIME: Germany 2-0 Ukraine The result belies the performance somewhat, but to win 2-0 despite being sometimes second-best is a measure of Germany's championship quality. Beyond the opening goal from Mustafi, coupled by the final minute sealer by Schweinsteiger, Germany had Manuel Neuer and Jerome Boateng to thank on numerous occasions, especially in the first half when Ukraine were clearly the better team. But for Ukraine, it is a mark of how their best efforts were undone by pure quality. They won't face many better teams this tournament, and they can rightfully still be hopeful of progression despite this setback. FULLTIME: Germany 2-0 Ukraine
Stevo
Roar Rookie
He's tooooo old but technique is exquisite!
Vas Venkatramani
Roar Guru
'90+3: Curtains in Lille, courtesy of an electric counterattack initiated by Mesut Ozil down the left, who had the freedom of Lille, and delivered a delicious cross to the run of Schweinsteiger, full of energy and smacked a half-volley right into the top of the net, and time is up as well! FULLTIME: Germany 2-0 Ukraine
Vas Venkatramani
Roar Guru
'90+2: Yarmalenko with a long-range effort, deflected for a corner. It really is desperate times now. Corner cleared by Howedes, but Ukraine keep it until they lose it exposing the counter, and there it is! GOAL - GERMANY (SCHWEINSTEIGER) Germany 2-0 Ukraine
Vas Venkatramani
Roar Guru
'90+1: Three added minutes confirmed. We are set for a third consecutive 1-0 result for the day, following victories for Croatia and Poland by the same margin earlier. Germany 1-0 Ukraine
Stevo
Roar Rookie
Yes, I'm thinking of England v Russia right now!
Vas Venkatramani
Roar Guru
'89: Ukraine's corner cleared - is that their final chance you wonder? Yarmalenko now trips over Hector, and it's a relieving free kick for Germany. Here is the change, as Schweinsteiger replaces Mario Gotze. SUBSTITUTION (GERMANY) OFF: 19. Gotze ON: 7. Schweinsteiger Germany 1-0 Ukraine
Vas Venkatramani
Roar Guru
'87: Now Fedetskyi is pushed by Gotze, and for some reason, Ukraine aren't pushing it forward. Now it will be some game time for Bastian Schweinsteiger, who is about to come on for Germany. Now Gotze spreads forward to Ozil, who is between tow yellow shirts, and Pyatov gathers. Then at the other end, it's punted downfield, and the header from Mustafi nearly is fatal, as Yarmalenko is fast approaching, and once again, Jerome Boateng is to the rescue. Neuer in the next play clears Yarmalenko's ball for another corner. Germany 1-0 Ukraine
Vas Venkatramani
Roar Guru
'85: Germany controlling things on a string in Lille. They don't look like a team that can concede now at this late stage, but I thought the same of England yesterday. Germany 1-0 Ukraine
Vas Venkatramani
Roar Guru
'82: Schurrle now with a pop after it was spread forward by Gotze, but it's to the left of Pyatov's goal. With only one goal, this game still stands at a knife edge, even if Ukraine have done little to suggest they can come back - such has been Germany's dominance this half. Germany 1-0 Ukraine
Vas Venkatramani
Roar Guru
'80: Ukraine cannot get the ball into Germany's half often enough, as their midfield is now completely surrounded by the German defenders standing back a touch to minimise the forward bursts of Yarmalenko and Konoplyanka, which dominated the first half. Germany 1-0 Ukraine
Vas Venkatramani
Roar Guru
'78: Change now for Germany, as Andre Schurrle replaces Julian Draxler. SUBSTITUTION (GERMANY) OFF: 11. Draxler ON: 9. Schurrle Germany 1-0 Ukraine
Vas Venkatramani
Roar Guru
'74: Now Gotze finally has some meaningful work, courtesy of some tentative defending from Stepanenko and Rakitskyi, and then Gotze can get a shot away that Pyatov has covered. But that was feeble from the two Ukrainians, as they allowed the shot to happen from seemingly nothing. Now Muller has another shot fed by Gotze's support work outside of the box, and the shot is parried with two hands by Pyatov. Another corner for Germany, who are in complete dominance now. Corner is cleared, and Germany still in the final third. Germany 1-0 Ukraine
Vas Venkatramani
Roar Guru
'73: Lovely backheel from Muller fed back to him by Ozil, and it's a German corner as it's cleared by Kacheridi. Corner is then met by Shevchuk, and clears it for Ukraine to make their second change. It's Viktor Kovalenko off for 19-year-old Oleksandr Zinchenko. SUBSTITUTION (UKRAINE) OFF: 9. Kovalenko ON: 21. Zinchenko Germany 1-0 Ukraine
Vas Venkatramani
Roar Guru
'70: Twenty minutes remaining, and Ukraine not able to exert the influence and pressure on the German midfield and defence as they did in the first half. Now a lovely dummy and move from Draxler is then spread by Howedes, but it's Rakitskyi who punts the ball out of play. Ukraine firmly on the back foot. Now the sub Seleznyov is clutching his face, after Boateng made contact. The Bayern defender waves it away, claiming there was nothing to it. And indeed it is, the contact was minimal, but now is the time for desperate antics. The free kick comes to nothing but. Germany 1-0 Ukraine
Vas Venkatramani
Roar Guru
'68: Now a lovely cross from Muller aimed for the run of Draxler, who beats the defender Rakitskyi and heads well over! It was headed first time, and at the end of a short sprint that may have compromised the quality of the header. Germany 1-0 Ukraine
Vas Venkatramani
Roar Guru
'67: Corner for Ukraine earnt by Yarmalenko. Cleared away by Khedira, but still with Ukraine via Kovalenko, whose cross cannot beat Germany again. And here is the first card of the evening for Yevhen Konoplyanka for holding onto and pushing Gotze. Germany 1-0 Ukraine
Vas Venkatramani
Roar Guru
'66: First change for Ukraine, and the forward Roman Zozulya is off for Yevhen Seleznyov. SUBSTITUTION (UKRAINE) OFF: 8. Zozulya ON: 11. Seleznyov Germany 1-0 Ukraine