Germany 2-0 Ukraine: Shkodran Mustafi's emphatic header and Bastian Schweinsteiger's clincher help Joachim Low's World Cup-winning side land victory in Lille
Germany took on Mykhaylo Fomenko's Ukraine for their first European Championship tie in Group C on Sunday
Valencia's Shkodran Mustafi gave Joachim Low's side a 19th-minute lead with a bullet header from a free-kick
The 24-year-old was playing instead of the more experienced Mats Hummels at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy in Lille
Manchester United midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger wrapped up the win late on after a cross from Mesut Ozil
By Matt Barlow for MailOnline
Factory settings have been restored and the German machine is in working order, starting another major tournament with a win as it was carefully designed to do.
Germany have never lost their opening fixture in the European Championship and stretched that sequence to a dozen games by beating Ukraine in Lille last night.
Shkodran Mustafi and Sebastian Schweinsteiger scored the goals but this was by no means a comfortable victory.
There were times when Ukraine’s vibrant counter-attacking had Joachim Low’s side rattled and Manuel Neuer was required to make two exceptional saves in the first half. Low will expect to iron out the finer details as the competition progresses.
Germany’s form has been inconsistent since Brazil but they arrived in France intent on winning their first European title for 20 years.
Low selected Mario Gotze, hero of Rio, to start up front, rather than Mario Gomez, and he was soon sidling through the Ukraine defence, prompting a chance fired wide by Julian Draxler.
Only five minutes had gone and it set the tone for a fluent opening to a thrilling game, with Neuer soon forced into action at the other end.
Germany’s worries have been at the back as the tournament approached with injuries to centre halves Mats Hummels and Toni Rudiger, and concerns about Jonas Hector at left back.
Ukraine’s first effort came from Hector’s area of the pitch, although it was Mustafi who lost possession to Artem Fedetskiy, who found Yevhen Konoplyanka with an early cross. Konoplyanka connected well, sending a shot curling towards the top corner but Neuer sprang to his left and turned it over with a strong flick of a wrist.
Germany’s goalkeeper, captain in the absence of Schweinsteiger, produced another splendid reflex save to turn over a powerful header from Yevhen Khacheridi.
By this point, his team were ahead and he was protecting a lead, seized in the 19th minute by Mustafi, who would not have played had Hummels been considered fit.
MATCH FACTS
GERMANY (4-2-3-1): Neuer 7.5; Howedes 6, Boateng 7, Mustafi 6.5, Hector 5.5; Khedira 6, Kroos 8; Muller 6, Ozil 6, Draxler 6.5 (Schurrle 78); Gotze 6 (Schweinsteiger 90).
- Goals: Mustafi 19, Schweinsteiger 90+2.
- Manager: Joachim Low 6
UKRAINE (4-2-3-1): Pyatov 6.5; Fedetskiy 6, Khacheridi 6.5, Rakitskiy 6, Shevchuk 6.5; Sydorchuk 6, Stepanenko 6; Yarmolenko 6.5, Kovalenko 6 (Zincherenko 73, 5), Konoplyanka 7; Zozulya 5 (Seleznyov, 67, 5).
- Booked: Konoplyanka.
- Manager: Mykhailo Fomenko 6.
- Man of the Match: Toni Kroos.
- Referee: Martin Atkinson 6.
Mustafi climbed above the Ukraine defence to connect brilliantly with a free-kick expertly delivered by Toni Kroos, who dictated much of the first half from his position deep in midfield.
Sami Khedira ought to have made it two when clean through, soon afterwards, but was denied by goalkeeper Andriy Pyatov.
Ukraine, however, refused to yield and caused Germany problems before the interval, much of the danger coming from their danger men on the flanks.
Jerome Boateng almost turned Konoplyanka’s mishit effort into his own goal but reacted in time to hook the ball clear before it had crossed the line. With goal-line technology in play there was no mistake.
Moments later, Martin Atkinson and his English team of officials made the correct call when they ruled out a goal by Andriy Yarmolenko for offside.
Germany performed with more control after the break. Pyatov saved long-range attempts from Draxler, Kroos and Khedira. Kroos also clipped the post from long range.
Neuer saved a free-kick from Rakitskiy but the challenge of Ukraine faded and Pyatov remained by far the busier of the two goalkeepers, saved from Thomas Muller and Andre Schurrle, sent on by Low in a bid to punish the tiring Ukrainians, screwed a right-footer wide from the edge of the box.
But substitute Schweinsteiger made no mistake with a thumping finish in the 90th minute.
