Andriy Yarmolenko scored one and helped create the
other as Ukraine beat Slovenia 2-0 in their Euro 2016
qualifying play-off first leg.
Andriy Yarmolenko and Yevhen Seleznyov were both on target
as Ukraine edged closer to Euro 2016 with a 2-0 win in their
qualifying play-off first leg with Slovenia.
Yarmolenko notched his fifth goal of the campaign after 23
minutes to give the hosts a deserved lead at the break, before
Seleznyov added a second from close range after the restart.
Ukraine controlled large parts of the clash in Lviv and could
have won by a greater margin had Samir Handanovic not been
in fine form for the visitors, while Seleznyov almost made it
three when he struck the post 20 minutes from time.
Inter goalkeeper Handanovic denied Serhiy Rybalka in the
opening 45 minutes, and was on hand again in the second half
to push Denys Garmash's header away.
Slovenia struggled to create many chances and when they did
their finishing lacked quality, Josip Ilicic guilty of wasting their
best opening in the first half.
Victory gives Ukraine a cushion heading into the second leg on
Tuesday, Slovenia needing a significant turnaround if they are to
make it to France next year.
After an impeccably observed period of silence following the
terror attacks in Paris on Friday, it was the hosts who started
the brighter.
Roared on by the vociferous home support, Vyacheslav
Shevchuk was given room to cross from the left after two
minutes, but the stretching Seleznyov was unable to convert at
the back post.
Chances were few and far between until midway through the
first half when Slovenia twice failed to deal with deliveries from
the left.
A poor punch from Handanovic landed at the feet of
Yarmolenko, who dropped a shoulder to evade three defenders
before firing the ball into the bottom-left corner.
Ilicic should have brought Slovenia level four minutes later
following a superbly weighted knock down from Milivoje
Novakovic, but he blazed over from an unmarked position.
Having been given a let-off, Ukraine pushed for a second before
the break and twice threatened through Rybalka, the midfielder
seeing one long-range effort saved by Handanovic before
another was deflected narrowly wide.
Ukraine's second did come early in the second half, though, as
Yarmolenko combined with Artem Fedetskiy on the right to
enable Seleznyov to score.
Fedetskiy rolled a low pass across the Slovenia six-yard box for
the striker to pounce, Seleznyov sliding in at the back post to
double their advantage.
There was little Handanovic could do about the second goal, but
he ensured they did not fall further behind just before the hour
with a reflex save to deny a diving header from Garmash.
Seleznyov was able to beat the Slovenia keeper again before the
final whistle, but his low effort thudded against the post as
Ukraine were left to settle for a two-goal advantage ahead of
Tuesday's return leg.
other as Ukraine beat Slovenia 2-0 in their Euro 2016
qualifying play-off first leg.
Andriy Yarmolenko and Yevhen Seleznyov were both on target
as Ukraine edged closer to Euro 2016 with a 2-0 win in their
qualifying play-off first leg with Slovenia.
Yarmolenko notched his fifth goal of the campaign after 23
minutes to give the hosts a deserved lead at the break, before
Seleznyov added a second from close range after the restart.
Ukraine controlled large parts of the clash in Lviv and could
have won by a greater margin had Samir Handanovic not been
in fine form for the visitors, while Seleznyov almost made it
three when he struck the post 20 minutes from time.
Inter goalkeeper Handanovic denied Serhiy Rybalka in the
opening 45 minutes, and was on hand again in the second half
to push Denys Garmash's header away.
Slovenia struggled to create many chances and when they did
their finishing lacked quality, Josip Ilicic guilty of wasting their
best opening in the first half.
Victory gives Ukraine a cushion heading into the second leg on
Tuesday, Slovenia needing a significant turnaround if they are to
make it to France next year.
After an impeccably observed period of silence following the
terror attacks in Paris on Friday, it was the hosts who started
the brighter.
Roared on by the vociferous home support, Vyacheslav
Shevchuk was given room to cross from the left after two
minutes, but the stretching Seleznyov was unable to convert at
the back post.
Chances were few and far between until midway through the
first half when Slovenia twice failed to deal with deliveries from
the left.
A poor punch from Handanovic landed at the feet of
Yarmolenko, who dropped a shoulder to evade three defenders
before firing the ball into the bottom-left corner.
Ilicic should have brought Slovenia level four minutes later
following a superbly weighted knock down from Milivoje
Novakovic, but he blazed over from an unmarked position.
Having been given a let-off, Ukraine pushed for a second before
the break and twice threatened through Rybalka, the midfielder
seeing one long-range effort saved by Handanovic before
another was deflected narrowly wide.
Ukraine's second did come early in the second half, though, as
Yarmolenko combined with Artem Fedetskiy on the right to
enable Seleznyov to score.
Fedetskiy rolled a low pass across the Slovenia six-yard box for
the striker to pounce, Seleznyov sliding in at the back post to
double their advantage.
There was little Handanovic could do about the second goal, but
he ensured they did not fall further behind just before the hour
with a reflex save to deny a diving header from Garmash.
Seleznyov was able to beat the Slovenia keeper again before the
final whistle, but his low effort thudded against the post as
Ukraine were left to settle for a two-goal advantage ahead of
Tuesday's return leg.
No comments:
Post a Comment