Date: June 16, 2016
Result: Ukraine 0 Northern Ireland 2
Scorers:
Ukraine: none
Northern Ireland: McAuley 49, McGinn 90+6
Venue: Stade de Lyon, Lyon
Match overview:
Gareth McAuley and Niall McGinn were the heroes as Northern Ireland beat Ukraine 2-0 in the lashing rain in Lyon to record their first ever European Championship victory. It was also the first time they had won at a finals since beating hosts Spain in Valencia in 1982. Northern Irish defending became increasing frantic after McAuley’s header from a free-kick gave them the lead early in the second-half in a match of few opportunities. Substitute McGinn grabbed a late second in the dying seconds to delight the hordes of Northern Irish fans.
Key moment:
Gareth McAuley’s brilliant header, rising above Yevhen Khacheridi at the far post to guide Oliver Norwood’s free-kick back across goal, for Northern Ireland’s first goal at a European Championship.
Man of the match:
Veteran defender Gareth McAuley’s goal settled the game in Lyon, with Niall McGinn adding a second. No player from either squad had ever scored a goal at a major championship until McAuley’s 49th-minute header.
Matter of fact:
Jonny and Corry become the first siblings to start for Northern Ireland in a major championship.
Both sets of fans applauded in the 24th minute in tribute to fan Darren Rodgers, aged 24, who died in Nice earlier in the week. Northern Ireland’s players wore black armbands.
The match was halted briefly in the 58th minute following a hailstorm.
Talking point:
Northern Ireland showed more attacking intent than against Poland after manager Michael O’Neill made a number of changes from the opening game against Poland, including dropping striker Kyle Lafferty to the bench, Conor Washington came in and worked hard to close down Ukraine’s defenders, while his team-mates closely marshalled Ukraine’s wide man, Andriy Yarmolenko and Yevhen Konoplyanka. Centre-forward Yevhen Seleznyov enjoyed few touches, let alone chances, while Northern Ireland’s main threat again came from set-pieces.
Stats:
Goal attempts
Ukraine: 17
Northern Ireland: 13
Attempts on target
Ukraine: 5
Northern Ireland: 7
Corners
Ukraine: 2
Northern Ireland: 3
Line-ups:
Ukraine
12 Andriy Payt.
03 Yevhen Khacheridi
06 Taras Stepanenko
07 Andriy Yarmolenko
09 Viktor Kovalenko
10 Yevhen Konoplyanka (21 Olexandr Zinchenko 84)
11 Yevhen Seleznyov (08 Roman Zozulya 71)
13 Vyacheslav Shevchuk
16 Serhiy Sydorchuk (Denys Garmash 76)
17 Artem Fedetskiy
20 Yaroslav Rakitskiy
Starting formation: 4-2-3-1
Pyatov – Fedetskiy, Khacheridi, Rakitskiy, Shevchuk – Sydorchuk, Stepanenko – Yarmolenko, Kovalenko, Konoplyanka – Seleznyov
Northern Ireland
01 Michael McGovern
04 Gareth McAuley
05 Jonny Evans
08 Steven Davis
11 Conor Washington
13 Corry Evans (17 Paddy McNair 90)
14 Stuart Dallas
16 Oliver Norwood
18 Aaron Hughes
19 Jamie Ward (07 Niall McGinn 70)
20 Craig Cathcart
Starting formation: 4-5-1
McGovern – Hughes, Cathcart, McAuley, J Evans – Ward, C Evans, Davis, Norwood, Dallas – Washington
Yellow cards:
Ukraine: Seleznyov 39, Sydorchuk 64
Northern Ireland: Ward 61, Dallas 87, J Evans 90
Referee: Pavel Kralovec (Cze)
Attendance: 51,043
