Germany v Ukraine

:00:54. > :01:01.Good evening and welcome back to an expectant fan park here in Paris,

:01:02. > :01:05.where all eyes are fixed on Germany, as the World Cup winners seek to

:01:06. > :01:07.become European champions for a record fourth time. I wouldn't put

:01:08. > :01:23.it past them. Would you? Odd miracle is meant, suggested by

:01:24. > :01:28.this relaxed and bent, what wonders to this tightener are revealed? It

:01:29. > :01:36.is Germany. Roll on again. With subtle might against himself to

:01:37. > :01:41.stride, to struggle up wards from the brutish theme. Brazil have been

:01:42. > :01:55.humiliated. They have been humbled and taken apart. It is seven.

:01:56. > :02:07.Inward and inward still is vision since. What does he hear?

:02:08. > :02:22.He thinks. There is the German coach, just

:02:23. > :02:27.after he got off the German coach, Joachim Low. The Germans still look

:02:28. > :02:31.a foremid-able side, with recognisable faces, of course, all

:02:32. > :02:34.over the place. Opponents Ukraine were joint hosts four years ago when

:02:35. > :02:41.they failed to progress beyond the group stage. They defend five goals

:02:42. > :02:49.in 12 qualifying matches. Here with us tonight are Alan Shearer, Thierry

:02:50. > :02:54.Henry and a warm welcome to the Belgian captain, Vincent Kompany.

:02:55. > :02:58.What are you doing here? Well, first of all, I don't want to

:02:59. > :03:02.allow myself to feel down. If there is one thing I have learnt in

:03:03. > :03:06.Germany and in Manchester, of course, is, just get on with it.

:03:07. > :03:11.That is what I am doing. We are glad to have you. Have you been in side

:03:12. > :03:16.with the Belgian side since your arrival here? Would you sooner

:03:17. > :03:21.distance yourself? I am playing two roles. I am obviously in touch with

:03:22. > :03:27.my friends, but I am a big fan of this team. They are very hungry for

:03:28. > :03:30.success. I hope for this team because they deserve it to be

:03:31. > :03:35.successful. They have a lot of good players. It is Germany we are

:03:36. > :03:39.concentrating on this evening. They lost against Slovakia and even

:03:40. > :03:44.against England. Yes, I mean you look at the German

:03:45. > :03:50.team, with the experience of the stars. At the same time you see

:03:51. > :03:53.question marks. We are not used to a German team to have question marks.

:03:54. > :03:56.It will be interesting to see how they are set up and especially how

:03:57. > :04:01.they cope with the expectation again. And they tend to do well when

:04:02. > :04:06.the tournament has commenced, don't they? That is one thing we can be

:04:07. > :04:11.sure about with the Germans. One thing they are short of, for a very

:04:12. > :04:15.long time, is they don't have a well-recognised number nine who can

:04:16. > :04:19.score goals. We all know that Thomas Muller can score goals. For first

:04:20. > :04:24.time they don't have a guy like that. You would love to play with

:04:25. > :04:31.that mid-field. You would be there at the box. It is not very often

:04:32. > :04:36.German come into a major tournament and look vulnerable. There have been

:04:37. > :04:41.question marks in their country about their hunger, their desire and

:04:42. > :04:44.all those big players have retired since then. Having said that, they

:04:45. > :04:49.will be all right, they are Germans, aren't they. How can you ask

:04:50. > :04:54.questions like that two years after you have won the World Cup. We would

:04:55. > :04:59.love to ask those questions.. We were poor in qualification. We

:05:00. > :05:02.nearly didn't qualify. We went on to win it in Belgian and Holland. You

:05:03. > :05:06.always have a weird thing happening after you win a World Cup. Let's see

:05:07. > :05:12.if they will deal with it. You must know. It must be lovely to have that

:05:13. > :05:16.problem. Ukraine, Vincent, it is the first time they have qualified. They

:05:17. > :05:20.played four years ago, they were hosts. They are a dangerous side,

:05:21. > :05:26.particularly on the counterattack. I will say, this I think the question

:05:27. > :05:30.marks are different with Germany now than when you came off the back of

:05:31. > :05:34.the world cup. If Poland think they can go and play out, they will get

:05:35. > :05:38.punished - there's no doubt about it. If they are well organised and

:05:39. > :05:43.hit them on the counterattack then this team can be hurt. I do think

:05:44. > :05:47.so. Defensively there are question

:05:48. > :05:52.marks. They are solid and they will fancy their chances of going out and

:05:53. > :05:57.scoring goals if their two main wingers are in form, then they will

:05:58. > :06:02.fancy their chances. OK. Well, the other two teams in Group C met in

:06:03. > :06:06.Nice this afternoon with Northern Ireland playing Poland. There was

:06:07. > :06:12.just the one goal in the game. Sadly for Northern Ireland it went to

:06:13. > :06:18.Poland. And it wasn't a bad finish, was it? He took it quickly with his

:06:19. > :06:23.left foot and very little backswing with his left foot. He gave the

:06:24. > :06:27.goalkeeper no chance through the legs and it was amazing how many

:06:28. > :06:31.times but the defender's leg. When that happens the keeper doesn't have

:06:32. > :06:37.time to see. A good finish. A good strike. Not bad, Poland, are they?

:06:38. > :06:42.Not bad. People expect you to beat and I

:06:43. > :06:47.think that Northern Ireland did OKKish... If I can say, they knew

:06:48. > :06:53.what they were up against job done - five points. First game, well done.

:06:54. > :06:56.The other two teams in this group, you would expect Germany to be

:06:57. > :07:01.strong favourites to go through, wouldn't you? Regardless of any

:07:02. > :07:05.previous form. Especially with the format the way it is, I think

:07:06. > :07:09.Germany will go through. I think people are waiting to be convinced

:07:10. > :07:13.and impressed with seeing the only team who has impressed us so far is

:07:14. > :07:19.the top team, England. They have not won and I think like he said what is

:07:20. > :07:23.important is the result now. We would like to see one of the top

:07:24. > :07:28.teams show how powerful they are. Set the tournament alive. That might

:07:29. > :07:34.happen this evening. Let's look at the spectacular Stade Pierre-Mauroy

:07:35. > :07:40.in Lille. It is the venue for tonight's game. It holds 50,000

:07:41. > :07:46.spectators and among them we are joined.

:07:47. > :07:51.Lens they have the qualifying campaign as well. It comes to

:07:52. > :07:55.occasions like this they can turn on the style, can't they? That is what

:07:56. > :07:58.we are well known for. In a tournament it is a different

:07:59. > :08:02.pressure. Everyone knows how to perform under pressure. That is how

:08:03. > :08:08.we trained. Most of the time you can expect something good out of us. And

:08:09. > :08:12.you hope Ukraine give you a real tonight? It would be good if they

:08:13. > :08:17.are not too shy and stand too deep. Most of the time we have to say they

:08:18. > :08:20.are not trained to play against a system like ours. So I think their

:08:21. > :08:27.systems are remote to get something out of this game. One player on the

:08:28. > :08:33.game you think he has a big future if he comes on tonight. His future

:08:34. > :08:36.long-term will be very bright. If he makes a difference tonight, we will

:08:37. > :08:41.see. I don't know if he comes on, that would mean we were down for one

:08:42. > :08:45.or two goals. He is a guy to watch and will be seen across Europe over

:08:46. > :08:47.the next couple of years. And to carry on that World Cup winning

:08:48. > :08:51.feeling as well. You will want to pick up from that feeling in Brazil

:08:52. > :08:58.and bring it here into France, won't you? Yes, the German public expect

:08:59. > :09:03.the team to win it. The coach has said he sees it as a stage on the

:09:04. > :09:07.route to the next World Cup. They like to win it and that is why they

:09:08. > :09:11.put themselves under pressure. We were talking earlier, your dream

:09:12. > :09:17.final here would be Germany verses England. Yes, the English looked not

:09:18. > :09:23.bad yesterday. Conceded a late goal - unfortunate. In total, I think

:09:24. > :09:29.they have a good team spirit and that can bring them far in the

:09:30. > :09:34.tournament. As I said, my dream game would be England verses Germany.

:09:35. > :09:39.Thank you. Thank you. Goodbye. Go straight with England early on.

:09:40. > :09:46.They will only beat us on penalties, anyway. One man who still has faith

:09:47. > :09:50.in the youngest squad in the competition is Jurgen Klinsmann.

:09:51. > :09:59.The expectations are just given as a world champion to win the Euros. No

:10:00. > :10:03.German coach can say it would be fine to achieve the quarter-finals.

:10:04. > :10:07.To win a tournament takes an incredible amount of hunger and

:10:08. > :10:11.willingness to go through difficult motels, to stick together as a goal.

:10:12. > :10:14.If that chemistry is not the same as it was in Brazil, you will not win

:10:15. > :10:32.the tournament. It is a very normal phase they went

:10:33. > :10:36.through after winning that World Cup in such a tremendous way. You have

:10:37. > :10:42.to come back down to the ground, you will lose points. You will lose

:10:43. > :10:47.games. You will kind of not have the same grinding mentality you had - so

:10:48. > :10:56.many years until you finally win that World Cup again.

:10:57. > :11:04.You always, as a young player, you look up to these guys that had

:11:05. > :11:13.already a couple of tournaments under their belts and they know when

:11:14. > :11:17.it really matters like Schweinsteiger. They know to get

:11:18. > :11:21.everybody on the same stage. It would be important to have these

:11:22. > :11:26.players. What is also very fascinating to see is the production

:11:27. > :11:30.line of German talent is going full steam right now. They have so many

:11:31. > :11:35.young players coming through. Everybody is constantly putting his

:11:36. > :11:40.own stamp on the game, no matter if he is 18, 19, 20, or if it is the

:11:41. > :11:44.older guys. It is based on that kind of

:11:45. > :11:51.foundation that was laid out 10-15 years ago. It is not necessarily the

:11:52. > :11:56.system that is put out there. It is the culture developed over the last

:11:57. > :11:59.years. Therefore, it is not that difficult for younger players to

:12:00. > :12:03.break into the German side, also from a psychological side. You go

:12:04. > :12:08.into the tournament and it depends then which of those teams now really

:12:09. > :12:12.has the right mixture of players, the right chemistry, the right

:12:13. > :12:17.atmosphere within that group, which plays a big, big role and which has

:12:18. > :12:21.the biggest hunger. This is now an interesting moment for Germany if

:12:22. > :12:24.they can reconfirm what they showed two years ago.

:12:25. > :12:33.Let's look at the two teams. Starting with Ukraine.

:12:34. > :12:39.Pyatov has long been established as Ukraine's number one.

:12:40. > :12:45.Performed so well during qualification, conceding five goals

:12:46. > :12:54.in 12 matches. Holding mid-field Stepanenko gives further protection

:12:55. > :13:03.to his defence. Wingers: Up front is Zozulya.

:13:04. > :13:10.As for Germany, the original sweeper keeper, Neuer plays in goal and

:13:11. > :13:21.defence at times. Hummels is not fit enough to return.

:13:22. > :13:28.Khedira along side Kroos. Draxler is preferred on the left

:13:29. > :13:34.side of an attacking three with Ozil and Thomas Muller. And despite a

:13:35. > :13:39.mixed season Gotze plays in the false nine role. What do you think

:13:40. > :13:42.to that starting line-up for Germany, Thierry Henry? It is

:13:43. > :13:46.obviously a good starting line-up. We mention about the chemistry they

:13:47. > :13:53.have in mid-field when you see Draxler and Muller and obviously

:13:54. > :13:57.Ozil. They have a guy who can score and guys who can

:13:58. > :14:03.They can all interchange. I question not having a number nine. You have

:14:04. > :14:08.to have a guy who knows what it is there and how to move. That is when

:14:09. > :14:12.Muller is at his best, when he can go off the run of the nine. It is

:14:13. > :14:18.still an amazing team. Don't get me wrong. When teams play without a

:14:19. > :14:27.number nine, does that make it awkward? When to go, when not to go?

:14:28. > :14:31.It is a difficult environment not to disagree with Thierry. If the system

:14:32. > :14:35.is well co-ordinated, it is difficult because you don't have a

:14:36. > :14:39.point of reference. Then again a proper number nine would not let

:14:40. > :14:43.himself be cornered, if you like. With a number nine it makes it more

:14:44. > :14:47.difficult, I would say. Do you prefer a defender to have someone

:14:48. > :14:53.there to mark? It depends. If he is mobile, then it is difficult. If

:14:54. > :14:58.someone wants to stand his ground, I find it more easy. A bit like Alan

:14:59. > :15:13.Shearer! I know you are a big fan of Muller.

:15:14. > :15:22.His goal-scoring record is superb. In 2010, Golden Boot. And in

:15:23. > :15:27.tro,00014. -- and in 2000146789 His finish something superb. He

:15:28. > :15:31.starts the move there. Look at the hunger to get on the end of

:15:32. > :15:33.everything and be a part of it. Be the finisher.

:15:34. > :15:41.He is a genius at finding and making space for himself. We were talking

:15:42. > :15:45.about Vincent there. He rarely goes up and stands up against a defender.

:15:46. > :15:49.That's why I think it is more difficult for a defender. They don't

:15:50. > :15:55.actually know where he is. He is go on the right, on the left-hand side.

:15:56. > :16:01.He scores all sorts of goals. Scuffy goals, tap-ins. He is an

:16:02. > :16:08.awkward-looking footballer. He is in and out of the six-yard box. He is

:16:09. > :16:13.gangly, awkward. He is not as sexy as a Messi or Ronaldo but his

:16:14. > :16:17.goal-scoring record is superb. He scores more goals than them in a big

:16:18. > :16:21.tournament. He is more important than them in a big tournament. I

:16:22. > :16:27.always say those guys are freaks. I say to youngsters, try to see what

:16:28. > :16:32.Muller does, you can emulate, that don't try to copy Messi, it is more

:16:33. > :16:39.difficult. And the success was with a combination of goals. There was

:16:40. > :16:55.Klose who scored 71 and Muller. So you have lost 71 goals at the front.

:16:56. > :17:01.It is not ease -- it is not easy to replace.

:17:02. > :17:07.Gotze won't do it. Everyone is waiting for Ozil to be the main man

:17:08. > :17:12.in that team. He can do it. Midfield wise, plenty of bodies, would you

:17:13. > :17:18.expect them to have a lot of possession In midfield they are not

:17:19. > :17:24.scared. Ozil on the left. Draxler in the middle. And they will make sure

:17:25. > :17:30.they can do an interchange and do whatever they want. Like I said, I

:17:31. > :17:35.talk about chemistry. There is not really a way they play, it is not

:17:36. > :17:40.really rigid. They can do whatever they want along as they possess the

:17:41. > :17:43.ball. It is about possession. Will they have the understanding with

:17:44. > :17:47.Gotze up there? He has been out injured for months. He has only

:17:48. > :17:51.played 11. There has to be an understanding when he drops, Muller

:17:52. > :17:55.will go up. They have the players from Real Madrid. Kroos won the

:17:56. > :17:59.Champions' League this season. He passes the ball well. Brilliant. The

:18:00. > :18:04.number of times he demands the ball, he gets it, pass, pass, pass. If

:18:05. > :18:09.Ukraine let Germany do this tonight, they will be in big trouble. They

:18:10. > :18:13.like to do that. There is not a real natural width in their team and they

:18:14. > :18:16.are very good at picking the passes out and coming through the middle.

:18:17. > :18:19.That is not to say they can't go out wide but they like and prefer to go

:18:20. > :18:21.through the middle and find passes. wide but they like and prefer to go

:18:22. > :18:25.through the middle and find passes. The defence will give it to him. He

:18:26. > :18:29.will demand the ball there. If he will allow them to do that and give

:18:30. > :18:33.them this amount of space there, they will get punished tonight and

:18:34. > :18:38.Muller and Gotze will be on the end of them. Kroos has the second best

:18:39. > :18:41.stats for passing in the whole of Europe. So they have to get someone

:18:42. > :18:47.in and around him immediately to stop him dictating the pace of play

:18:48. > :18:52.and dictating his passes. He is a top, top player. What about Ukraine

:18:53. > :18:59.counterattack? Dangerous? Speed on the wing? Well, the qualification

:19:00. > :19:05.games of Germany, that's how they got caught, on counters. And when

:19:06. > :19:08.you have Yarmolenko and Zozulya, who can run for fun they have to be

:19:09. > :19:12.careful. They can play the counterattack ever so well. Well

:19:13. > :19:17.shall as we know, Epping land are yet to win their opening game of the

:19:18. > :19:22.European Championship. Germany, you have guessed it, are yet to lose

:19:23. > :19:25.one. Your commentators are Danny Murphy and Jonathan Pearce.

:19:26. > :19:36.COMMENTATOR: Jonathan pears:

:19:37. > :19:44.. -- JONATHAN PEARCE: Good evening to you.

:19:45. > :19:48.We have a giant lantern illuminating things. Good job. It is a gloomy

:19:49. > :19:55.night. On and off for hours heavy rain has been falling. Germany have

:19:56. > :20:00.had seven defeats in 18 games. Most unlike them. Two in qualification

:20:01. > :20:04.for this. Unheard of. Is this the night then, for Ukraine to beat them

:20:05. > :20:09.for the first time ever. We await, of course the anthems. This is a

:20:10. > :20:16.wonderful stadium. Ukraine up.

:20:17. > :20:18.# Shche ne vmerla Ukrayiny i slava, i volya

:20:19. > :20:20.# Shche nam, brattia molodiyi, usmikhnet'sia dolia

:20:21. > :20:22.# Z-hynut' nashi vorizhen'ky, yak rosa na sontsi

:20:23. > :20:24.# Zapanuyem i my, brattia, u svoyiy storontsi

:20:25. > :20:26.# Dushu y tilo my polozhym za nashu svobodu

:20:27. > :20:29.# I pokazhem, shcho my, brattia, kozats'koho rodu!

:20:30. > :20:33.# Dushu y tilo my polozhym za nashu svobodu

:20:34. > :21:30.# I pokazhem, shcho my, brattia, kozats'koho rodu! #

:21:31. > :21:34.Can they repeat what they did in the play-offs to get here and beat

:21:35. > :21:42.Germany now? . # Einigkeit und Recht und Freiheit

:21:43. > :21:45.Fur das deutsche Vaterland # Danach lasst uns alle streben

:21:46. > :21:56.Bruderlich mit Herz und Hand # Einigkeit und Recht und Freiheit

:21:57. > :22:05.Sind des Gluckes Unterpfand # Bluh' im Glanze dieses Gluckes

:22:06. > :22:28.Bluhe, deutsches Vaterland. # # Bluh' im Glanze dieses Gluckes

:22:29. > :22:49.Bluhe, deutsches Vaterland. # Eight years ago to the day, they

:22:50. > :22:57.were beaten 2-1 by Croatia at Euro 2008. The bookies said that wouldn't

:22:58. > :23:01.happen there either. Ukraine have the pace and flair in

:23:02. > :23:06.wide positions. Their young starlet, Kovalenko plays. And they started

:23:07. > :23:11.scoring freely in the warm-up games after what was a dire qualification

:23:12. > :23:14.campaign in many ways. Big news in the German camp, Hummels didn't make

:23:15. > :23:18.it. He trained but not ready to start.

:23:19. > :23:29.Seven of the team started the World Cup Final. Gotze comes on, got the

:23:30. > :23:36.winner and gets the nod ahead of Gomez. Muller comes into the

:23:37. > :23:41.tournament ahead of his best-ever club goal-scoring season.

:23:42. > :23:47.The referee is Yorkshire's Martin Atkinson. He'll refer a few of the

:23:48. > :23:55.players from the 2015 Europa League Cup final.

:23:56. > :24:08.The tall and Commander sweeper keeper, Neuer.

:24:09. > :24:19.Ukraine lack a bit of pace in central midfield. Not wide.

:24:20. > :24:28.In Kovalenko they have one of the stars of last year's under-20 World

:24:29. > :24:31.Cup but there is a fragile dressing room peace between Yarmolenko and

:24:32. > :24:38.Stepanenko. They do not like each other. And if Zozulya stays on the

:24:39. > :24:44.field, it might be a miracle. He is a fiery one. They have several fiery

:24:45. > :24:50.ones in their team. Can they create a major Jock here Ukraine? We will

:24:51. > :24:54.have to wait and see. It'll be fascinating to see how leftback

:24:55. > :24:59.deals with one of Europe's best, Thomas Muller. What a pleasure to be

:25:00. > :25:02.here. We have mixed with the Germans today, singing, dancing, drink

:25:03. > :25:06.willing their beer. They are in great spirits. What a are endation

:25:07. > :25:11.that was It was, while you were doing, that I was drinking Diet

:25:12. > :25:17.Coke. It is going to be Germany in the white and black that will start.

:25:18. > :25:22.The pitch looks heavy. As it did in the opening game on Friday. Here we

:25:23. > :25:26.go, the World Champions, then, can they emulate Spain and France in

:25:27. > :25:41.holding both Europa, European and world titles at the same time?

:25:42. > :25:51.Long from Gotze. As was said in the studio, he hasn't played much. They

:25:52. > :25:56.are taking a gamble with him. He is a super player. Great technician. He

:25:57. > :26:01.is clever. He will come and get in the little am pok ets. I probably

:26:02. > :26:06.thought Gomes would be a more obvious choice. But he gets to see

:26:07. > :26:13.them in training river day. Early feel of the ball for Manuel Neuer.

:26:14. > :26:17.He is our 11th outfield player says Toni Kroos. He said he would have

:26:18. > :26:23.made a very good international midfield player. I think all

:26:24. > :26:30.goalkeepers fancy themselves as players out on the field.

:26:31. > :26:35.Khedira, he had another nasty calf sprain as he had in the World Cup

:26:36. > :26:51.finals. They had problems at fullback and

:26:52. > :26:57.who was going to step up into the boots of Felipe Lam? Huge boots to

:26:58. > :27:03.feel. But he is experienced. He did well in the World Cup. He can play

:27:04. > :27:08.that role perfectly. There is Mykhailo Fomenko, a very good player

:27:09. > :27:13.in his day. One of the outstanding Dynamo Kiev's Cup winners. They beat

:27:14. > :27:20.mine Munich in the final of the European Super Cup as well and won

:27:21. > :27:28.three titles in a row. There are the exuberant fans. My worry for Lille,

:27:29. > :27:33.is that England fans come here for the clash against Wales, played in

:27:34. > :27:39.Lens, of course but the hotels are here and that Russia are in Lille as

:27:40. > :27:44.well later this week. The policing was very relaxed, Danny. A little

:27:45. > :27:47.bit worrying. It was a concern. There were thousands of fans mixing

:27:48. > :27:51.in the square. There was no trouble, I have to say. They were in great

:27:52. > :27:56.spirits, both sets of supporters, but, yes, it is a little bit

:27:57. > :27:59.worrying the lack of police presence today but I'm sure they will have

:28:00. > :28:09.learned their lesson, let's hope they have, from Marseille.

:28:10. > :28:16.Boateng there and his fellow country team-mate, Muller.

:28:17. > :28:22.Kroos never wastes a pass. He has attempted more passes than any other

:28:23. > :28:36.player. It nearly game to Draxler. The

:28:37. > :28:40.youngster couldn't quite adjust his body to get the shot on time. It was

:28:41. > :28:44.that pocket he was talking about, dropping off the back four, do they

:28:45. > :28:48.go with him? No, midfielders didn't spot him. Before you know it, he is

:28:49. > :28:53.inside causing problems. You talk about Kroos, I love the fact that he

:28:54. > :29:00.is so good at keeping the ball and he is progressive with it. He is

:29:01. > :29:17.looking to passing forward. The right back getting forward

:29:18. > :29:25.there. And support from the Ukraine fans as they come in and support a

:29:26. > :29:37.very talented and Kovalenko. He has pace and finish. He was denied by a

:29:38. > :29:41.top safe. A great tackle from Rakitskiy. Really alert in the

:29:42. > :29:47.opening exchanges. A good safe. It has to be a hell of a shot to beat

:29:48. > :29:54.that man from outside the box. Takes the corner himself. Not yet away.

:29:55. > :30:06.Neuer comes and claims, in his 66th international for Germany. 23 clean

:30:07. > :30:11.sheets in that time. Kovalenko was at a game when we played for Fulham

:30:12. > :30:16.in the Europa League some times ago. I don't think he has achieved the

:30:17. > :30:22.levels people expected him to do since then. I know he sat on the

:30:23. > :30:25.bench with the Cup final against Liverpool. But with that talent you

:30:26. > :31:00.would hope would score more goals and contribute more in games.

:31:01. > :31:14.The keeper gets it away. Manuel Neuer, one of the players

:31:15. > :31:16.from the under-21 winning side. They build teams and age groups and by

:31:17. > :31:28.and large they keep them together. What Klinsmann was talking about

:31:29. > :31:34.before, wasn't it, the way they produced players over the years and

:31:35. > :31:38.players are given a chance really early, whereas other countries tend

:31:39. > :31:44.to be a bit more tentative. There he is - the man in charge of this

:31:45. > :31:48.country who have won this competition.

:31:49. > :32:03.20 years since their last Euro success.

:32:04. > :32:32.Draxler, hit by an injury a couple of years ago. Rested his talent for

:32:33. > :33:03.about 18 months. Kroos again with that move. Decisive

:33:04. > :33:07.pass through the mid-field of the Ukraine.

:33:08. > :33:18.He's come away to that left-hand side. Yesterday there was

:33:19. > :33:22.confirmation of where he would play. It is his best role, isn't it? When

:33:23. > :33:26.he plays wide, he doesn't particularly want to be tracking

:33:27. > :33:31.full-backs back into his own half. He uses energy in more attacking

:33:32. > :33:35.areas of the pitch. Of course he had such a successful season, with

:33:36. > :33:42.Arsenal playing that role, it makes sense to me.

:33:43. > :33:59.Seven of the 88 Euro semi-finalists were from Ukraine.

:34:00. > :34:05.A little bit of a late challenge in there.

:34:06. > :34:13.Caught by Jonas Hector. Told to get forward more.

:34:14. > :34:20.Attack with more firmness and he has done, recently, for his country.

:34:21. > :34:27.Stepanenko and Yarmolenko not the best of buddies, as we said earlier.

:34:28. > :34:33.They have a public peace pack, but they will not talk to each other or

:34:34. > :34:35.have anything to do with other, in the warm-up, I noticed.

:34:36. > :35:06.Hector with the cross. Too high the pass for Jonas Hector.

:35:07. > :35:11.Looking forward to seeing him, actually. I heard good things about

:35:12. > :35:21.him. I know he was linked with Liverpool recently.

:35:22. > :35:30.This lad has been linked and we could see him in a Liverpool shirt

:35:31. > :35:35.next season. The thing about Hector as well is

:35:36. > :35:38.he's versatile and he can play as a defensive mid-field player. He did a

:35:39. > :35:58.lot of times this season for his club.

:35:59. > :36:14.Unbeaten in five against against Ukraine.

:36:15. > :36:39.They are allowed to have the odd bad qualifying campaign. They cannot be

:36:40. > :36:42.perfect the whole time, can they? They always turn up at the

:36:43. > :36:59.tournaments. High up the pitch.

:37:00. > :37:06.Wanted it, but he was by-passed. The ball to Ozil...

:37:07. > :37:09.With the cross and forward from the full-back.

:37:10. > :37:23.The danger is not over yet. It should be 1-0. A good ball in

:37:24. > :37:28.from Draxler. Header back from Muller.

:37:29. > :37:30.Hector, on his weak foot, slips. A great chance. A brilliant

:37:31. > :37:45.opportunity that for Germany. One for his country against Italy.

:37:46. > :37:51.Joachim Low's team won. The ball finds Muller in the box,

:37:52. > :38:02.doesn't it? Knows when it will come. Such a clever player.

:38:03. > :38:09.A little bit of space. In the end, squeezed away from him.

:38:10. > :38:29.Helping out the centre-backs. Muller, brilliant ball out.

:38:30. > :38:34.Describes himself as an interpreter of space. That is what he calls his

:38:35. > :38:51.position. A space interpreter. Not a bad way of explaining it.

:38:52. > :38:59.I wonder what would have been said to you all those years ago - I have

:39:00. > :39:04.become a space interpreter. I think he would have given me a few harsh

:39:05. > :39:07.words and told me to go away. A great football man.

:39:08. > :39:16.A wonderful coach. Always encouraging us to play the

:39:17. > :39:21.right wasmt much like these young German players, in many ways. Play

:39:22. > :39:26.the right way, under pressure. They don't ever revert to a long ball,

:39:27. > :39:31.even early in the match. Great combinations. Great rotation of

:39:32. > :39:37.positions. It is Kroos with that cross field

:39:38. > :39:42.ball. This is the miss from Hector. The left foot gives way there.

:39:43. > :39:51.The manager is not best pleased. Cannot be just a coach, flag-waving

:39:52. > :40:05.in the wind. It is important that Kovalenko is a

:40:06. > :40:11.creative player and well thought of. He keeps an eye out for Kroos when

:40:12. > :40:19.he comes deep. He cannot just have possession. Shown it so many times.

:40:20. > :40:24.Kovalenko, forward in five games at that young World Cup final

:40:25. > :40:29.tournament. Three hours of senior international

:40:30. > :40:42.football is what he's played for the country.

:40:43. > :40:54.Atkinson, assistant to Howard Webb, at Euro 2012.

:40:55. > :40:58.Muller. He's a good referee. He has been a referee many times. Does not

:40:59. > :41:03.get flustered. Muller, with the return.

:41:04. > :41:09.Is he a talking referee? Does he talk to you, explain? Not hugely.

:41:10. > :41:15.He'll listen. He's not ignorant or arrogant in any shape or form. You

:41:16. > :41:23.can chat with him. He soon puts you in your place.

:41:24. > :41:41.Lucky with that clearance. Shoves it away.

:41:42. > :41:50.Foul. Yes, it looks worse than it is. He's

:41:51. > :41:59.just protecting himself. It is a decent run forward though by

:42:00. > :42:04.Rakitskiy to get that cross in. Twice he's got behind Draxler. Just

:42:05. > :42:09.switched off there, ball-watching. Runs behind.

:42:10. > :42:14.Amendment to the interpretation of the rule of the game, when striking

:42:15. > :42:21.the head or the face, when not challenging for the face it is a red

:42:22. > :42:27.card unless the force used was nobody. I don't think they have made

:42:28. > :42:33.these laws any easier to interpret, really. Some are more obvious than

:42:34. > :42:35.others. Schurrle was applying that law. He

:42:36. > :42:49.was very lucky to stay on the pitch. None of us want to see players get

:42:50. > :42:53.sent off for small, trivial things. That spoils the game. I think the

:42:54. > :42:55.referees have been good in the first few games. It is a credit to them.

:42:56. > :43:25.Just flicked a hand Muller coming in off that... He's

:43:26. > :43:27.unlucky. Oh... Got the ball. You can see the ball direction

:43:28. > :43:38.change. It is a good tackle. They have got to start getting some

:43:39. > :43:57.passes in. They cannot just defend. Kroos over the

:43:58. > :44:08.BA Is this the opening for the world champions? Yes, it is.

:44:09. > :44:16.An Everton player scores in the Europeans for his country.

:44:17. > :44:27.Well, we have mentioned him two or three times.

:44:28. > :44:31.That man Kroos, a passer of the ball he S right in that danger area.

:44:32. > :44:37.Begging for somebody to come and head it.

:44:38. > :44:45.Boy, does he head it. What a ball that is. Superb header from Mustafi.

:44:46. > :44:52.A good leap. A strong desire to get there.

:44:53. > :45:05.Well, would he have even played. German joy.

:45:06. > :45:09.The player who has been linked with Liverpool, a possible return to

:45:10. > :45:16.Merseyside. He played just one game for Everton in his time there.

:45:17. > :45:17.Quarter of an hour appearance, was there very, very young in his

:45:18. > :45:30.career. They have to dig in now. Germany are

:45:31. > :45:40.dominant. They have started the game well. Some nice moves. And would he

:45:41. > :45:46.have played Hummels, if fully fit? -- would he have played him if

:45:47. > :45:52.Hummels was fully fit? Unlikely. He is making the most of his

:45:53. > :45:57.opportunity, Mustafi. He was in the Cup final ander to a calf muscle and

:45:58. > :46:01.as they were saying yesterday, this will come too early for him. But he

:46:02. > :46:08.should be ready for the other two group games.

:46:09. > :46:26.Khedira, and Mueller. All Germany. -- Muller.

:46:27. > :46:37.A fair amount was made about Germany's recent bid where they lost

:46:38. > :46:38.3-1. It was atrocious conditions, virtually flooded. They have

:46:39. > :46:52.certainly found their rhythm here. Kroos getting into a central

:46:53. > :47:03.position there, and a big GP from the goal scorer. On it goes, the

:47:04. > :47:14.passing movement. -- a big gap. Boateng.

:47:15. > :47:28.Ozil to Muller. Ukraine standing off them. Too deep. Too much respect.

:47:29. > :47:33.Too deep. They have got to get there, five or ten yards. And a late

:47:34. > :47:38.challenge there by Zozulya. Allowed to carry on by the referee. Good use

:47:39. > :47:49.of the advantage but he may go back and have a word with the Ukraine

:47:50. > :47:52.striker. Stabbed away by Rakitskiy. Although they are playing against

:47:53. > :47:58.such a good team. They don't need to be so deep. The front three of

:47:59. > :48:04.Germany are not lightning quick. They can push up a bit more.

:48:05. > :48:13.Khedira, he plays in Italy with Juve. A winner there this season.

:48:14. > :48:19.Kroos. He has run this game from minute one until now. I feel for the

:48:20. > :48:23.young lad, Kovalenko. All he has done was chase him around. That was

:48:24. > :48:27.probably not what he thought he was going to be in the team for. He has

:48:28. > :48:35.dominated the ball. Everything good has come through him. Every minute

:48:36. > :48:37.of the successful World Cup campaign, the Champions' League

:48:38. > :48:48.winner, and with two different clubs now.

:48:49. > :48:55.Defensively, Ukraine were durable in qualifying. Germany up again. He is

:48:56. > :49:00.up there with a punch under pressure. Ukraine unhappy with the

:49:01. > :49:04.challenge on him. It was Mustafi, getting in there again. Certainly

:49:05. > :49:14.has the desire to go and head the ball. But a definite foul. Pyatov.

:49:15. > :49:19.Germany will have watched the warm-up game Ukraine had against

:49:20. > :49:28.Romainia. I would imagine they were sent out to wrap up the goalkeeper.

:49:29. > :49:35.He looked suspect in the cross cross in that game.

:49:36. > :49:59.31 now, the leading rightback. He is a key player for them. They need to

:50:00. > :50:06.get him forward and get balls in to him. It hasn't happened so far.

:50:07. > :50:21.This time the referee, for a minute he was reaching for his pocket. But

:50:22. > :50:26.it is just a warning against Howedes.

:50:27. > :50:33.They need to get these men on the ball. They are the danger men and we

:50:34. > :50:41.haven't seen enough of them. Kovalenko. He scored a fantastic

:50:42. > :50:44.goal against egg land in Wembley in 2012. I think it was a World Cup

:50:45. > :50:55.qualifier. What can he do here now? In it comes and blasts up and over

:50:56. > :51:02.by Muller. A dyke Russ ball. Good quality, good pace. A really good

:51:03. > :51:21.area. -- a dangerous ball. Muller in there defending.

:51:22. > :51:32.Oh, he thought about coming. Didn't come but gets his hand to stop the

:51:33. > :51:42.header from Khacheridi. Well, it should be 1-1. That man Neuers saves

:51:43. > :51:57.them again. Good quality in from the corner. That was Kovalenko. . A very

:51:58. > :52:01.good save. Goal bound, the header from the'6" inch Khacheridi. Yes,

:52:02. > :52:07.sir, he is a threat. -- yes, he is a threat. This one whips in low. I

:52:08. > :52:12.think it hit Boateng there. Khacheridi out wide again. Back in

:52:13. > :52:26.by Konoplyanka. Yarmolenko has been quiet so far.

:52:27. > :52:30.Back towards Zozulya. The flag raised.

:52:31. > :52:36.Yes, he has been quiet. I think he needs the ball. If you are playing

:52:37. > :52:39.in a wide area, you need your players to find you with the ball.

:52:40. > :52:45.Get the two central midfielders on the ball more. We haven't seen

:52:46. > :52:49.enough from Stepanenko and Shevchuk. They are the ones who need to get

:52:50. > :53:01.the team playing. Boateng, only 27. He came through

:53:02. > :53:06.the under-21 European-winning side. The frightening thing about most of

:53:07. > :53:10.this German squad, I think they'll be around for the next World Cup

:53:11. > :53:17.finals but they'll be there for the next European finals as well.

:53:18. > :53:35.Draxler on the outside. What a ball. The referee listening to his

:53:36. > :53:40.goalline official there. He just about did enough, good skill from

:53:41. > :53:43.Draxler. Nice and positive free kick. He is fortunate enough to get

:53:44. > :54:11.away with that. Kovalenko and good cover. Strong and

:54:12. > :54:23.fair challenge. Well-won back. Over the top and Khedira. A big chance

:54:24. > :54:31.for Germany for 2-0. What a pass. Sublime. It was a sublime piece of

:54:32. > :54:37.football from that man in the middle of the park again. Always wants the

:54:38. > :54:43.ball. Always uses it so diligently. Finds Ozil. On it goes again.

:54:44. > :54:52.Draxler at the heart of everything. There he is in. -- Kroos is at the

:54:53. > :54:55.heart of everything. He just sees all the pictures. Khedira, good run

:54:56. > :55:05.from midfield. What a ball that is. Just takes it a

:55:06. > :55:09.little bit wide. But still gets a good connection. It is a decent

:55:10. > :55:14.safe. But he will be disappointed there. It should be 2-0 Germany. 900

:55:15. > :55:27.minutes of qualification for Germany. He attempted over 1100

:55:28. > :55:33.passes. You do the maths. Yarmolenko causing a little bit of a stir.

:55:34. > :55:40.He reminds me of Paul Scholes, he really does the way he can dictate

:55:41. > :55:47.the game. Sees every pass. So calm on the ball. A pleasure to watch

:55:48. > :55:56.him. This corner caused damage last time. A decent effort but wide from

:55:57. > :55:59.Shevchuk. He doesn't get many. Yes they have been a threat on the

:56:00. > :56:22.set plays. Decent enough strike. An occasional goal for Shaktar but

:56:23. > :56:26.hasn't scored for Ukraine in the appearances. He had an injury

:56:27. > :56:31.problem this season either side of their winter break.

:56:32. > :56:37.Kroos - he has 20 yards of space again. There is nobody near him. I

:56:38. > :56:47.think we were a little bit surprised that they want to Kovalenko. It was

:56:48. > :56:51.an attacking move. A corner again for Germany. It is

:56:52. > :56:56.really not that difficult to see from anybody watching the game, who

:56:57. > :57:00.is running the game. You cannot give somebody who has that much quality,

:57:01. > :57:06.20 yards, 30 yards, free possession. They have done it again, though.

:57:07. > :57:09.Draxler's cross all the way through. Germany have their fourth corner of

:57:10. > :57:30.the game. My PE teacher is Khacheridi. Comes

:57:31. > :57:32.the corner. Missed by Zozulya. Out by Yarmolenko. Draxler again,

:57:33. > :57:50.holding deep. Concern for him, it is an ageing

:57:51. > :57:56.squad. Eight of them in their 30s. Will they have enough in the goes

:57:57. > :58:08.tank in the second half? He has been criticised for being too neglect ti.

:58:09. > :58:18.But Shevchenko is alongside him now and should take over as coach, they

:58:19. > :58:23.say, in July. They look to be a bit too far up the pitch, don't they.

:58:24. > :58:27.They need to be compact and speedy on the break if they were to create

:58:28. > :58:33.any danger. I don't think Zozulya has scored double figures in the

:58:34. > :58:42.league for any side he has played for, which is somewhat of a worry if

:58:43. > :58:49.he is your main striker. Draxler, look at the space here for Toni

:58:50. > :59:00.Kroos. They have to get hold of him. Looks like a break here now. That

:59:01. > :59:05.was a forlorn chase for Zozulya. The thing is, in effect, here it is

:59:06. > :59:08.again, look, they have three in midfield, Kovalenko has become a

:59:09. > :59:12.midfielder. One of them can just go and stand on him. You say -- just

:59:13. > :59:21.stand on him. Forget where the ball is. Zozulya skied in the warm-up

:59:22. > :59:27.game in Romania. It was his first international goal in four years.

:59:28. > :59:34.They have a problem, they don't have - the days of the Ukraine prolific

:59:35. > :59:56.goal-scoring centre forward have gone since the days of Shevchenko.

:59:57. > :00:06.Khedira - was there space there? Boateng. He thought he would join

:00:07. > :00:10.in. No great pressure on him. They have played very, very well. A

:00:11. > :00:15.passing masterclass. Ukraine have made it easy for them. Zblmplts

:00:16. > :00:19.exactly that. You have to get stuck into people, especially when they

:00:20. > :00:24.come into your final third. They are just not getting close. There's in

:00:25. > :00:29.the been any firm tackles. Not given too many free kicks away. -- there's

:00:30. > :00:33.not been many firm tackles. Nobody seems to be giving any orders out

:00:34. > :01:19.there, dictating. This is the goal again. It really is a good ball.

:01:20. > :01:26.Oh, a lovely ball in and over the line.

:01:27. > :01:45.Remarkable clearance. Germany counter immediately.

:01:46. > :01:53.Khedira, between Ozil and Gotze. Well, dramatic clearance there by

:01:54. > :02:00.Boateng to foil that. It is the first time we have seen Yarmolenko

:02:01. > :02:10.in that final third and he produced a brilliant pass.

:02:11. > :02:19.We have to give Boateng some credit. That was a wonderful clearance from

:02:20. > :02:22.the defender. Must have been close. Hawk-Eye being used here, Euro 2016.

:02:23. > :02:29.Goal line technology. A corner ball.

:02:30. > :02:38.Couldn't keep it in play. For the first time they will know

:02:39. > :02:46.that Ukraine are stirring. You don't get too many better than

:02:47. > :03:09.that this evening. How many of you go out there on a

:03:10. > :03:23.Sunday morning and now about corner flags?

:03:24. > :03:29.Kovalenko with the corner. A good switch back here.

:03:30. > :03:42.A lovely ball in. It is offside. Ukraine thought for a moment they

:03:43. > :03:47.were back in at 1-1. They have looked dangerous on set plays.

:03:48. > :03:49.Germany have looked vulnerable. He's a yard off. It is the right

:03:50. > :04:00.decision. That's the clearance from two

:04:01. > :04:03.minutes ago from Boateng. Wow! That should give them a lift, though. A

:04:04. > :04:21.good five minutes for Ukraine. It really was.

:04:22. > :04:26.He actually mis-hits it. Boateng stops his own deflection

:04:27. > :04:32.going in for an own goal. It is not a good finish. He does so well to

:04:33. > :04:38.sort his feet out there. Super from him. A big man to regain his balance

:04:39. > :04:43.at six foot three. 12-and-a-half stone. You might have

:04:44. > :04:45.struggled with that one. I wouldn't have made the mistake in the first

:04:46. > :05:23.place. He got caught in two minds.

:05:24. > :05:29.Just watch him at the top of your screen.

:05:30. > :05:32.Am I going to volley? Am I going to head it? He nearly kicked himself in

:05:33. > :05:44.the face. Space for Khedira.

:05:45. > :05:51.. For all of Germany's dominance, they have looked aed the vulnerable

:05:52. > :06:01.at the back -- a tad vulnerable at the back, which is enkourageable for

:06:02. > :06:10.anybody else. Good pressure here by Ukraine.

:06:11. > :06:16.If you get players pressing you early and at good speed it is hard

:06:17. > :06:19.to play through. That was much better from Ukraine, it was much

:06:20. > :06:33.higher up the pitch. Kovalenko made a run in. It was too

:06:34. > :06:36.late. Hector, just time for us to tell you

:06:37. > :06:42.three more games on the BBC tomorrow. First up Spain take on the

:06:43. > :06:47.Czech Republic. Five five, 2pm. As we see that Hector header away

:06:48. > :06:52.again. Two live games on BBC One. Republic of Ireland against Sweden,

:06:53. > :07:00.from 4. 30. Belgium against Italy at 7. 35.

:07:01. > :07:11.Group E. Three-and-a-half minutes left in the half.

:07:12. > :07:14.All the way through to Yarmolenko. Germany could have problems in the

:07:15. > :07:36.second half. A good switch away to Rakitskiy.

:07:37. > :07:42.Germany pressed at the end of the first half. This is what Ukraine

:07:43. > :07:43.intended to do. They came out looking like startled rabbits for

:07:44. > :08:05.half an hour. Better on the front four. Getting

:08:06. > :08:13.players forward. Inventiveness down the right-hand side. Good play from

:08:14. > :08:17.Sydorchuk. That is a poor ball, isn't it?

:08:18. > :08:23.They certainly can take some confidence in the last ten minutes.

:08:24. > :08:33.It has been much better from them. 20th job in 37 years, Fomenko. He

:08:34. > :08:38.decided to take jobs at lower clubs to test himself. Very little

:08:39. > :08:44.resources. An intriguing character. From the Moscow school of coaching.

:08:45. > :08:47.His team are on the attack again. Muller...

:08:48. > :09:06.Gotze... One player who could have kicked off at Liverpool next season.

:09:07. > :09:24.Spoke to the incoming manager. That was for reassurances.

:09:25. > :09:33.He would have been happier with what he's seeing, much more positive in

:09:34. > :09:38.the last ten minutes. They have been believing in themselves a little bit

:09:39. > :09:46.more. Lovely ball by Rakitskiy.

:09:47. > :09:50.Three players with their arms up in the air wanting to pull back. He

:09:51. > :10:03.tries to go straight across. He's lost his footing as he got the

:10:04. > :10:11.pitch in. The pitch is deceptive in patches. The rain has been thumping

:10:12. > :10:21.down. That has been during the afternoon.

:10:22. > :10:43.Going into one minute of stoppage time.

:10:44. > :11:00.If they can get Rakitskiy on the ball, he could pump out 60-70 yard

:11:01. > :11:03.diagonals. Pushed on the right-hand side.

:11:04. > :11:42.Draxler got a call to tell him he was in the team when he was in a

:11:43. > :11:52.history lesson. And Germany are going in the world

:11:53. > :11:58.champions ahead with a goal from Mustafi. They are indebted to Jerome

:11:59. > :12:06.Boateng for clearing off the line at the other end. Ukraine finish

:12:07. > :12:13.strongly. The team need to get back to the rhythm of the opening 15

:12:14. > :12:15.minutes or so. That is a nervy end. The world champions end at the break

:12:16. > :12:22.a goal to nil. You crane certainly have given as

:12:23. > :12:26.good as they have got. They have pushed all the way. It has been a

:12:27. > :12:31.good and entertaining first 45 minutes. The pass from Germany has

:12:32. > :12:35.been crisp. They have created chances. They created the goal,

:12:36. > :12:40.which we will look at. It was not a foul. They have asked, Ukraine have

:12:41. > :12:43.asked questions of them defensively, but for good goal keeping it could

:12:44. > :12:48.be different. You have been impressed with the fluidity of the

:12:49. > :12:52.German play. It is difficult to play against them. You don't know who is

:12:53. > :12:57.where. Sometimes they go early in the pockets. The full-backs give

:12:58. > :13:01.them the width. Very difficult. You see sometimes

:13:02. > :13:05.there are two holdings running and acting as a ten. Very difficult to

:13:06. > :13:09.know what they are about to do. I suppose in some ways the only

:13:10. > :13:13.concern for Germany would be the fact that Ukraine have managed to

:13:14. > :13:17.have a few chances to score. Would be concerned about that. I would be

:13:18. > :13:21.worried if I was the German manager right now. I don't think they can

:13:22. > :13:25.get a lot of confidence out of this first half. Yes, they were playing

:13:26. > :13:29.well. If you look at the sheet, that is what you expect from this team.

:13:30. > :13:33.We expected that Ukraine could be dangerous and that is what is

:13:34. > :13:36.happening right now. The goal from Germany is debatable.

:13:37. > :13:42.I don't think they will get a lot of confidence out of this first half.

:13:43. > :13:46.OK, let's look at that goal. Included in the decision, the free

:13:47. > :13:51.kick to Germany. Might have got a touch on the ball. Rakitskiy does

:13:52. > :13:57.get a little touch on the ball. We think it is a very harsh free kick

:13:58. > :14:00.on Muller. Danny called it in commentary. You can see the ball

:14:01. > :14:05.move from a different angle. He does touch it. Having said that, it is a

:14:06. > :14:11.brilliant ball in. I thought Mesut Ozil would take it. That created

:14:12. > :14:17.confusion. A superb ball. Whipped in with pace.

:14:18. > :14:22.The goalkeeper has a split second - can he come out? He can't because of

:14:23. > :14:27.the pace on the ball. It is the 34th different player for score for

:14:28. > :14:33.Germany in the championship final over the years. The next country?

:14:34. > :14:40.Spain, Italy. England. Hey, the roof is leaking!

:14:41. > :14:47.We better get on to a VT while someone brings a bucket because it

:14:48. > :14:53.is pouring down through the ceiling. Khedira had a chance from that ball.

:14:54. > :14:59.The defender gets the ball here. He has two or three options to pass it

:15:00. > :15:02.to. Look who he is looking to. The impressive thing about Germany is at

:15:03. > :15:07.every opportunity they looked to pass forward. What a ball that is

:15:08. > :15:13.into Khedira. A very good touch. He should stick it away. Myself and

:15:14. > :15:17.Thierry were talking it makes it easier for centre forwards when the

:15:18. > :15:23.first thing a mid-fielder thinks, is can he pass it forward, inside of

:15:24. > :15:30.side ways orback wards, the first thought should be that.

:15:31. > :15:37.That is why I admire Toni Kroos. He always plays forward. We always look

:15:38. > :15:43.at possession - can you play forward? . It was Khedira at the end

:15:44. > :15:48.of it. Plenty of touches as well, Khedira. He likes to go forward.

:15:49. > :15:53.Always going forward, it is very important. I used to go mad when

:15:54. > :15:57.guys used to go back and play with the centreback. That is not point of

:15:58. > :16:04.the game. The point is to go forward. But he likes to go on his

:16:05. > :16:09.right from being on the left. He can see a pass. Do you know what, it is

:16:10. > :16:13.not a problem. If he has to knock it three or four yards, because he is

:16:14. > :16:19.actually lending it to the other player, openings himself up to an

:16:20. > :16:23.angle to get it back. He can play simple passes and also very cute

:16:24. > :16:27.passes. Brilliant. Demanding the ball, wanting the bull. Arms in the

:16:28. > :16:31.air. Give me the ball, I'm the one that makes things happen. Look,

:16:32. > :16:36.simple five-yard ball. Gets a corner for his team. Superb On the last one

:16:37. > :16:39.you just saw there, he put his head up three times to look, while the

:16:40. > :16:44.ball was coming, two-two, guy forward, go forward. He is such an

:16:45. > :16:47.excellent player. He has evolved over the years, we have seen him

:16:48. > :16:55.from Bayern Munich, to Leverkusen, and come back. We never thought that

:16:56. > :16:59.anyone could do the job like Schweinsteiger did for many years.

:17:00. > :17:06.But look at him today you wonder if he is maybe not even a level above.

:17:07. > :17:09.At times Germany, their defence has been as leaky as our roof. A

:17:10. > :17:16.brilliant clearance by Boateng. You must appreciate that Yes, another

:17:17. > :17:19.player I have seen evolve over the years, Jerome Boateng, he is paying

:17:20. > :17:23.atevenlingts the others are maybe switching off. He is looking, coming

:17:24. > :17:27.back, this position he has, he is actually almost scoring an own-goal.

:17:28. > :17:32.Gets there and he makes something happen for his team in this case and

:17:33. > :17:35.thanks to the goalline technology. It is outstanding what he is doing.

:17:36. > :17:40.If you remember, at the beginning of the play, he doesn't clear the ball

:17:41. > :17:48.well with his head but here he clears it ever-so-well. Actually

:17:49. > :17:51.falling back, a toe-poke and away. And that is pure reaction and

:17:52. > :17:56.instinct. Thattent with a the only opportunity they had, Ukraine, one

:17:57. > :18:02.or two other deept ones and Neuer being called upon on a couple of

:18:03. > :18:07.occasions. -- decent ones. That is what you expect. When you play a

:18:08. > :18:16.team like Germany. You won't have a lot of saves to make but you have to

:18:17. > :18:20.do the job. I don't like to give a keeper a lot of credit but this one

:18:21. > :18:25.is a good save, yes. He thinks about coming again. He has a step out. But

:18:26. > :18:31.no, steadies himself again, good save. What I like him about him in

:18:32. > :18:35.the air is how calm he is. Just offside there. It was the correct

:18:36. > :18:41.decision. He is just calm. You doesn't get up after and have a go

:18:42. > :18:45.at his defenders. He is very calm but that is offside there. I think

:18:46. > :18:50.he appreciates having something to do on occasions. Yes, he gets bored.

:18:51. > :18:53.I think in the clips we have seen, you can see the difference the

:18:54. > :18:55.experience is making in the German side at the moment. We have

:18:56. > :18:59.mentioned Kroos and Boateng, and Neuer. These players seem to deal

:19:00. > :19:02.very calmly with very difficult situations. Maybe where the problem

:19:03. > :19:07.will be is the fact that not everyone is on the same level when

:19:08. > :19:11.it comes to experience. I suppose having the experience of succeeding

:19:12. > :19:17.and winning a World Cup, it'll help your confidence. Yes, just a bit.

:19:18. > :19:19.Earlier today the other two sides in group C met in Nice, where Northern

:19:20. > :19:47.Ireland played Poland. The COMMENTATOR: This is Arkadiusz

:19:48. > :20:00.Milik. Easily the best piece of play. That is a big miss for Poland.

:20:01. > :20:18.Appeal for handball. Saved by McGovern. An excellent save from

:20:19. > :20:26.Michael McGovern. Another loose ball picked up easily by Jonny Evans. A

:20:27. > :20:34.good ball in. That will beat McGovern. It's been coming for some

:20:35. > :20:40.time. The loose ball picked up and then super play out on the ride

:20:41. > :20:49.right-hand side. He gets one touch inside the box, Milik, I think it

:20:50. > :20:51.goes through a defender's legs. An excellent strike from Milik, 1-0 to

:20:52. > :21:02.Poland. He is guilty of following in on the

:21:03. > :21:07.tackle. Here is Davis. Couldn't sort the

:21:08. > :21:10.stride out. My goodness, what a clever free

:21:11. > :21:13.kick. A lovely ball down the channel. He lets it run and he can't

:21:14. > :21:21.hit it first time. He shoots. Hits fiercely but wide.

:21:22. > :21:39.He is a powerhouse. Well, for the men in green, this is

:21:40. > :21:42.off to Leon on Thursday, where they will surely have to get something

:21:43. > :21:48.against Ukraine. -- Lyon. Not to be for the Northern Irish.

:21:49. > :21:52.The Republic of Ireland are playing Sweden tomorrow at the Stade de

:21:53. > :22:02.France. We can hear the thoughts of striker, Shane Long.

:22:03. > :22:07.COMMENTATOR: Long. Puts it away. The kind of goal you dream of, against

:22:08. > :22:11.the World Champions. Everyone talks about that goal. It was amazing to

:22:12. > :22:14.be part of that night and to get that winning goal was something

:22:15. > :22:20.special. I hope I can get a few more. Why have things clicked and

:22:21. > :22:25.you are in the form of your life? Playing 0 minutes, week in and week

:22:26. > :22:30.out. Ronald Koeman has given me the chance to keep playing. Hopefully I

:22:31. > :22:34.can continue in that form. How confident are you with the star

:22:35. > :22:38.status and being the main man? I don't take notice. I try to

:22:39. > :22:41.concentrate on my training and if I'm picked, make sure I'm in the

:22:42. > :22:46.best condition possible. You have been in social media with the guitar

:22:47. > :22:49.out. More of a thing to keep me occupied. There is a long time

:22:50. > :22:53.between lunch and dinner in these shift. It is a nice hobby to have in

:22:54. > :22:59.the room. That's as far as it goes, I think. That first game, I think we

:23:00. > :23:03.all know is a key game for how we do in the group stages. I'm sure Sweden

:23:04. > :23:06.are thinking the same thing. We will approach it right. We will have our

:23:07. > :23:12.homework done. If you look at the three games as a whole, I this is it

:23:13. > :23:14.is a good chance to put our stamp on the euros and if we can get a result

:23:15. > :23:22.there, we can get results We will have live coverage of the

:23:23. > :23:26.Republic of Ireland verses Sweden at 4.30pm tomorrow. You can watch the

:23:27. > :23:30.game on BBC One and the BBC Sport website.

:23:31. > :23:38.And after that there is a heavy-weight clach between Belgium

:23:39. > :23:43.and Italy at 7.35pm. -- clash.

:23:44. > :23:45.The world champions are in town. They come with a baggage weight of

:23:46. > :23:54.expectancy. COMMENTATOR: He thought about

:23:55. > :23:59.coming. Khedira. A remarkable clearance.

:24:00. > :24:07.Terrific first half we have seen there.

:24:08. > :24:11.Spain, by the way, the team with 32 different goal scorers. We have our

:24:12. > :24:15.man Birchy over there who gives me the super stats and feeds me along

:24:16. > :24:20.the way. Germany, second half, what will Low be happy with and what

:24:21. > :24:24.won't he be happy with? I think he will feel vulnerable but I think he

:24:25. > :24:29.will still tell his team to be positive. A manager of the World

:24:30. > :24:32.Champions has to tell the team to be positive. They will be looking to

:24:33. > :24:36.score more goals which will be key to the game. They will be hard to

:24:37. > :24:41.stop, that flexibility and fluidity of their play. Yes but I will go

:24:42. > :24:45.back to what I said I think Gomez should come on and make sure they

:24:46. > :24:52.can maximise the position they are having. They haven't done much with

:24:53. > :24:57.corners and set piece For Ukraine, he will be saying someone has to get

:24:58. > :25:06.closer to Kroos to stop him dictating play. He will say much of

:25:07. > :25:18.the same. Keep going, get into the back third, you can get joy. Gotze

:25:19. > :25:23.he has only had ten stitches there. He is the man to come off. Ukraine

:25:24. > :25:26.will have plenty to play for in the second half. They have created

:25:27. > :25:32.chances. So, mentally they will be quite strong, you would think. Yes

:25:33. > :25:36.and cliche, we talk about that last pass, at the moment for Ukraine it

:25:37. > :25:40.is the last pass and the lack of efficiency but they are still in

:25:41. > :25:47.this game. And, you know, it has been an entertaining game. It has.

:25:48. > :25:52.Everything is possible. The standard of passing has been extremely high.

:25:53. > :25:56.We said beforehand, when midfielders and forwards are making runs, they

:25:57. > :25:59.want to know the midfield skoming, otherwise they sto. That's why the

:26:00. > :26:04.first thought is to get it forward and pass for forward, if you can get

:26:05. > :26:12.it forward, it makes the job of the runner so much easier. More of the,

:26:13. > :26:17.please. Let's remain Danny Murphy and Jonathan Pearce.

:26:18. > :26:28.Germany completed 362 passes. And to back up what Alan was saying,

:26:29. > :26:32.Ukraine 131. It pa le,s into insignificance against the German

:26:33. > :26:36.mighty summer. And fairly accurate. A 70% success rate. Follow follow

:26:37. > :26:41.will be delighted with how his team played at the end of the first half.

:26:42. > :26:45.No changes made by the manager. Ukraine in yellow, getting under

:26:46. > :26:48.way, kicking from right-to-left. Which means that young Viktor

:26:49. > :26:53.Kovalenko will presumably be the man to try to get close to Toni Kroos.

:26:54. > :26:57.Although Stepanenko got into the game as it got on it. It can be one

:26:58. > :27:01.of the deeper ones coming out and taking more of a risk. It doesn't

:27:02. > :27:06.have to be the young lad in the number 10 role. It can be one of the

:27:07. > :27:09.deeper ones, who was bold enough to come out and make something happen.

:27:10. > :27:16.They did that in the last ten minutes, I thought they played a

:27:17. > :27:18.much better Kemp tier. -- tempo. It was given away cheaply by

:27:19. > :28:03.Khacheridi. Shevchenko got up well, for 35.

:28:04. > :28:08.Think he is 37. He looks quite fresh, considering. Muller hasn't

:28:09. > :28:17.really caused him too many problems. Up until now. He did have that

:28:18. > :28:20.injury problem, Shevchuk. They had the winter break. He has fouled his

:28:21. > :28:50.man there. Kroos. No great pressure from the

:28:51. > :28:56.Ukraine player nearest him there. Gotze has done well. Ozil is to his

:28:57. > :29:02.left 46 hand side. Gets the shot away. Arsenal fans have been

:29:03. > :29:09.complaining that he doesn't strike from that sort of range.

:29:10. > :29:17.Boateng. A lovely ball away. They are in on

:29:18. > :29:26.goal here. The shot from the edge of the penalty area by Draxler.

:29:27. > :29:37.Not a bad sfriek Draxler. A comfortable stage. Two good balls

:29:38. > :29:50.from Boateng in the second half. Again playing forward, aggressively.

:29:51. > :30:12.Good start to the second half by Germany.

:30:13. > :30:28.Fedetskiy, the rightback. German pressure.

:30:29. > :30:40.There's a problem for Yevhen Khacheridi.

:30:41. > :31:04.A grim manage and a tear or two to the eye.

:31:05. > :31:09.He will be all right in a couple of minutes.

:31:10. > :31:26.Swathes of space for Boateng. Khedira...

:31:27. > :31:42.Reports that Everton were chasing Yarmolenko.

:31:43. > :31:58.Staying wide... Kroos... Always a white shirt in space.

:31:59. > :32:32.Moves the ball quickly and slickly on.

:32:33. > :32:39.You see, that is better. Higher up the pitch.

:32:40. > :32:44.They have got out by playing good football. At least they are trying

:32:45. > :32:49.to do the right things. Put pressure on Boateng.

:32:50. > :33:01.Khedira gets it back. Ozil... Tailed off in the second half of the season

:33:02. > :33:05.for Arsenal. Kroos, could be a change again.

:33:06. > :33:11.Opens up the space for the full-back.

:33:12. > :33:20.Toni Kroos... Oh, zipping on through.

:33:21. > :33:25.That passage of play lasted over a minute.

:33:26. > :33:30.He was in 30 yards of space for 50 seconds of that minute.

:33:31. > :33:34.It is beyond belief that somebody out there doesn't just press him and

:33:35. > :33:39.try and close him down. It is bizarre. They must have talked about

:33:40. > :33:43.it at half-time. A couple of goals in the World Cup finals in Brazil.

:33:44. > :33:50.He only scored one this season in 44 games.

:33:51. > :33:58.Muller, needs to change again. Into the box, looking for Kroos. He's not

:33:59. > :34:05.had the best of games Mario Gotze. He was 24 earlier this month. He was

:34:06. > :34:07.out October to March and then nearly a month at the tail end of the

:34:08. > :34:26.season. A throw to Ukraine.

:34:27. > :34:28.Communication there between the referee and the assistant. Neither

:34:29. > :34:45.of them was best cited. He's got to dye his hair.

:34:46. > :34:54.It might be that he's one of those lucky people who has a good head of

:34:55. > :34:56.hair. Unlike myself. I can see, I can hear you

:34:57. > :35:10.thinking... No, no. The two central mid-fielders for

:35:11. > :35:15.Ukraine, they are so worried about protecting their back four that what

:35:16. > :35:18.is happening is they are giving so much space to the German mid-field

:35:19. > :35:23.and of course the young lad is having to run from Khedira to Kroos,

:35:24. > :35:27.from Kroos to Khedira. There is always one of them free on the ball.

:35:28. > :35:36.One of them has got to come out, which you can see they are trying to

:35:37. > :35:43.do more now in this passage of play. If they don't he'll kill you.

:35:44. > :35:55.Demanding season - 44 games for his club. They won the Cup.

:35:56. > :35:59.Took over the role of that big money move to China, didn't he? A

:36:00. > :36:07.startling amount of money being thrown about by that league.

:36:08. > :36:19.Muller looks for Gotze. Rakitskiy stuck out a leg.

:36:20. > :36:26.He went to tackle with his wrong leg, really.

:36:27. > :36:39.There is one of the game's great goal scorers, now assistant manager,

:36:40. > :36:45.Andriy Shevchenko. When Fomenko steps down, Shevchenko

:36:46. > :36:53.will take over. A good golfer, by all accounts. He's at a club near

:36:54. > :36:55.me. He's the only goal scorer at the finals, when they were cohosts last

:36:56. > :37:37.time around. Konoplyanka... The Premier League, a

:37:38. > :37:41.lot of clubs interested in him. He said if he was two metres taller he

:37:42. > :37:46.would have gone to the Premier League. Silly comment that was. The

:37:47. > :37:55.Premier League, fans will remember...

:37:56. > :38:03.Likes to get tight, Mustafi. A few times in the game he's tried to dive

:38:04. > :38:12.in and get in front of people or make challenges.

:38:13. > :38:19.A tat when people try to defend the ball when it is in an unwinnable

:38:20. > :38:23.situation. Need to go in like that sometimes. A free kick here.

:38:24. > :38:42.Rakitskiy can hammer a ball. Rakitskiy, and the goalkeeper felt

:38:43. > :38:46.he had to push it away. It might have been sneaking in.

:38:47. > :38:50.It would have to be something special to beat that man from that

:38:51. > :39:01.far out. As he was running up, I was thinking, too far out to beat him.

:39:02. > :39:09.Rakitskiy, back into the middle. Taken away.

:39:10. > :39:13.Rakitskiy played against England in the last finals. Ukraine, they've

:39:14. > :39:23.given it away. Ozil with the carry.

:39:24. > :39:28.In no-man's-land, really, there. He did not have enough numbers really.

:39:29. > :39:33.Only had Ozil. More problems for Germany with the set play. Corner.

:39:34. > :39:38.Ukraine winning the first header again. France, very poor defending

:39:39. > :39:54.set plays in the opening game. It was from a corner, wasn't it that

:39:55. > :39:59.Dier scored the winner in the friendly. An astonishing game, that.

:40:00. > :40:06.Mustafi away. Tarantula tar played in that. He

:40:07. > :40:31.Khedira, finding so much room in the game as well.

:40:32. > :40:42.Ozil... Looking for that extra pass. His first thought is to pass rather

:40:43. > :40:52.than the first thought to shoot. Impossible shooting position.

:40:53. > :40:54.You know when you think of someone, an attacking mid-fielder Lampard

:40:55. > :40:58.springs to mind. He was the best in Europe. Every time he's around the

:40:59. > :41:02.box he's shooting. It's the first thought that comes to his mind and

:41:03. > :41:05.Ozil, a very unselfish player. Brilliant passer of the ball, of

:41:06. > :41:11.course. He rarely thinks of that option first, even when he's in

:41:12. > :41:16.really good positions. 146 chances in the Premier League

:41:17. > :41:22.last season, Ozil, a record and created 16 goals in his first 18

:41:23. > :41:26.games of the season. Just three in his final 17. His campaign Petered

:41:27. > :41:28.out a little bit. Goodness me, Boateng took a chance

:41:29. > :41:55.there. A good switch by Boateng.

:41:56. > :42:00.Rakitskiy with the header down. Yarmolenko didn't seem too much

:42:01. > :42:01.bothered about that. Germany have it again.

:42:02. > :42:16.Hector was in the penalty area. Draxler rolling in. Khedira... Can't

:42:17. > :42:20.get the ball away quick. Thomas Muller...

:42:21. > :42:31.Ozil tried to bend it away by Rakitskiy. Here come Germany again.

:42:32. > :42:47.Khedira... A good save. The ball was moving a lot in the air there.

:42:48. > :42:53.Very intricate passing. Side-to-side, waiting for the gaps

:42:54. > :43:06.to open. A decent strike by Khedira. A very good save.

:43:07. > :43:13.Ten attempts by the Germans. Six by Ukraine.

:43:14. > :43:16.Went into that first half so promisingly.

:43:17. > :44:05.Don't run across your six-yard box with the ball. Asking for trouble. A

:44:06. > :44:11.Khedira chance. A good, solid save that is. He moves

:44:12. > :44:19.his feet nicely to get across. A strong hand. Germany may think of

:44:20. > :44:46.making a change. Gomez in the scene. They talk about a ?50 million German

:44:47. > :44:51.record move. If they are - there he is. The man

:44:52. > :44:59.up there wearing 20. Another product of the talent

:45:00. > :45:32.academy. The World Champions lead 1-0. The

:45:33. > :45:40.dump the World Champions whoer to up their system after their failure at

:45:41. > :45:46.the Euros and they then they won the -- the World Champions whoer to up

:45:47. > :45:54.their system after their failure at the Euros and won the World Cup the

:45:55. > :45:56.summer before last. Something that be learned by many a country, I

:45:57. > :46:22.think. Gotze dropping deep. In the fact

:46:23. > :46:26.they have dominated but haven't put the game to bed is reminiscent of

:46:27. > :46:43.England yesterday. Yes. Here's Khedira. A decent block by Shevchuk.

:46:44. > :46:50.Yarmolenko. Power and pace. Wrong product.

:46:51. > :46:59.All the play through they have hit that long diagonal.

:47:00. > :47:21.Rakitskiy bends it in. One of the lads was saying in the studio at

:47:22. > :47:24.half-time about that bit of lack of quality in the final third. That was

:47:25. > :47:27.evident there again. High up the pitch. A couple of good scenarios

:47:28. > :47:35.but couldn't quite find that final ball. Well the player they are

:47:36. > :47:46.sending on now, will replace Zozulya. He is more of a battering

:47:47. > :47:51.ram centre-forward. He was in Russian football and there was

:47:52. > :47:56.virtually a national outcry, accused him of near treason for going to

:47:57. > :47:59.Russian football after the political problems between the countries. He

:48:00. > :48:05.was ousted from the provisional squad. Went back to Ukraine club

:48:06. > :48:09.football and got himself back into the squad. Experienced

:48:10. > :48:11.international. 11 goals from 50 games. Can he get them into the

:48:12. > :48:25.game? A big talent. Yar area on the ball.

:48:26. > :48:33.Well, Zozulya didn't have much joy, did he? He chased around a lot but

:48:34. > :48:36.he didn't look a goal threat. They say Stepanenko and Yarmolenko have

:48:37. > :48:41.patched up their differences, I haven't seen them pass the ball to

:48:42. > :48:49.reach other. Poor communication. The corner kick.

:48:50. > :49:00.Khedira got it away. Konoplyanka's header and Khedira again. Steered

:49:01. > :49:07.through and a foul. It is going to be a yellow card. A clever foul.

:49:08. > :49:13.They were in on the left. Is it is one of those ones that you take for

:49:14. > :49:18.the team, knowing that you are a man down, it would have been a 3 v 2 for

:49:19. > :49:29.Germany. Konoplyanka's name in the book.

:49:30. > :49:41.On the edge of the box. A great run-in.

:49:42. > :49:50.Nearly. A terrific ball from Howedes. What you want from your

:49:51. > :49:56.wide player on the opposite side. Get into the box. A bit of

:49:57. > :50:15.determination from Draxler to try to get on the end of it. Unlucky.

:50:16. > :50:28.Kovalenko, getting perkier as the game goes on, the 20-year-old.

:50:29. > :50:34.Time for us to tell you about the games due tomorrow on the BBC.

:50:35. > :50:38.Defending champions Spain taking on the Czech Republic, you can get that

:50:39. > :50:43.on 5 Live. And two live games for you on BBC One. The Republic of

:50:44. > :50:49.Ireland against Sweden, live from 4.30, back in Paris, followed by a

:50:50. > :50:57.cracker, Belgium against Italy at 7.35pm.

:50:58. > :51:05.It'll be a tough old group for Ireland.

:51:06. > :51:10.Some great games to come, JP. I think the tournament has started

:51:11. > :51:16.really positively. Another good game this evening. Wonderful atmosphere.

:51:17. > :51:25.So much to look forward to in the coming weeks.

:51:26. > :51:33.How much dissent have you seen? Very good point. Very little. I can't

:51:34. > :51:38.remember seeing any diving. Still a bit of time to go, mind you.

:51:39. > :51:46.Kroos, the puppet master in there. Well, he wasn't pulling his strings

:51:47. > :51:52.very well then. Howedes and Muller. A good turn by Draxler. Ozil. He got

:51:53. > :52:06.it away, Shevchuk. Another one of those clever little

:52:07. > :52:13.moves where Muller comes inside, Ozil ends up on the right. Good

:52:14. > :52:19.rotation. Poked back dangerously into his own box. Gotze was

:52:20. > :52:28.hesitant. He scored the World Cup winner in Brazil. Khedira was left

:52:29. > :52:36.with mixed feelings. They won the World Cup but he missed the final,

:52:37. > :52:42.injured. Fedetskiy. A foul by the Shaktar player. He has gone down.

:52:43. > :52:47.He has actually given it the other way, hasn't he? It could be the

:52:48. > :53:06.first arm in the face. There. And he gets one back. I've been

:53:07. > :53:11.impressed with Boateng tonight. He has been confident, assured. His

:53:12. > :53:17.passing is good. A couple of good defensive blocks and clearances.

:53:18. > :53:25.I bet Man City still wish they had him, eh? Well, played in the right

:53:26. > :53:27.position. He wanted to go back to Germany to play where he favours.

:53:28. > :53:41.Here is Ozil. Fedetskiy now. A hugely-experienced

:53:42. > :53:51.Ukraine defence. 200 international caps. I knew they would be tough to

:53:52. > :53:55.beat, tough to breakdown in these finals, but I suspect they don't

:53:56. > :54:01.have enough at the other end. Here they are defending again.

:54:02. > :54:08.Well, Draxler and this time Muller coming in off the line. Well, good

:54:09. > :54:12.football again. A little interchange. But really good

:54:13. > :54:23.defending. Followed his man all the way. Stayed on his feet.

:54:24. > :54:49.Muller in the middle. Did it come to him? No, away. Rakitskiy.

:54:50. > :54:55.The keeper came there, he didn't get the right angle. Ukraine about to

:54:56. > :55:11.make another substitution. It is a winger. Off goes Kovalenko.

:55:12. > :55:20.On comes Zinchenko. He has been linked with a move to Germany and

:55:21. > :55:25.Borussia Dortmund. . Do you think that was a right decision? The young

:55:26. > :55:33.lad, Kovalenko. He has tried hard. He got better as the game went on

:55:34. > :55:40.But chasing the German midfielder around all night, taking its toll on

:55:41. > :55:51.him. Here is Germany on the counter. Gotze. Two arriving outside.

:55:52. > :55:58.He just wasn't very decisive there, Gotze. Short on ideas. Didn't really

:55:59. > :56:13.want to shoot. Looking for options and a poor effort, really.

:56:14. > :56:22.Is will will A rangy, pass from Yarmolenko. Good defending. Really

:56:23. > :56:28.good defending. He has scored the goal and defends like that, Mustafi.

:56:29. > :56:33.He has given his manager a headache, hasn't he, from the next group game?

:56:34. > :56:42.Exactly what you want from your players.

:56:43. > :56:55.Muller. He might have seen it late. He could have bobbled it. It went

:56:56. > :57:01.off for a corner. A good little lay-off from Gotze. The first time

:57:02. > :57:08.in the second half we have seen him, really. A little deflection and a

:57:09. > :57:17.decent save down to his left there. Shevchuk.

:57:18. > :57:26.A second goal here would be decisive, I would think. Kroos. At

:57:27. > :57:54.the near post was Howedes. Boateng. Boateng under pressure there. A

:57:55. > :58:00.little bit lackadaisical. They have played their way out of

:58:01. > :58:10.trouble neatly, Khedira. A player has stayed down momentarily. He has

:58:11. > :58:21.come to a good understanding with Hector. Howedes.

:58:22. > :58:28.Muller, and Kroos. Draxler to Hector. Kroos wants it

:58:29. > :58:48.again. Cleared away. Has it ricochetted? He

:58:49. > :58:51.has kept it in. Good work and the German supporters.

:58:52. > :59:06.Muller hasn't been at his best of the No. -- at his best.

:59:07. > :59:16.A lovely switch of play. Not the greatest control. Shame really, a

:59:17. > :59:19.wonderful ball out by Kroos again. I saw something earlier on Thomas

:59:20. > :59:26.Muller. The amount of games he played. He is always out there. He

:59:27. > :59:31.has only missed 14 of a possible 238p Bundesliga games over the last

:59:32. > :59:40.seven years. -- 238. That says a lot about the man, the mentality. The

:59:41. > :59:43.appetite to be out there. Draxler replaced by the Chelsea player,

:59:44. > :59:51.Andre Schurrle. Linked with a move back to the Premier League. I have

:59:52. > :59:55.been empressed with Draxler. Showed some real quality out there this

:59:56. > :00:05.evening. He will be pleased with his performance. Only 22.

:00:06. > :00:30.I wish I was 22 again. I can't remember whivens 22, Danny!

:00:31. > :00:41.Schurrle looks awkward but a very good end product - good fitness.

:00:42. > :00:59.Rakitskiy... A lot to do there for Stepanenko. That was his first pass

:01:00. > :01:06.to his mate there, Yarmolenko. They've had a real set-to over the

:01:07. > :01:10.years. Yarmolenko came down and hacked him

:01:11. > :01:15.down. Both were sent off. It was an incident, in another they swapped

:01:16. > :01:17.shirts a at the end of the match. Spat on the shirt and threw it to

:01:18. > :01:30.the ground. My goodness me! It helps if your players get on and

:01:31. > :01:34.you are all a close bunch. It is not always the way. There have been

:01:35. > :01:38.quite a few examples over the years of players who did not get on

:01:39. > :01:44.particularly well and still managed to play together. I think they've

:01:45. > :01:51.got to think a bit more about the team and try to put in their best

:01:52. > :01:55.performances. I think they've had some positive moments, Ukraine

:01:56. > :02:01.tonight, but they are looking a bit leggy now. Germany have tired them

:02:02. > :02:05.out with their crisp passing and their rotation, and better quality,

:02:06. > :02:05.actually. Better quality. Ten minutes to

:02:06. > :03:03.Government 64% of possession by Germany in the

:03:04. > :03:05.game now. Mustafi has had a good night. He

:03:06. > :03:25.has. Gotze... And trying to finish it

:03:26. > :03:32.here. A good chance. Always finds himself in good areas,

:03:33. > :03:37.Schurrle. Kicked against his left boot there.

:03:38. > :03:45.Scored a hat-trick in qualifying against Gibraltar.

:03:46. > :03:47.Good record in internationals, Germany. Got themselves into a

:03:48. > :04:35.muddle at the back. Rival fans today, text book lesson,

:04:36. > :04:41.sitting in bars together. Saw one or two Irish fans in there. A Sheffield

:04:42. > :04:46.Wednesday supporter and a fan of Bournemouth. Out there watching the

:04:47. > :05:02.England game, happily. They should be.

:05:03. > :05:08.It was a pleasant experience today, around all the fans, it was a joyous

:05:09. > :06:01.atmosphere. Kroos around the corner.

:06:02. > :06:07.Ozil. Felt he was fouled. Get it out your feet and have a dig. It is a

:06:08. > :06:10.bit intricate that. Got a good strike.

:06:11. > :06:22.One shy of 20 goals for his country in 22 internationals. A good score

:06:23. > :06:27.at this level. I think with his ability, more for Arsenal you expect

:06:28. > :06:36.him to score more. He's got such skill, such a wonderful technique.

:06:37. > :07:17.Khedira has had a very decent game. Very steady.

:07:18. > :07:26.Played 25 games this season. Comes in relatively fresh now.

:07:27. > :07:43.Skut gart, Madrid and now Italy. -- Stuttgart.

:07:44. > :07:47.Rakitskiy, for Ukraine. Just over four minutes of the game left, plus

:07:48. > :07:56.stoppage time. Hasn't quite happened this evening

:07:57. > :08:01.for him. He's worked hard enough. Tried to get in the right areas and

:08:02. > :08:06.do the right things. It is not a natural position for him. I cannot

:08:07. > :08:14.believe they've not sent the big man on for that free kick. Six foot six

:08:15. > :08:32.centre-half. Especially when they caused trouble in the first half.

:08:33. > :08:38.Schweinsteiger will come on and his experience will just shut up shop

:08:39. > :08:42.and see Germany through. 150th appearance for him. Here they

:08:43. > :08:50.go with Ozil. Can he finish this time? No. Straight at Pyatov.

:08:51. > :08:57.They've had their one on ones - it's been too near the big goalkeeper.

:08:58. > :09:08.How about this? Very nearly in there.

:09:09. > :09:14.Came from nothing this. Long goal kick.

:09:15. > :09:27.The Euro-16 director was on the replay there. Ukraine got very, very

:09:28. > :09:49.close. A corner.

:09:50. > :09:56.Super quick. Good goal keeping.

:09:57. > :10:02.Decides to take it with his left. Gives him extra time to close that

:10:03. > :10:03.ball down. This is the header. Doesn't know where the goalkeeper

:10:04. > :10:13.is. Corner. Over the head of Rakitskiy

:10:14. > :10:50.it went. Good ball. This is that long punt forward. It

:10:51. > :10:54.should have been dealt with easily. So close to an equaliser, that they

:10:55. > :11:05.didn't really deserve, to be honest. Germany have been the better side.

:11:06. > :11:12.Here comes Schweinsteiger. Five semi-finals in a row.

:11:13. > :11:19.A national hero. His 14th appearance in a European

:11:20. > :11:22.finals. That is a record equally in German

:11:23. > :11:51.football. Again to Shevchuk. Can Ukraine do to

:11:52. > :12:03.Germany what Russia did to England? They nearly just did.

:12:04. > :12:05.With more luck Ukraine could have nicked an equaliser. They don't

:12:06. > :12:37.deserve it. Northern Ireland next up for Ukraine

:12:38. > :12:44.and then Poland, in Marseille. I think the Polish lads f they are

:12:45. > :12:50.watching, they would have taken some of confidence... Rakitskiy, started

:12:51. > :12:57.the game in shaky fashion, but he's been strong as it's gone on.

:12:58. > :13:08.Could this be the moment for Yarmolenko to trin ingle? - twinkle.

:13:09. > :13:17.Now a chance for the big man to come forward.

:13:18. > :13:29.Keep it away from new tu DUP -- Neuer, that is all you have got to

:13:30. > :13:50.do it. Schweinsteiger. 2-0 to Germany.

:13:51. > :14:01.He doubles the lead. The old man of the side.

:14:02. > :14:11.Into stoppage time. Schweinsteiger makes it 2-0. The world champions

:14:12. > :14:16.start their campaign with a victory. And Ozil made that pass look so

:14:17. > :14:21.easy. This is why he creates more goals than anybody else in the

:14:22. > :14:29.Premier League, because the weight of his passing in the final third is

:14:30. > :14:33.always perfect. He sees Schweinsteiger - look at that pass.

:14:34. > :14:35.A man of his quality will always put that into the back of the net. Took

:14:36. > :14:45.it on the half volley. For a man who has played 22 minutes

:14:46. > :14:50.of football since March 20th, he got up well.

:14:51. > :14:55.He did. He did. Seems to find an extra yard when he thinks there

:14:56. > :15:00.might be a goal on the end of it. First international goal since

:15:01. > :15:07.October 2011. It settles the game for Germany.

:15:08. > :15:17.Shkodran Mustafi put them ahead in the first half after a free kick

:15:18. > :15:23.dubiously given. On came the wiley Schweinsteiger, to see his team win

:15:24. > :15:28.by 2-0. But his team in moments were troubled. Ukraine may have shown

:15:29. > :15:35.their opponents until the group a way forward. Their keeper beaten

:15:36. > :15:39.twice. STUDIO: Germany start this campaign

:15:40. > :15:43.rather like they finish the World Cup with a victory. Three points n a

:15:44. > :15:49.strong position and in the end pretty comfortable. Ukraine didn't

:15:50. > :15:53.threaten too often in the second half and Schweinsteiger's goal

:15:54. > :16:02.there. He has not played much football of late. Overall. They went

:16:03. > :16:05.at a cater in the second half. I was really disappointed in Ukraine. Even

:16:06. > :16:09.with ten or 15 minutes left, they still had nine and ten men behind

:16:10. > :16:14.the ball. I'm thinking to myself - come on, if you are going to get

:16:15. > :16:17.beat, get beat going down fighting but Germany passed it around. They

:16:18. > :16:22.played with them really in the second half. They were never, ever

:16:23. > :16:27.in any danger of conceding any goals, I never thought. I think when

:16:28. > :16:31.you play against the team that passes the ball so well around you,

:16:32. > :16:36.Alan, at one point - we are all here saying, come on have a G but could

:16:37. > :16:39.they have a go because they ran a will the and ironically, Germany

:16:40. > :16:42.scored on the counter. I mean, the second goal, I think Ukraine played

:16:43. > :16:47.well in the first half. Not enough in the second half, but you know,

:16:48. > :16:56.well-deserved in a way. 1-0 was a bit better. 2-0 too much. I think

:16:57. > :17:00.Ukraine ran a bit out of steam as we have said before. Germany, though,

:17:01. > :17:07.still question marks. But it is 2-0. What can we say? They tend to find a

:17:08. > :17:12.way. If we want to be nit-picking with Germany, they looked uneasy.

:17:13. > :17:16.Once or twice at the back there was an example in the last two or three

:17:17. > :17:21.minutes where it should have been a clear header from Mustafi, but they

:17:22. > :17:26.got mixed up because they hadn't played that much together. But other

:17:27. > :17:30.than that, they dominated, particularly with the passing and it

:17:31. > :17:35.was a masterclass really, in passing. Well there is group C. It

:17:36. > :17:39.speaks for itself, Germany and Poland with victories. Northern

:17:40. > :17:42.Ireland play Ukraine next. Well Northern Ireland probably need to

:17:43. > :17:45.win that to have a chance of qualifying. But the Germans, there

:17:46. > :17:48.is a lot of talk coming into this tournament about the fact they have

:17:49. > :18:00.not been playing very well. But come the tournament and the hour

:18:01. > :18:05.they get it right. Right mentality. Confidence. Belief in their ability

:18:06. > :18:08.to perform when they have to perform. I mean it wasn't a

:18:09. > :18:14.sparkling performancep tonight but it was enough. Why do you think they

:18:15. > :18:19.always seem to get it right, so consistently over so many years?

:18:20. > :18:22.They have a winning mentality. Just mentality, divan sets of players

:18:23. > :18:26.coming at different times? Is it a national trait We had the same

:18:27. > :18:31.problem you guys have had against Germany for a long time. We couldn't

:18:32. > :18:38.beat them. They knew and they were going - we are going to win,

:18:39. > :18:43.whatever. That hurts. With you? No, with Germany. But it is true. One

:18:44. > :18:46.thing I would say is we were all sitting here saying - wow, it is

:18:47. > :18:52.going to be a very difficult game for Ukraine, I can see 2 or 3-0

:18:53. > :18:55.there. Suddenly the game died out a bit in the second half. Both teams

:18:56. > :19:00.looked like they were running out of steam a bit. They did. Let's remind

:19:01. > :19:07.ourselves of how Germany took the lead. Mustafi, the goal scorer with

:19:08. > :19:16.a very fortunate free kick. We think it was a decent tackle. Vincent?

:19:17. > :19:20.Yes, brill. It should have been a foul. I thought the game plan was

:19:21. > :19:26.perfect but that's a powerful header. As has been said before, we

:19:27. > :19:31.don't know who is going to... And it is Kroos on the ball. I think it is

:19:32. > :19:35.probably a wrong decision that leads to the goal but the second half

:19:36. > :19:39.makes me comfortable in saying that Germany deserve to win. Well

:19:40. > :19:44.Schweinsteiger was only on the pitch two-and-a-half minutes and he

:19:45. > :19:49.managed to clinch it for them. Obviously by that stage Ukraine were

:19:50. > :19:53.throwing a few people forward. The last 30 seconds of the game, gary

:19:54. > :19:57.and they had a corner. But what a cross this is from Ozil. And

:19:58. > :20:02.Schweinsteiger makes this finish look so easy. When you see it from

:20:03. > :20:06.another angle, it is on the half-volley. It is anything but

:20:07. > :20:11.easy. It is a fantastic finish from him. It really is. A brilliant cross

:20:12. > :20:17.but the ball just bounces in front of his foot. And the way he controls

:20:18. > :20:28.that finish into the back of the net is absolutely superb. There you go,

:20:29. > :20:33.brilliant. Not easy And a lap of honour all the way back to Neuer. He

:20:34. > :20:37.had only been on two minutes, he hadded energy. And Kroos, we thought

:20:38. > :20:41.he was the star player on the pitch this man. He was involved in pretty

:20:42. > :20:45.much everything. Well we are all saying that Ukraine have to try to

:20:46. > :20:50.get someone around him. The impressive thing about Germany

:20:51. > :20:54.tonight is their range of passes but the thought of passing, to get it

:20:55. > :20:59.forward, as quick as possible when they can. It is not a long ball, it

:21:00. > :21:03.is a culture. It is a great run. First thought is he is just

:21:04. > :21:07.brilliant. But it is actually - come on, if you are going to try to stop

:21:08. > :21:11.them, you have to nullify one of their best players and get closer to

:21:12. > :21:15.him. If you had any thoughts about getting yourself back into the game

:21:16. > :21:19.but look, he is not even making any attempt to get to him. He is a

:21:20. > :21:23.delightful footballer. I would have loved to have played with him. He

:21:24. > :21:27.wants to play forward. Never a centre forward will tell you that

:21:28. > :21:34.you don't like that. But it is just the fact - listen, I think he has

:21:35. > :21:38.100-plus passes in the game, accuracy, 93. It is crazy. We all

:21:39. > :21:43.know the amount of times he passes the ball forward, whether he pings

:21:44. > :21:47.it on the side, the diagonal ball or throughout the Ukrainian team, he is

:21:48. > :21:50.a joy to watch. Those percentages, considering the amounts of times he

:21:51. > :21:54.passes it forwards are quite remarkable, because they are more

:21:55. > :21:58.difficult passes. He is also being clever, as in keeping the ball

:21:59. > :22:03.moving, whether it is one touch or two touch. The thought of it - and

:22:04. > :22:08.it is not side ways. It is very easy to get the ball off a centre half

:22:09. > :22:13.and give it back to a centre half or give it back to a goalkeeper but to

:22:14. > :22:15.get it, to turn and control when you are under pressure from different

:22:16. > :22:18.players, that's when you can tell good players. One thing I want to

:22:19. > :22:21.mention, people always talk about guys going on the ball and things

:22:22. > :22:25.like that and they don't mention enough about the brain part of the

:22:26. > :22:29.game. He is always looking around him and seeing what is happening. He

:22:30. > :22:35.has a picture in his head before the ball comes to him. It is very

:22:36. > :22:41.important. Yes, we have seen great midfielders do that, you watch

:22:42. > :22:45.images of Zavi and Pirelo. That's what they do, they have eyes in the

:22:46. > :22:49.back, like we say. But what is incredible with Kroos is he seems to

:22:50. > :22:52.have this consistency throughout the season. For Real Madrid. A big

:22:53. > :22:56.achievement by the way in a difficult season and he comes here

:22:57. > :23:02.again and can your main man turn up? And he is doing it again. He is in

:23:03. > :23:07.the prime of his career 26. He will only get better. Can Germany win

:23:08. > :23:12.this tournament with just playing a false 9. Gotze or do they need a

:23:13. > :23:16.bring a proper centre forward I think they'll have to bring a proper

:23:17. > :23:21.centre forward or maybe having the option of I have a Schurrle up

:23:22. > :23:24.there. They only have Gomez in there as a proper centre forward. The

:23:25. > :23:28.option of playing Schurrle we know he can run in behind and threaten

:23:29. > :23:33.the defence. Now, it is one thing to arrive late, as a late runner, as a

:23:34. > :23:37.10, or whatever when when you are there. Look at this one, he controls

:23:38. > :23:42.it and then doesn't know what to do with it. He doesn't put his body in,

:23:43. > :23:47.try to block it, he doesn't try to have an idea. It is not an easy one,

:23:48. > :23:50.don't get me wrong, it is not his position. He doesn't have a clear

:23:51. > :23:53.idea. It is difficult to be critical because it is not his position.

:23:54. > :23:58.That's the point. He is not a natural number 9. The manager is

:23:59. > :24:01.asking him to play there for the sake of the team. So, it is

:24:02. > :24:07.difficult to be critical of him, but, yes, it is hard for him in that

:24:08. > :24:11.position. He doesn't really understand it. It is one thing, when

:24:12. > :24:14.you are playing as 10, you generally play facing the opposition' goal.

:24:15. > :24:18.When you play as a centre forward, much of the time you play with your

:24:19. > :24:21.back to the goal. I suppose that's the difference. It is a massive

:24:22. > :24:25.difference. I think what we are seeing as well, we have this habit,

:24:26. > :24:29.that Germany has, a very direct number 9, throwing himself in the

:24:30. > :24:32.box and on any chance - remember a couple of the crosses Kroos would

:24:33. > :24:36.have dived on the ball, anything. Even if he makes something happen

:24:37. > :24:40.around him and I think Gotze probably doesn't have this ability

:24:41. > :24:44.to move, to cause troubles for the defenders and it was far too easy

:24:45. > :24:48.for the defenders today to contain him. But they will look at it and

:24:49. > :24:53.I'm sure tomorrow this will be the story in the newspapers in Germany.

:24:54. > :24:56.Well another example where you were saying Thierry, that there was a

:24:57. > :25:01.cross going in and I think it was Draxler who got in the end of it and

:25:02. > :25:05.it called out for a centre forward, didn't it? What it is, look at Gotze

:25:06. > :25:10.putting his head down. He doesn't even - he saw it a tiny bit before.

:25:11. > :25:15.He put his head down, look, he is not interested. I think Gomez would

:25:16. > :25:20.have maybe read it a bit better. Again, I agree with Alan, that's not

:25:21. > :25:24.his position. We all know that. We saw him before, scoring a goal like

:25:25. > :25:28.that against Ghana in the World Cup but he became late as a runner,

:25:29. > :25:32.being already in the box early, you need to know a certain type of

:25:33. > :25:38.movement and be good as a 9. He doesn't have that but that's not

:25:39. > :25:45.him, also. . We didn't expect it before the game. We talked about

:25:46. > :25:51.that. We are never far away. They did have a couple of hairy moments

:25:52. > :25:57.in the match, including one brilliant goal-line clears from

:25:58. > :26:02.Boateng. Yes, a little bit of a clumsy clearance but what I like is

:26:03. > :26:07.how he switched on. Oers might not come back, he knows it. Out of

:26:08. > :26:11.experience he is there. He knows the striker is going to go for that

:26:12. > :26:16.ball, Exactly that one and is standing in between. We saw in the

:26:17. > :26:18.Wales' game yesterday and we saw a brilliant goal-line clearance from

:26:19. > :26:24.Wales early on in the game and that is every bit as good as the one in

:26:25. > :26:32.the Wales' game. The late breakaway. Leading to confusion at the back

:26:33. > :26:38.which is unusual. As Thierry mentioned, there was a similar

:26:39. > :26:44.situation with Neuer. Here is a misunderstanding. Blocking off

:26:45. > :26:48.Neuer? No! You can say from Mustafi, the first rule, always, if you pass

:26:49. > :26:52.it back, pass it back out of the frame. I actually don't know if

:26:53. > :26:56.Boateng would have had the opportunity to clear it if it was in

:26:57. > :26:58.the frame. I'm not sure he knew where that header was going.

:26:59. > :27:02.Exactly. A moment of panic no doubt. Anyway,

:27:03. > :27:07.we have three more games to look forward to tomorrow. We'll have full

:27:08. > :27:11.commentary of pain verses the Czech Republic on Radio 5 Live from 2 owe

:27:12. > :27:16.clockpm. Followed by the Republic of Ireland v Sweden on BBC One at

:27:17. > :27:23.4.30pm and the heavyweight clash between Belgium and Italy on 11 one

:27:24. > :27:26.from 7.35pm. We are admiring here the Eiffel Tower T does a marvellous

:27:27. > :27:31.colour display the in evenings. It is quite something. Laying on a bit

:27:32. > :27:38.of a show you French for us. It was weird. I just saw the English flag

:27:39. > :27:42.on the tower. And I was like - wow, I never thought I was going to see

:27:43. > :27:46.that before. But I was, like, OK, cool. We are just about out of time.

:27:47. > :27:50.A thoroughly enjoyable game of football. Vincent thank you for

:27:51. > :27:53.coming in, and we will see more of you throughout the tournament. And

:27:54. > :28:04.you as well tee airia. Alan as always. -- tee airia.

:28:05. > :28:09.Alan you as well. Well Germany have won their opening

:28:10. > :28:17.match. In other news, Shearer is still bald. And you've still got big

:28:18. > :28:21.ears! Good night. COMMENTATOR: The opener for the World Champions. It

:28:22. > :28:26.is. Khedira. # You always get what you want

:28:27. > :28:27.# And you don't even try # COMMENTATOR: A remarkable

:28:28. > :28:38.clearance. # Luck on your side. Kroos, zipping

:28:39. > :28:42.on through. . He must dye his hair. The goalkeeper felt he had to push

:28:43. > :28:44.it away. How about this. Schweinsteiger? The World Champions

:28:45. > :28:50.$:/STARTFEED. With a victory. I acted for France -

:28:51. > :28:54.because I AM FRANCE!