WARSAW, POLAND (AP) - France and England both recorded much-needed victories at the European Championship Friday. The French beat Ukraine 2-0 to top the group, while England came from behind to beat Sweden 3-2. The Swedes are now eliminated.
Here is a running account of Friday’s action. All times are local to Poland.
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2303:
Tomorrow, the other co-host, Poland, must beat the Czech Republic to qualify for the knock out stage. The same applies to Greece, who face the impressive Russians who have the tournament’s joint top scorer in their side, Alan Dzagoev. It promises to be another day filled with football of the highest suspense, drama and quality - and we will bring you everything as soon as it happens. Don’t miss out.
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2300:
So Euro 2012 continued in dramatic style today. Co host Ukraine’s match against France had to be suspended temporarily due to very heavy rain and a rattling thunderstorm, but when it restarted, France cruised to a 2-0 victory. Then England went ahead, went behind and went ahead again as they record their first ever victory in competitive international football over Sweden and dump them out of the competition in the process.
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2257: What a second half we had here in Kiev. England wins and they put Sweden out in the process. They were winning at half time thanks to Andy Carroll’s header, but a Glen Johnson own-goal and an Olof Mellberg header put Sweden ahead. Theo Walcott was brought on by Roy Hodgson and he pulled England level with one of his first touches of the game before setting up a superb back heeled flick by Danny Welbeck to net the winner. It could and should have been more, Gerrard missed a fantastic chance to make it 4-2 in the dying minutes, but it is the three points that England will care about.
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2253: FULL TIME SWEDEN 2-3 ENGLAND
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2252: But Steven Gerrard could have put it beyond doubt for his side. England counter attack and the ball is floated into the penalty area, seemingly perfect for Oxlade-Chambelain to volley into the net. But Gerrard makes a steaming run into the penalty area and gets there first, meeting with a left footed volley that hits the chest of Isaksson, who does well and makes himself big in the face of Gerrard’s volley.
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2250: Four minutes are added on. It will be a long four minutes for England fans as Sweden will try to score to stay in the competition.
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2249: Danny Welbeck is coming off for England, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain takes his place. Will Welbeck’s goal prove to be the decisive one. 90 minutes are up, we are in added time.
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2246: Sweden has to take something from this game or they are out of the tournament. Two minutes plus added time for them to save their Euro 2012 campaign.
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2244: Five minutes left to play here. Theo Walcott is back on the field for England, despite Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain stripped and ready to take to the field.
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2242: Theo Walcott has limped off the field for England, he was down holding his calf moments ago. Not a good sign for England, Walcott’s introduction changed the game, turning it in their favour.
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2239: So it is typical that England go up the other end and take the lead - and what a brilliantly taken goal by Danny Welbeck. Theo Walcott weaves his way down the right of the penalty area but he is running out of space until he pulls the ball back into the six yard box at the final second. It flies behind Welbeck, but it is no problem for him. He simply flicks it into the net with his heel as he turns and England are ahead with a goal fitting to win any match. Ten minutes left for them to hold on.
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Sweden’s first goal was in fact an own goal by Glen Johnson and doesn’t count as a goal for Mellberg.
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2234: GOAL! SWEDEN 2 ENGLAND 3 (WELBECK)
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2230: Ibrahimovic now brings a save from Hart. He lets fly from the edge of the penalty area and it is heading for the far corner, but Hart gets across well to palm it away for a corner, which England clear. Sweden stepping it up a bit in the last few minutes here. Martin Olsson escapes down the left, hits the byline and pulls it back to Kallstrom, who blazes high and wide. Poor effort from the Swede, who really should have tested Joe Hart after a good attacking move and pass.
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2222: England are level. Jonas Olsson clears a corner, the ball lands at the feet of Theo Walcott who lets fly with a speculative effort from outside the area and it loops into the net. It was so near to Isaksson, he should have easlily caught the ball as Walcott’s shot was not overly powerful, but he loses his balance, the ball beats him and England reply quickly.
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2220: GOAL! SWEDEN 2 ENGLAND 2
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2214: GOAL! SWEDEN 2 ENGLAND 1
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2204: Ibrahimovic’s free kick hits the wall but the ball ricochets through to Olof Mellberg. He shoots and Hart just gets a touch to it, but the ball finds it way past him. It hits Glen Johnson on its way through and the defender nearly keeps it out but his attempted clearance hits the post and the ball is in. Sweden back on level terms early in the second half.
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GOAL! SWEDEN 1 ENGLAND 1 (MELLBERG)
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2150: England in the lead at half time, deservedly so. They have looked far more dangerous in attack, with Sweden relying on Zlatan Ibrahimovic to score for them. Andy Carroll scored a towering header, meeting Steven Gerrard’s superb cross. England will need to make their advantage count in the second half. Kim Kallstrom went closest for Sweden, with a stinging effort from the edge of the area that was just over the bar.
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2145: HALF TIME SWEDEN 0 ENGLAND 1
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2143: Three minutes to go until half time and England push forward again but James Milner overhits his cross when trying to find Carroll.
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2142: mattekaren: Carroll just shot the ball straight into ref Skominas midsection. He appears unhurt though. Good thing Carroll is better with his head. (via Twitter)
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Kim Kallstrom nearly punishes England, shooting from the edge of the box and his effort goes narrowly over the bar, with Hart beaten. Good shot - that is as close as Sweden has come to scoring.
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2140: Ashley Young sneaks into space on the left of the penalty area after being released by Ashley Cole but gets caught in two minds. He decides to shoot instead of cross and pulls his shot wide. Andy Carroll was furious about that decision. He was in space, six yards from goal.
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2135: Ibrahimovic strides forward, down the middle of the England half and has plenty of options either side of him. He decides to go it alone though and his effort is deflected safely into the hands of Hart. Good play from Ibrahimovic to get to that position but should have played the ball to a team mate out on the wing.
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2132: Sweden are enjoying a little bit more of possession since conceding but it is Engalnd’s turn to be stubbron in defense. John Terry throws himself brutally into a 50/50 challenge and wins a free kick for his side. Excellent bravery there from Terry. Half an hour played and England lead.
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2124: Steven Gerrard delivers a fantastic cross - similar to the one he delivered to Lescott in the first match - into the path of Andy Carroll. He reads that Gerrard is going to deliver and escapes his man and heads into the far corner with a great header. Isaksson has no chance and England lead.
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GOAL! SWEDEN 0 ENGLAND 1 (CARROLL)
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2111: Zlatan Ibrahimovic lets fly with a low shot outside the penalty area but Joe Hart gets down well to save. Twenty minutes has passed here at the Olympic Stadium and England has just about shaded proceedings, with Andy Carroll looking lively and Scott Parker going closest to scoring. Ibrahimovic is Sweden’s main threat but looks very isolated when he has possession.
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2109: Andy Carroll draws a foul after quick turn, but Olof Mellberg hauls him down. Carroll had a lot of space ahead of him and Mellberg had to make the foul then, or his side would have been in trouble.
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2105: England go close and Scott Parker releases a stinging shot at goal which is pushed away by a sprawling Isaksson in goal for Sweden
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2103: Both sides have enjoyed a few spells of possession in the opening stages but neither has created anything of note just yet.
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2100: Sweden, in yellow and blue, get the game underway against England, in blue.
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2056: Rasmus Elm and Kim Kallstrom are a booking away from a suspension tonight for Sweden. Ashley Young is too, for England.
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mattekaren: The size of English fan section is downright paltry compared to Swedish. Most of Olympic Stadium is blue-and-yellow; and not Ukrainian kind. (via Twitter)
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2055: France wins a game that will be remembered as much for the thunderstorm that suspended play for almost an hour as the action on the pitch. France had much more poise in attack and could have scored more than two goals it got from Jeremy Menez and Yohan Cabaye. France is surely one the title contenders at Euro 2012. The players are out in Kiev for Sweden-England.
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2047: FULLTIME! Ukraine 0, France 2
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2039: France is seeing out this game pretty comfortably. Five minutes left. Aliyev takes a free kick for Ukraine but hits it way over the bar.
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2032: Ribery sends a free kick from 25 yards inches over the crossbar as France threatens more goals. Benzema will have to wait a little longer for his first goal at Euro 2012 as he is being taken off for Olivier Giroud. Benzema does not look too happy about that decision. 2-0 to France with around 15 minutes remaining.
(at)RobHarris Hodgson on Carroll starting: “Against a team with the height and power of Sweden we needed as much aerial height as possible” (via Twitter)
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2025: England has named its lineup for the match against Sweden. Andy Carroll is in for Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in the only change:
England: Joe Hart, Glen Johnson, John Terry, Joleon Lescott, Ashley Cole, Steven Gerrard, Scott Parker, James Milner, Ashley Young, Andy Carroll, Danny Welbeck.
Sweden named its team early in the day:
Sweden: Isaksson, Granqvist, Mellberg, J Olsson, M Olsson, Svensson, Kallstrom, Larsson, Ibrahimovic, Elm, Elmander.
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2022: Cabaye hits the post! After a stunning spell of possession, the ball breaks loose to the Newcastle midfielder at the edge of the area and his fierce strike hits the outside of the goal frame. Ukraine’s goalkeeper didn’t even move.
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2017: The French are threatening to run away with this game. Benzema, searching for his first goal of the tournament, gets a shot away from outside the penalty area for France, but it is straight at Myatov. Les Bleus are on the verge of making it 23 games unbeaten.
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2012: That’s two goals in a four-minute span and France is going top of the group. Cabaye scores his first international goal when he runs on to Karim Benzema’s diagonal through-ball and shoots left-footed into the far corner. Ukraine’s players look stunned.
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2008: Finally, Menez gets his goal! The Paris Saint-Germain winger cuts inside from the right and shoots left-footed inside the near post. The Donbass Arena is silenced. Hold on, another goal for France…
GOAL! Ukraine 0, France 2 (Cabaye)
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2005: GOAL! Ukraine 0, France 1 (Menez)
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1958: Second half is under way. Marko Devic replaces Andriy Voronin for Ukraine. The English Football Association says the Sweden-England match in Kiev has been put back 15 minutes because of the rain delay in Donetsk. So the games will no longer clash.
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1943: HALFTIME: Ukraine 0, France 0.
There continues to be opportunities at both ends. Mexes rises at the back post and powers a header at goal which is saved well by Myatov. That was the last chance of a bright and breezy half.
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1935: And now a chance for Shevchenko. The striker chests down a high ball over the top of the France defense and strikes a half-volley that Lloris bats away. That’s Ukraine’s best chance so far. Five minutes until halftime.
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1929: What a chance for Menez! An overhit pass to Gusev at right back is stolen by Ribery, who cuts inside and crosses for Benzema in the middle of the area. The ball goes behind the Real Madrid striker but finds Menez, whose first-time shot is blocked by the legs of Myatov.
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1923: The pitch is holding up well after such an unbelievable downpour only an hour ago. Andriy Yarmolenko goes close for Ukraine, coming in from the right before hitting a low left-foot shot that goes just the wrong side of the post.
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1915: France has the ball in the back of the net but it’s disallowed for offside, correctly so. Franck Ribery played in Jeremy Menez, who slotted home a neat finish, but the Ukraine defense had stepped up very quickly. That’s good defending. Still 0-0.
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1910: France’s players are enjoying more possession in the early stages and seem to be coping better on the wet turf since the match has resumed. Benzema had a slight opening in the area, but delayed on the ball and was eventually crowded out by defenders.
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1902: The match has restarted and, almost straightaway, Benzema smashes in a fierce shot that is parried by goalkeeper Pyatov.
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1858: The stadium announcer says the match will shortly resume. Good news. The match will restart at 4:20 minutes.
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1854: France coach Laurent Blanc has been walking out on the pitch with tournament director Martin Kallen, surveying the state of the pitch. It is much better than it was, but still very, very wet out there. Referee Kuipers has also come out and is seeing how the ball rolls in the worst-affected area of the pitch. There’s not much bounce there. The fans in the stadium are cheering _ they want this game to restart!
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1845: The groundsmen are out in force, prodding the sodden areas of the pitch. It’s stopped raining, so the situation looks a lot roser.
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1835: It’s ironic that the chorus of the song being played in the stadium is, “Let It Rain Over Me” by Pitbull ft. Marc Anthony. Nice choice! It’s still raining…
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1830: Patches of the pitch are completely waterlogged. Ukraine coach Oleg Blokhin is standing in the tunnel, looking concerned and with a towel wrapped around his shoulders. UEFA says play will not resume before 2000 local time (1900 Polish time). So, the two matches will definitely overlap if Ukraine-France resumes. Not sure television companies will be happy with that!
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1825: There’s a danger that if the players do get back on, the game will run over into the group’s match _ Sweden vs. England in Kiev. By the way, 4 minutes, 20 seconds were played before the match was suspended.
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1817: (at)mattekaren Incredible images of the lightning over the stadium in Donetsk. That pitch doesn’t look like it will be playable any time soon. (via Twitter)
There will be a pitch inspection before the players are allowed back on, but there is no sign of the rain abating. France’s Franck Ribery and Ukraine’s Anatoliy Tymoshcuk _ teammates at Bayern Munich _ are chatting in the tunnel.
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1813: UEFA rules state that if play is postponed for the rest of the day, the players will come back to complete the remaining minutes tomorrow. There are, of course, some crazy fans in the stands _ both French and Ukrainian _ who are taking their clothes off and dancing in the rain. One French fan is rolling around like a fish on the steps in the stand. These scenes are incredible.
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1808: There is thunder and lightning in Donetsk and the players have been taken off by the referee for their own safety. Only around four minutes had been played. No idea how long the break will be. The rain was so strong that the fans in the front row had fled to the back of the stands to avoid getting a soaking!
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1805: MATCH SUSPENDED BECAUSE OF A THUNDERSTORM!
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1800: And we’re off. There was a huge roar from the crowd as the French kicked off. It really is pouring down out there.
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1756: It’s raining in Donetsk as the players sing the national anthems. Bjorn Kuipers of the Netherlands is the referee for the match.
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1748: Ukraine is unchanged so veteran striker Andriy Shevchenko starts on his own again up front after his double in the 2-1 win over Sweden in their first game. He is retiring from international football after the tournament so there aren’t many more chances to see the former AC Milan and Chelsea player on this stage.
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1743:(at)jeromepugmire French paradox: 22 games unbeaten;8 games without a win at a major tournament. Both trends could still continue with a draw. (via Twitter)
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1738: France coach Laurent Blanc has made two changes, dropping defender Patrice Evra and midfielder Florent Malouda for Gael Clichy and Jeremy Menez. Evra losing his place is a surprising one _ he captained Manchester United for the second half of this season and was France captain at the 2010 World Cup. Ukraine will qualify for the quarterfinals with a win at the Donbass Arena.
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1730: Here are the lineups for Ukraine vs. France:
Ukraine: Andriy Pyatov, Yevhen Selin, Oleh Gusev, Taras Michalik, Yevhen Khacheridi, Anatoliy Tymoshcuk, Andriy Voronin, Yevhen Konoplyanka, Serhiy Nazarenko, Andriy Yarmolenko, Andriy Shevchenko.
France: Hugo Lloris, Mathieu Debuchy, Adil Rami, Philippe Mexes, Gael Clichy, Yohan Cabaye, Alou Diarra, Franck Ribery, Samir Nasri, Jeremy Menez, Karim Benzema.
Substitutes:
Ukraine: Maxym Koval, Oleksandr Goryainov, Olexandr Kucher, Denys Garmash, Olexandr Aliyev, Vyacheslav Shevchuk, Ruslan Rotan, Artem Milevsky, Yevhen Seleznyov, Yaroslav Rakitskiy, Bohdan Butko, Marko Devic.
France: Steve Mandanda, Cedric Carrasso, Patrice Evra, Mathieu Valbuena, Olivier Giroud, Blaise Matuidi, Anthony Reveillere, Florent Malouda, Yann M’Vila, Marvin Martin, Hatem Ben Arfa, Laurent Koscielny.
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