GROUP D UKRAINE 2 SWEDEN 1:THE SCRIPT was written for Andriy Shevchenko and Ukraine's most iconic figure followed it to the letter. The 35-year-old Shevchenko turned this pulsating match around in seven remarkable second-half minutes with two opportunist headed goals. The stadium erupted and it was no surprise when he left to a standing ovation nine minutes from time.
Sweden had been outplayed for the majority of the evening but took the lead through Zlatan Ibrahimovic and came close to grabbing an equaliser when Johan Elmander shot high and wide as the goal yawned in front of him in the 90th minute. But this was Shevchenko’s night and there were raucous scenes at the final whistle as a striker that failed at Chelsea reminded everyone why he is so revered in these parts. It was fairytale stuff.
Shevchenko could have ignited the occasion in the 23rd minute, when he broke clear on the right, after an exchange of passes with Andriy Yarmolenko, only to drag his shot wide of the far upright.
That chance came at the end of a swift counter-attack, which has been one of Ukraine’s main strengths under Oleg Blokhin. With Anatoliy Tymoshchuk sitting deep and pulling the strings in central midfield, Ukraine played some incisive football. Andriy Voronin, who had an unhappy spell at Liverpool, caught the eye in a more withdrawn role that allowed him to arrive into the penalty box late and also hit the sort of swerving 25-yard shot from distance that forced Andreas Isaksson into a save in the 35th minute.
A couple of minutes later Voronin released Shevchenko on the left of the area only for Olof Mellberg to make a well-timed tackle. The ball bounced up and when Shevchenko headed across goal, it dropped for Anatoliy Yarmolenko’s via the head of Rasmus Elm, but the winger’s effort was blocked by Andreas Granqvist.
If Sweden were fortunate on that occasion, they were cursing their bad luck moments later. Sebastian Larsson swung over a cross and Zlatan Ibrahimovic, whose erratic first-half performance included a 30-yard effort that went out for a throw-in, beat the stranded Andriy Pyatov with a downward header that clipped the outside of the post. The only other moment in the first half when Sweden opened Ukraine up was in the 31st minute, when Markus Rosenberg shot straight at Pyatov.
Back came Ukraine, Yevhen Konoplyanka volleying over after Oleg Gusev crossed from the right. It was an opportunity Ukraine would live to regret when Ibrahimovic tapped home early in the second half. Blokhin’s players were annoyed that play was allowed to go on with left-back Yevhen Selin down injured but their mood quickly changed courtesy of Shevchenko’s brilliance.
Yarmolenko made the first goal, the winger’s delivery from the right nodded in by Shevchenko. Sweden were rattled and Ibrahimovic’s lack of concentration on a corner gave Shevchenko all the encouragement he needed to grab a second, his darting run to the edge of the six-yard box enabling him to nip ahead of the Swede and direct a header that flashed inside the near post. Cue delirium.