Ukraine 1 Lithuania 0
Oleg Gusev's header just after the break secured Ukraine victory over Lithuania in Group B of Euro 2008 qualifying and temporarily lifted them level on points with pool leaders Scotland and France.
Ukraine started brightly and inside the opening 20 minutes Andriy Voronin, Maxim Kalinichenko and Taras Mykhalyk all shot wide of goal.
In the 24th minute, Andriy Shevchenko's cross found strike partner Voronin, who swung his foot through a fantastic shot from 20 yards which was blocked by defender Marius Stankevicius.
Mantas Savenas conjured up Lithuania's first effort, but shot over the crossbar in the 26th minute.
Kalinichenko looked Ukraine's liveliest player throughout, and he forced the match's first save four minutes after the half-hour mark, drilling a shot from the edge of the area which Paulius Grybauskas caught.
Shevchenko hit an audacious 30-yard effort which was deflected wide for a corner shortly before half-time but despite dominating, the hosts went into the break without making a breakthrough.
Lithuania would have been reasonably happy at keeping their opponents at bay, but hopes of earning a similar result to their creditable draw in Italy were dashed within two minutes of the restart.
The impressive Kalinichenko put in a cross from the left wing and Gusev rose above the defence to head the World Cup quarter-finalists into the lead.
Lithuania were roused by the goal, and after Tomas Danilevicius registered their first shot on target in the 52nd minute, three substitutions in 13 minutes saw them adopt a more attacking stance.
The first of those replacements, Mindaugas Kalonas, forced hosts' goalkeeper Olexandr Shovkovskiy into his first save of the afternoon with a 20-yard shot just 11 minutes after coming on.
Ukraine needed a second to settle their nerves and Kalinichenko almost got the goal he deserved with nine minutes to go, but his effort from 25 yards was blocked en route to goal.
Shevchenko was looking less likely to score than Voronin - who shot over the bar in the 68th minute and fired straight at Grybauskas five minutes later - and was restricted to more speculative efforts, including a 35-yard strike which was on target, but easily caught by Grybauskas.
Anatoliy Tymoschuk almost grabbed a decisive second in the dying seconds, but although Grybauskas fumbled the save, his shot did not find the net.
In the 24th minute, Andriy Shevchenko's cross found strike partner Voronin, who swung his foot through a fantastic shot from 20 yards which was blocked by defender Marius Stankevicius.
Mantas Savenas conjured up Lithuania's first effort, but shot over the crossbar in the 26th minute.
Kalinichenko looked Ukraine's liveliest player throughout, and he forced the match's first save four minutes after the half-hour mark, drilling a shot from the edge of the area which Paulius Grybauskas caught.
Shevchenko hit an audacious 30-yard effort which was deflected wide for a corner shortly before half-time but despite dominating, the hosts went into the break without making a breakthrough.
Lithuania would have been reasonably happy at keeping their opponents at bay, but hopes of earning a similar result to their creditable draw in Italy were dashed within two minutes of the restart.
The impressive Kalinichenko put in a cross from the left wing and Gusev rose above the defence to head the World Cup quarter-finalists into the lead.
Lithuania were roused by the goal, and after Tomas Danilevicius registered their first shot on target in the 52nd minute, three substitutions in 13 minutes saw them adopt a more attacking stance.
The first of those replacements, Mindaugas Kalonas, forced hosts' goalkeeper Olexandr Shovkovskiy into his first save of the afternoon with a 20-yard shot just 11 minutes after coming on.
Ukraine needed a second to settle their nerves and Kalinichenko almost got the goal he deserved with nine minutes to go, but his effort from 25 yards was blocked en route to goal.
Shevchenko was looking less likely to score than Voronin - who shot over the bar in the 68th minute and fired straight at Grybauskas five minutes later - and was restricted to more speculative efforts, including a 35-yard strike which was on target, but easily caught by Grybauskas.
Anatoliy Tymoschuk almost grabbed a decisive second in the dying seconds, but although Grybauskas fumbled the save, his shot did not find the net.
Copyright (c) Press Association
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