In a 4-2-3-1 system, Samir Nasri started behind striker Karim Benezema with Paris St. Germain's Jeremy Menez operating on the right.
Ukraine came out unchanged with skipper Andrei Shevchenko leading the line. Andriy Yarmolenko and Yevhen Konoplyanka started on the right and left respectively.
After a delay due to thunderstorm, France came out strongly and Franck Ribery, operating down the left channel, worked tirelessly causing trouble to the Ukrainian defence.
Left-back Clichy ventured up continuously and linked up well with Benzema.
The Real Madrid forward took a lot of workload, building up play from behind (he delivered the final pass for both the goals).
In the first session, however, to the credit of the home defence, they kept it tight and tried maintaining a high line, giving little room for the French forwards. Nasri, playing in his favoured position, sat deeper in the field, thus evading Bayern Munich's Anatoliy Tymoshchuk's watchful gaze and dictated play.
Shevchenko tried desperately to take the fight to the French and came close to causing damage a couple of times.
A five-minute spell early after the break saw France strike twice.
The home defence was caught completely unawares and thereafter the team looked bereft of ideas and France dictated play with relative ease, gaining complete control of the midfield. — Ayon Sengupta
