Ukraine take on France in their second Group D game on Friday looking for the win that will guarantee them a place in the last eight of Euro 2012. They stunned the Swedes in their opener so can the co-host do it again in Donetsk? (Ukraine 3/1, France 21/20, draw 23/10 Match Prices).

Group D always looked like it would be a tight affair and, true to form, England kicked off their campaign with a 1-1 draw against France. Of the four teams, Ukraine seemed the weakest on paper but it is the east Europeans who hold all the aces going into the second round of matches.

Coach Oleg Blokhin had all but written off his side’s chances before a ball had even been kicked as he felt they had problems in defence and even more up front, but veteran striker Andriy Shevchenko rolled back the years to net a brace and give them a real chance of qualifying for the quarter-finals (Ukraine 8/13 To Qualify).

The 35-year-old former AC Milan hit-man was injured in the build-up to the tournament and it was thought that he might miss out, but the manager’s decision to hand him a starting berth paid dividends with two well-taken headers. He will lead the line again on Friday against Les Bleus and the whole nation will look to him to provide the goals that could prove crucial.

Despite the euphoria of the victory over Sweden, Blokhin has urged his men to keep their feet on the ground and make sure that Monday’s result does not go to waste. Neither Ukraine nor Sweden look like tournament winners but just getting out of the group will be considered a success for the hosts, who are in a transition phase and should be a force to be reckoned with at the next World Cup.

Andriy Voronin looks set to keep his place alongside Shevchenko and highly-rated youngster Andriy Yarmolenko, who provided the cross for the first goal, will need to find a way past the French to feed the front two. Ukraine will find the France side a tougher proposition that the Swedes, especially after Les Bleus’ opening draw with England.

Roy Hodgson’s men sat back and absorbed the French pressure and had the defensive skills to get away with it. It is open to debate whether Ukraine could last out using the same tactics and this should be a more open game with plenty of chnaces.

England managed to keep Real Madrid’s superb striker Karim Benzema in check for most of the match and it was down to a man who does not score too many goals, Samir Nasri, to gain his side a point. But Benzema is surely too good not to score at some stage of the tournament and the French fans will be hoping it is on Friday.

France played well at times against England but, in truth, it was a dull game with both sides lacking imagination in the searing heat. Therefore it is difficult to read too much into the French display as they were tipped by many to go far in this summer’s showpiece event.

Going forward, Laurent Blanc’s men will always be dangerous with players of the calibre of Frank Ribery, Yohan Cabaye and Nasri. But there are question marks over their defence and the Ukraine coaches will urge the midfield to try and get at the opposition early and force them into mistakes.

Defeat for France would not see them eliminated from the competition but would make it extremely difficult for them to qualify and, on paper, they should be strong enough to win this one. They are now unbeaten in 22 matches but it is three points and not just one they crave from the second group encounter.

Blanc and his men were criticised in their home press for not beating England but the coach has hit back at the critics and said that it was the England tactics that thwarted their attacking ambition. He was clearly not happy with the negativity surrounding their display and will want his charges to prove a point or two next time out.

Ukraine have already pulled off one shock and, with the whole nation behind them, they will be eyeing another three points on Friday but it may be that the Sweden victory was their ‘final’ and this may be a reality check for Blokhin and the home fans.

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