ROMANIA have secured their first Euros win in 24 years at the expense of Oleksandr Zinchenko’s Ukraine.
Nicolae Stanciu fired the Romanians ahead before Razvan Marin’s magnificent strike put them two up.
And then Denis Dragus put the icing on top after timing his back-post run to perfection.
- RESULT: Romania 3-0 Ukraine
- FREE live stream: BBC iPlayer
- TV channel: BBC One
- Romania XI: Nita; Ratiu, Dragusin, Burca, Bancu; Marin; Man, Marin, Stanciu, Coman; Dragus
- Ukraine XI: Lunin; Zinchenko, Mativenko, Zabarnyi, Konoplia; Shaparenko, Stpanenko; Tsygankov, Sudakov, Mudryk; Dovbyk
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That’s all from Munich
Romania celebrate as Ukraine contemplate, it has been an opening match mauling that Group E observers never saw coming.
Now both countries can take a breather, sit back and watch the two other teams in their section battle it out in Frankfurt.
And you can follow all the action from the Waldstadion with our live coverage of Belgium vs Slovakia.
Goodbye.
Iordanescu salutes terrific team performance
Romania head coach Edward Iordanescu cut an emotional figure at full time, having watched his Romania side stun Ukraine.
The 46-year-old had seen his squad written off before the tournament, but believes this performance will have many critics back home retracting their words.
I’d like to thank every Romanian everywhere in the world. I know that they were with us today. It was a fantastic effort by my team. If you had any doubts, I think you can believe me now that this is a great team. Congratulations to the lads. It’s just incredible.
Edward Iordanescu
Dangerous Dennis is main Man
By setting up goals for Nicolae Stanciu and Denis Dragus today, Dennis Man became the first Romanian to provide multiple assists in a major tournament match since Gheorghe Hagi against Colombia at the 1994 World Cup in America.
Fine company indeed.
Romania rise to top E
It’s been a dream start to Euro 2024 for Romania, and given the scoreline and the fact that some third-placed teams will progress, one more point should seal their spot in the knockouts.
Ukraine still have hope, but with a game against Slovakia on Friday they will need to improve quickly.
Credit: uefa.com Match stats from the Munich Football Arena
Romania’s 29% possession is the lowest share for a winning team at a European Championship match since records began in 1980.
Full time – Romania 3-0 Ukraine
Glenn Nyberg calls time in Munich and the Romania squad rush together to celebrate their biggest ever win in European Championship football.
For a team that came into the tournament with a reputation for being makeweights that couldn’t score goals, they have produced a thrilling, determined and organised showing that was simply too much for Ukraine.
Romania 3-0 Ukraine
90+2. Yaremchuk lobs an effort over Nita and on to the top of the crossbar.
The epitome of too little, too late.
Romania 3-0 Ukraine
90. There will be four minutes of stoppage time played in Munich.
Ukraine keep plugging away, desperately trying to salvage something in terms of goal difference, but you get the impression they’d all like to call it an afternoon now.
Romania 3-0 Ukraine
88. Substitute Puscas nearly gets his name on the scoresheet!
Mind you, it would have been for the wrong team.
In defending a right wing corner, the forward beat his goalkeeper to the ball to flash a header narrowly wide of his own far post.
Romania 3-0 Ukraine – Romania substitution
86. Bogdan Racovitan is on to shore up the Romania defence. Not that it needs much shoring at this stage.
The 24-year-old defender replaces captain, goalscorer and standout performer Nicolae Stanciu, who comes off to a hero’s reception.
Romania 3-0 Ukraine
84. There’s the Mykhailo Mudryk we all know and love.
Bursting through on the left at a pace too quick for his own good, rather than considering his options, the Chelsea swipes wildly at the ball with his left foot to send it swerving into the crowd.
Romania 3-0 Ukraine – Ukraine substitution
82. A final Ukraine change brings Ruslan Malinovskyi to the… erm… party?
The midfielder takes over from the exciting 22-year-old Heorhiy Sudakov, for whom it just has not happened today.
Romania 3-0 Ukraine
80. Ten minutes remain and Ukraine look out of ideas.
On the touchline, Serhiy Rebrov looks throughly deflated. He did not see this performance and result coming.
Romania 3-0 Ukraine
78. Yaremchuk tries to put some respect on the scoreline but his goalbound effort is comfortably kept out by Nita at the second attempt.
Romania 3-0 Ukraine – Romania double substitution
76. Marius Marin makes way for Romania, replaced in midfield by Adrian Rus.
Also off is the incredibly impressive striker Denis Dragus, and on for him is the wonderfully-named George Puscas.
Don’t get too excited though, he used to play for Reading.
Romania 3-0 Ukraine
74. With football so lauded for being played expansively, fluidly and with real width these days, Romania’s rigidness and compactness this afternoon has been a real joy.
A throwback to a simpler time.
Romania 3-0 Ukraine – Ukraine substitution
72. Another change for the beleaguered Ukrainians.
Oleksandr Tymchyk replaces the yellow-carded Yukhym Konoplya.
Romania 3-0 Ukraine
70. Full of confidence, Radu Dragusin sets off on a barnstorming run forward from defence.
Tottenham fans will hope to see much more of that next season.
Romania 3-0 Ukraine – Konoplia yellow card
67. The first booking of the contest sees Yukhym Konoplia cautioned for a cynical chop on Valentin Mihaila over by the far touchline.
Ukraine could do without losing their heads in these final stages. There is still plenty of football to played at this tournament.
Romania 3-0 Ukraine
65. Substitute Yarmolenko has an immediate opportunity to lessen the damage, but sends his half-volley high into the stands.
It was a shot that was more lean back than half a pound bacon.
Romania 3-0 Ukraine – Ukraine triple substitution
63. Serhiy Rebrov follows suits with a trio of substitutions.
The Ukraine head coach opts for the experience of Andriy Yarmolenko, Roman Yaremchuk plus the young Volodymyr Brazhko as he takes off Mykola Shaparenko, Viktor Tsyhankov and Taras Stepanenko.
Romania 3-0 Ukraine – Romania double substitution
61. First to make their moves are Romania, who withdraw the dangerous pair of Florinel Coman and Dennis Man.
On in their place come Valentin Mihaila and Ianis – son of Gheorghe – Hagi.
Romania 3-0 Ukraine
59. There are shocked faces among the Ukrainian ranks, none more so than Andriy Shevchenko in the stand who led his country to the Last 16 at Euro 2020.
Both teams are readying changes, albeit for very different reasons.
Romania 3-0 Ukraine
57. And now Romania do have another!
Edward Iordanescu’s side score their third, and their second within four second half minutes thanks to Denis Dragus.
The striker is on hand to covert from close range after Dennis Man had made short work of a short corner and some more half-hearted defending, notably from Mykhailo Mudryk and Mykola Shaparenko.
There’s a momentary VAR check while it’s confirmed that the Romania goalscorer was onside, and eventually he and his countrymen are giving the green light to celebrate all over again.
It’s three!
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
