Football powerhouse Germany begins its quest for yet another major title this Sunday as the team prepares to take on Ukraine in the second scheduled match from Group C of UEFA Euro 2016.
Will the Germans prove to be superior in the preliminary bout of the tournament, or will the Ukranians pull off an early upset? Let’s find out more below about this intriguing match from the first international game to be held at magnificent Stade Pierre Mauroy in Lille, France.
Uncharacteristically, Germany is actually heading into Euro 2016 in pretty bad shape. The team has lost two of its last four matches, including a shocking 3-1 defeat to Euro newcomers Slovakia in May.
To make matters worse, star goalkeeper Manuel Neuer has not been his usual self in surrendering nine goals over Germany’s last five contests, and the team also will likely be without the services of Antonio Rudiger, Mat Hummels and Bastian Schweinsteiger for most if not all of the group matches ahead.
However and in spite of their troubles, Die Mannschaft are still heavily favored by the bookies to win Group C at a price of -250. That’s mainly because the Germans are sensational in international play, having won the World Cup just a couple of years ago and are now making their 12th-consecutive appearance in the Euros.
There are scorers aplenty for Germany, too, in spite of their rather ravaged roster. The team’s last seven goals have been scored by seven different players, and the likes of standouts Thomas Muller, Mario Gomez and Mesut Ozil can each give the Ukranians all sorts of fits.
To cap it all off, the Germans have yet to lose to Ukraine in five-lifetime meetings. With history and a plethora of offensive weapons at their disposal, Die Mannschaft can still easily prevail with a victory this Sunday for as long as goalie Neuer regains his lock-down form.
Ukraine’s path to Euro 2016 was laden with trials, but the team did secure its second trip to the tournament after holding off Slovenia in the play-offs of the qualifying stage.
This is the Yellow-Blue’s first entry in a major football tournament since 2006, wherein they made it all the way to the quarterfinal round of the World Cup. They only suffered two losses in 17 contests leading up to the Euros, and those two defeats were by the hands of mighty Spain, who they have luckily avoided in group play.
Much of Ukarine’s success can be credited to sensational striker Andriy Yarmolenko. The 26-year-old winger has registered a goal in five of his last six starts, and you can count on him to exploit Germany’s recently leaky defense this Sunday afternoon.
And while the Germans have indeed gotten the better of the Ukranians in their past encounters, it’s also worth noting that their last head-to-head clash occurred way back in 2001. This Ukraine team of now is no longer that underachieving club of years past, and it could very well turn some heads if Germany’s lackluster form does show up again this weekend.
Writer’s Prediction
Germany’s injuries give Ukraine ample opportunities to keep things close as the two clubs settle to a 2-2 draw (+265).
