Ukraine vs Northern Ireland. European Championships Group C.
Stade des LumieresAttendance51,043.
Thursday 16 June 2016 16:39, UK
Northern Ireland will be looking to claim their first points at Euro 2016 in Thursday's Group C game with Ukraine.
Michael O'Neill's side fell to a 1-0 defeat to Poland on Sunday, and realistically must win in Lyon if they are to progress through to the knockout stages of the tournament.
Kyle Lafferty is expected to lead the line once again, and the Norwich striker believes his side underperformed in their opening game and has promised a better display against the Ukrainians.
"For Michael, for his coaching staff, for all the people who've paid good money to come out here, we let them down and we'll put it right on Thursday," he insisted.
"A win could take us out of this group. We still have belief. We've got two games to put it right and I'm sure we'll give a better performance than we did against Poland.
"Not one player will let the fans down. Even if we don't get the result we want on Thursday, the fight and determination that got us here will be there."
Ukraine, meanwhile, lost 2-0 in their opening game to Germany on Sunday and assistant coach Andriy Shevchenko says his team will be on the offensive at the Stade des Lumieres.
"We are still thinking about the starting line-up. There is time to choose the right tactics for the game but one thing is clear: we will attack," the former Chelsea striker told Football TV. "At the same time, we need to be accurate, especially at the back."
Team news
O'Neill has a full squad to choose from and is likely to name an unchanged XI from the side that lost to Poland.
Ukraine coach Mykhaylo Fomenko also has no injury worries, and is expected to start Sevilla's Yehven Konoplyanka and Dynamo Kiev's Andriy Yarmolenko, Ukraine's primary attacking options.
Opta stats
Northern Ireland have never beaten Ukraine (D2 L2). However, the last two meetings have ended in goalless draws.
Northern Ireland have only ever managed to score one goal against Ukraine in their four meetings; that goal being scored by Iain Dowie in April 1997 (World Cup Qualifier, lost 2-1).
Ukraine were knocked out in the group stages in their only previous appearance at the Euros (2012). Shevchenko is the only player to have scored for Ukraine at the finals (2 goals).
Northern Ireland have won only one of their last 10 games at a major tournament (D4 L5), that was against Spain in the 1982 World Cup.
Northern Ireland are taking part in the European Championships for the first time in their history. It's also their first major tournament since the 1986 World Cup when they failed to make it past the group stages.
Lafferty was involved in half of Northern Ireland's goals in qualifying (8 out of 16), scoring seven and assisting one. In the opening game against Poland, he had more touches in his own box (3) than in the opposition's (1).
Only Yaroslav Rakitskiy had more touches (59) than goalkeeper Andriy Pyatov (52) in Ukraine's opening game against Germany.
Paul Merson's prediction
Ukraine impressed me in the first half against Germany and if they play like that against Northern Ireland it could be a tough match for O'Neill's side. They are a threat out wide and had some good chances against Germany, despite falling away in the second half to lose 2-0.
I felt sorry for Northern Ireland. People say they were a bit negative against Poland but, and I mean no disrespect, they've got players from League One playing at a major international tournament. They've got players from the lower leagues playing against world-class stars like Robert Lewandowski. However, they've now got to go out and have a go against Ukraine. I can see what they were thinking in trying to get a point against Poland but now they need to go on the attack.
PAUL PREDICTS: 2-0 (Sky Bet's odds: 5/1)
Betting
Ukraine are Sky Bet's 4/6 favourites for the victory with Northern Ireland up against odds of 5/1, while the draw is priced at 13/5. Andriy Yarmolenko heads the first goalscorer betting at 7/2 and is enhanced from 7/4 to 9/4 to score in a victory for Mykhaylo Fomenko's men, while Kyle Lafferty is considered Northern Ireland's main threat at 9/1. The Soccer Saturday pundits and Jamie Redknapp have provided Sky Bet with their predictions, including Matt Le Tissier's 160/1 fancy for Gareth McAuley to score in a 1-0 upset.
