Shkodran Mustafi scored his first international goal and Bastian Schweinsteiger struck late on as world champions Germany opened their Euro 2016 campaign with a 2-0 victory over Ukraine in Lille.
Mustafi, playing at centre-back with Mats Hummels unfit, headed in midway through the opening 45 minutes at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy.
Jerome Boateng cleared a Yevhen Konoplyanka effort off the goal-line before the break as Ukraine enjoyed their best period of the match.
But Joachim Low's men had much more control in the second half, with Toni Kroos hitting the crossbar before substitute Schweinsteiger made the game safe as he netted his first Germany goal in almost five years within three minutes of his introduction.
After losing three of their five matches since a shaky qualification campaign, three points on matchday one – even in unspectacular fashion – will come as a relief to Low ahead of their crucial clash with Poland on Thursday.
The pressure is now on Ukraine to pick up a result against Northern Ireland if they are to keep their chances of progression to the last 16 alive.
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