Five key take-aways: Ukraine vs France

France finally showed their true mettle in a storm-interrupted match against host nation Ukraine in Donetsk. Surprise inclusion Jeremy Menez and Newcastle midfielder Yohan Cabaye were on target for the Les Blues in an impressive 2-0 victory over the hosts. The match was temporarily suspended inside the first few minutes due to a massive thunderstorm that had engulfed the Donbass Arena. Let’s look at five important take-aways from the game.

Laurent Blanc is a master tactician

Blanc is a former international player who himself lifted both the FIFA World Cup in 1998 and the subsequent European Championship two years later. He has proved his managerial skills at Bordeaux, where he guided his team to the Ligue 1 crown in only his second season in-charge, which prompted France to appoint his as the national team’s coach. Under Blanc, France are unbeaten in a remarkable 23 games, their last defeat coming at the hands of Norway in August ’10. The advent of young players like Adil Rami, Jeremy Menez, Debuchy, M’Vila has happened under Blanc, who has slowly built the French squad into a perfect blend of youth and experience, skill and solidarity.

France have played a very attractive brand of football under Blanc, a game which is pre-dominantly attack-minded and involves clever exchange of passes and inter-play in the final third. The players believe in themselves and each other and their delightful passing game stems from those two crucial factors. Even tonight, some pundits and fans questioned his decision to play Menez and Clichy in place of Malouda and Evra, respectively, but the performance of both players vindicated the talented head coach’s decision.

French superstars are firing on all cylinders

For any international side to perform consistently in major tournaments, they need to have substantial star power. More importantly, those world class players must shrug off their egos and try to work together as a team. For France, all these things have clicked simultaneously at the right time. Their international superstars of the likes of Nasri, Ribery and Benzema have come together to form a deadly attacking partnership this summer. These three players have easily been France’s best players in the two games played so far. The understanding and anticipation between them has been a treat to watch and the flair and creativity that they have showcased in and around the box has been exemplary.

France couldn’t make enough inroads into the English defense in their opening game and had to remain content with trying long-range efforts, one of which from Nasri sailed into the net. Menez’s inclusion added more variety to the attack against Ukraine and the PSG man rounded off a good display with a goal. Benzema turned creator as he set up both the goals for his side.

Andriy Shevchenko is Ukraine’s lone warrior

The Ukrainian legend had lifted the spirits of an entire nation with a memorable performance against Sweden in their opening match. His two sensational goals helped the hosts upset the Swedes and give his team some much needed confidence in a tough group. Against France, when the entire team looked off-color and off-the-pace, Shevchenko again proved why he is considered as a true ambassador of the game. His relentless pursuit of the ball and the desire to get behind the French defense despite the opposition’s domination was commendable. As other players failed to emulate their opening game performance, Shevchenko was an inspiration for his teammates and millions of Ukrainians watching.

Yohan Cabaye is cut out for the big stage

While several journalists had raised concerns over Cabaye’s selection over Gourcuff for the Euros, football fans in Tyneside and hardcore Premier League followers knew how much the Newcastle midfielder deserved the call-up. Cabaye had been massive for the resurgent Magpies last season, scoring 5 goals and laying on 9 assists for his team. More importantly, he was the heart and soul of Newcastle’s astonishing performances throughout the season. The box-to-box midfielder, who couldn’t assert himself against England, came to the fore against Ukraine, doing both his attacking and defensive duties with elan and panache. He showed tremendous composure and technique in scoring his first goal in national colors.

France are favorites to top the group, Ukraine have it all to do

Les Bleus are now firm favorites to go through to the quarterfinals as group leaders. They’ll face Sweden in their final group match and a favourable result for the French doesn’t seem too difficult. The Swedes have already been knocked out of the tournament and will have only pride to play for. Meanwhile, England have 4 points from two matches, one more than Ukraine, implying that anything less than a win for the hosts against the Englishmen will seal their fate and quash the hopes and dreams of an entire nation.