Ukraine welcome back Blokhin with win

Ukraine, playing their first game since the return of coach Oleg Blokhin, were faster and more aggressive throughout the match.

Having led Ukraine to the World Cup 2006 quarter-finals, Blokhin was brought back as coach in April following a succession of short-term managers who all struggled.

Ukraine dominated the first half but failed to score and the deadlock was broken by midfielder Anatoliy Tymoshchuk following a headed pass from Oleh Husyev in the 55th minute.

Five minutes later, Ukraine forward Andriy Voronin scored the second after a free-kick from Ruslan Rotan bounced off the crossbar.

Teams

Ukraine: 31-Dikan; 3-Fedetskiy; 5-Kucher; 13-Shevchuk; 6-Khacheridi; 4- Tymoshchuk (16-Kravchenko 86); 9-Husyev (16-Nazarenko 72); 22-Devic (11-Seleznyov 59), 21-Oliynyk (14-Rotan 46); 25-Milevskiy (20-Kozhanov 46); 7-Shevchenko (10-Voronin 46).

Uzbekistan: 12-Nesterov; 20-Tukhtakhodjaev (2-Filiposyan 77); 6-Juraev (10-Rajabov); 3-Mullajanov; 7-Haydarov; 9-Ahmedov; 28-Andreev (4-Karimov 80); 17-Tursunov; 11-Bikmaev (23-Otakuziyev 53); 14-Shadrin (22-Karpenko 60); 16-Shatskikh (13-Turaev 73).

Referee: Ozkahya Halis (Turkey).