Intro:

Ukraine's players have recovered from a mysterious stomach bug and are fit for their opening Euro 2012 game against Sweden on Monday.

Script:

Ukraine coach Oleg Blokhin said on Thursday his team's opening match against Sweden will decide whether his team has any chance of reaching the quarter-finals at the European Championship.

The co-hosts are also joined by England and France in Group D.

SOUNDBITE: (Ukrainian) Oleg Blokhin, Ukraine coach: (English translation alongside)
"Of course it will be hard, the first match is always hard, even for the host of this tournament. This tournament is very short so we expect a lot of hardship. In general the media is saying either Ukraine or Sweden have no chance of leave the group and it will be England or France who come out on top, they have kind of predisposed us as outsiders. Let us hedge our bets, toss the coin and see who wins. The losers will leave and the other side will continue in the European Championship."

Reaching the quarter-finals would match Ukraine's performance at the 2006 World Cup during Blokhin's first stint as national coach.

Ukraine's opening match against Sweden is on Monday June 11.