Four teams in Group D have mediocre performance. England will be analyzed ad nauseum elsewhere on these boards. Could win the group or finish bottom. France is truly a mystery team. All four teams are capable of both winning the group or finishing bottom, with England and Sweden probably the best teams on paper, and the biggest questions being who will score goals for England in Wayne Rooney's absence and how much the Ukranians will be strengthened by playing in front of their home fans.
Preparing for their first finals as an independent nation, the co-hosts have been set a minimum target by their coach Oleh Blokhin: reaching the knockout stages from Group D. Having reached the 2006 FIFA World Cup quarter-finals in their only previous major tournament appearance since independence in 1991, the co-hosts are eager to go even further at UEFA EURO 2012. According to Oleh Blokhin, back in charge after a turbulent couple of years in which three coaches came and went...
After missing out on a place at UEFA EURO 2008, England will be hoping to make amends in Poland and Ukraine having eased to first place in their qualifying section this time round. England will enter UEFA EURO 2012 having missed out on the last European finals and with a new coach after Fabio Capello resigned four months before the tournament. England had finished third behind Croatia and Russia in their UEFA EURO 2008 qualifying group...
Sweden has made eleven World Cup appearances and four appearances in the European Championships. They finished second in the 1958 World Cup, and third in both 1950 and 1994. Sweden's accomplishments also include a gold medal in the 1948 Summer Olympics, and bronze medals in 1924 and 1952. They reached the semi-finals in UEFA Euro 1992. Traditionally, Sweden are rivals with Denmark and Norway, although other rivalries have developed over the years...
Appearing at a sixth successive finals, France will be hoping to add to their victories in 1984 and 2000 after holding their nerve to keep Bosnia and Herzegovina at bay and win Group D. France's turn-of-the-century success, winning the 1998 FIFA World Cup before holding their collective nerve to secure their second UEFA European Championship two years later, has felt far removed of late. Les Bleus exited the 2002 and 2010 World Cups at the first hurdle and...