Ukraine edge past North Macedonia for first win.

Report as Ukraine hold off North Macedonia's spirited fight back; Andriy Yarmolenko and Roman Yaremchuk gave Ukraine first-half lead; Ezgjan Alioski missed penalty but converted rebound to bring North Macedonia back into game; Ukraine held on despite missing penalty of their own. 

Image:Andriy Yarmolenko celebrates after putting Ukraine ahead against North Macedonia in the Euro 2020 matchUkraine got their Euro 2020 campaign up and running with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over North Macedonia in Bucharest.

Andriy Shevchenko's side put the disappointment of their opening 3-2 defeat to the Netherlands firmly behind them as first-half goals from Andriy Yarmolenko and Roman Yaremchuk put them in the ascendancy.

However, North Macedonia showed plenty of fighting spirit and found a route back into the game when Goran Pandev was caught inside the penalty area by Vyacheslav Karavayev. Ezgjan Alioski's penalty was saved but the Leeds star reacted quickest to tuck home the rebound.

It set up a grandstand finish at the National Arena but Ukraine held on to secure all three points despite missing a late penalty as goalkeeper Stole Dimitrievski denied Ruslan Malinovskiy.

Victory gives Ukraine a fighting chance of qualifying for the last 16 from Group C, but after back-to-back defeats, North Macedonia will exit the tournament if Netherlands avoid defeat against Austria on Thursday evening.