BASTIAN SCHWEINSTEIGER marked his return from injury with the match-sealing goal as Germany opened its Euro 2016 campaign with a 2-0 win over Ukraine on Sunday.

    Schweinsteiger, who hasn’t played since injuring his knee in training March 22, came on in the last minute and knocked in a Mesut Ozil cross in the second minute of injury time.

    “It’s just incredible,” Schweinsteiger panted after the Group C match, out of breath following his brief but explosive return to competitive football after coming back from a long-term injury in his country’s last warm-up game before the finals.

    “After all the injuries ... something like this happens. I can’t play 90 or 120 minutes yet but I’m feeling like I can play.”

    Shkodran Mustafi’s header put Germany on course in the 19th minute of the Group C encounter, when the Valencia defender beat his marker to meet Toni Kroos’ curling free kick from the right and head with power inside the left post.

    Coach Joachim Loew started with 10 of the players that won the World Cup in Brazil two years ago, with 26-year-old left back Jonas Hector — playing in his first major tournament — the only exception.

    Despite dominating possession and creating the early chances, Germany needed Manuel Neuer to make two big saves in the first half and another in the second.

    First he stopped Yevhen Konoplyanka, and then Yevhen Khacheridi from close range before Jerome Boateng cleared Konoplyanka’s effort off the line.

    Ukraine finished the first half strongly with Andriy Yarmolenko having a goal rightly ruled out for offside.

    Germany heeded the warning and re-took control after the break, with Julian Draxler (twice), Kroos, Sami Khedira, Thomas Mueller, substitute Andre Schuerrle and then Ozil all going close.

    Mustafi almost gifted Ukraine an equalizer late on when he headed the ball back without realizing that Neuer was out of his goal. But there was still time for Schweinsteiger to come on and complete a dream return.

    Earlier, a touch of Luka Modric magic handed Croatia a 1-0 win over Turkey. A second-half winner from Arkadiusz Milik steered Poland to a 1-0 victory as Northern Ireland’s first appearance at a major finals for 30 years ended in disappointment.

    (SD-Agencies)