Debutant Selin helps Ukraine overcome Bulgaria

Yevhen Selin marked his Ukraine debut with a goal as the UEFA EURO 2012 co-hosts ended a sequence of four consecutive losses.

Ukraine, beaten 4-0 by the Czech Republic last month, were two goals to the good by half-time courtesy of the FC Vorksla Poltava midfielder's seventh-minute opener and another from captain Andriy Shevchenko. Andriy Yarmolenko poked in the third eight minutes from time from Yevehen Konoplyanka's right-wing delivery.

The hosts opened the scoring from their second corner in quick succession, Taras Mikhalik heading towards the far post for Selin to nod in from close range. Bulgaria almost equalised from a set piece of their own − Ivan Bandalovski headed against the woodwork − before Oleh Blokhin's side doubled their lead with a goal made by three FC Dynamo Kyiv men.

Yarmolenko beat two defenders in the penalty area and though Oleh Gusev's shot was blocked by goalkeeper Nikolay Mihaylov, Shevchenko was on hand to give Ukraine a two-goal cushion seven minutes before half-time.

Stilyan Petrov, with a free-kick, and Anatoliy Tymoshchuk traded shots at goal after the break, while Ruslan Rotan had a long-range effort cleared off the line by Bulgaria's Stanislav Manolev. Yarmolenko's late third rounded off a satisfactory night for Blokhin's men.