What was expected to be a tight encounter between two well-matched sides proved to be anything but as Romania swept Ukraine aside 3-0 with a vibrant display in Munich on Monday afternoon.
Sergei Rebrov's Ukraine team had been tipped by some for a good run at Euro 2024, yet on this evidence it is the Romanians who could be a team to fear.
Nicolae Stanciu, who plays his football in Saudi Arabia with Damac, put Romania ahead with a spectacular long-range strike in the first half before two quick-fire goals from Razvan Marin and Denis Dragus early in the second half finished the job.
It was Romania's first win at a major tournament since a 3-2 triumph over England at Euro 2000 and the players celebrated wildly in front of their army of yellow-clad fans after the final whistle.
The result has Edward Iordanescu's team in good shape for a spot in the last 16, while with the four best third-placed teams also going through, Ukraine are not without hope.
They will have to improve massively on this performance, however, and might need something from both of their remaining games, against Slovakia on Friday and Belgium a week on Wednesday.
“Everyone apologised,” Rebrov said. "The players are feeling that they didn’t do enough. Because before the game we told them here we are representing the big, strong country which is fighting more than two years for our freedom.
“What I am feeling, what the players are feeling, that today we didn’t do good enough. That’s why they apologised. Now we have to shut our mouths and prepare very serious for the next game to show the other Ukraine.”
With Mykhailo Mudryk and Artem Dovbyk looking in the mood, Ukraine made the early running in the Group E clash and Girona striker Dovbyk, La Liga's top scorer in 2023/24, blazed a 22nd-minute attempt high over the crossbar.
However, the opening goal soon arrived at the other end of the stadium when Real Madrid goalkeeper Andriy Lunin’s scuffed clearance under pressure from Marin was picked off by winger Dennis Man, who fed Stanciu to fire the ball into the top corner from outside the area.
Man saw a shot of his own from a narrow angle deflect just wide and Stanciu almost caught out Lunin direct from a corner – his effort kissed the crossbar and was cleared – as Iordanescu’s team pushed for a second before the break.
Florinel Coman sent an awkward shot across Lunin and wide of the far post within seconds of the restart.
And Romania, who came through qualification unbeaten, deservedly doubled their lead after 53 minutes when Marin’s shot from distance squirmed beneath the blundering Lunin’s despairing dive.
It was 3-0 within four minutes when, after Lunin had parried Andrei Ratiu’s fierce shot at his near post, Man and Stanciu worked a short corner routine for the former to cross for Dragus who had a tap in.
Romania goalkeeper Florin Nita made a fine late save from Georgiy Sudakov to preserve his clean sheet and deny the well-beaten Ukrainians a consolation goal.
Stanciu, whose goal kick-started the rout, called the strike his best ever.
"It is the goal of my career," he said. "I've said before this shirt means everything to me and to score at the Euros, you can't do more than that. And then to also win in the manner we did, that's just incredible.
"I know myself and know my teammates. I know we're not going to celebrate after this win, we're only going to concentrate on Belgium now."
