Ukraine reach finals despite nervy second leg with Slovenia

Ukraine sealed their place at the European Championship with the last kick of the game after an ill-tempered 1-1 draw in Slovenia.

Slovenia captain Bostjan Cesar, who should have been sent off after seven seconds for an elbow, put the home side ahead with a header inside 11 minutes.

That gave Slovenia the perfect platform to push on and get a second, but they failed to take advantage of a below par Ukraine side, who were foiled time and time again by Slovenia's Internazionale goalkeeper Samir Handanovic.

Ukraine improved after the break, with Yevgen Konoplyanka going close and Denys Garmash miscuing his shot at the crucial moment, but the big moment of the half fell to Cesar again.

The skipper had peeled off to the back post and nodded a header at goal - but Ukraine keeper Andri Pyatov pulled off a sensational save to keep it out.

But the game was punctuated by many fouls and the game even had to be stopped while officials removed five flares that had been thrown onto the pitch.

A red card seemed inevitable and it arrived in stoppage time when Miso Brecko was dismissed for a shameful hack on Konoplyanka, before Yarmolenko ensured Ukraine's qualification, finishing off a counter-attack to tap in with the last kick of the game.

1' LUCKY ESCAPE! Well, within 7 seconds Cesar has been booked for throwing an elbow and he should be off! That is a clear red card and one can only guess that it's not been given because it came so early.

10' GOOD SAVE! Big stop by Handanovic, who has to get down to stop a fizzing drive by Seleznyov from 20 yards.

11' GOAL! Slovenia 1-0 Ukraine: Captain Cesar scores for the hosts! A shot is blocked, the ball pops up for Cesar, who was perfectly placed at the far post to head in.

29' CHANCE! Seleznyov has a chance after a terrible pass puts Ukraine in on goal, but his shot lacks power or conviction and Handanovic gets down to make the save.

49' CHANCE! Konoplyanka cuts inside to his right foot and drills a dangerous shot at goal from 20 yards, but Handanovic makes an important stop low to his right.

62' MISCUE! Almost an instant impact by the substitute Garmash! The ball is pinging around the Slovenia penalty area and it falls to Garmash, but he miscues when he had a clear sight of goal.

74' HUGE CHANCE! Cesar should have put Slovenia 2-0 up! Cesar peels off at a corner and his free header was sneaking in, but Pyatov pulls off an incredible one-handed save.

90'+2 RED CARD: Brecko is sent off for Slovenia for a disgusting, pre-meditated hack on Konoplyanka. That really was shameful.

90'+7 GOAL! Slovenia 1-1 Ukraine: Yarmolenko scores after Slovenia commit every player forward, Kravets leads the counter-attack after Kampl slips and Yarmolenko taps in.

Can Ukraine make an impression in France next summer? That appears unlikely. Yarmolenko is always a threat for them and they have a good goalkeeper in Pyatov, but they made really heavy weather of this game and have fundamental flaws that will make it difficult for them to progress beyond the group phase in France.

Samir Handanovic (Slovenia): Kept Slovenia in the game with two or three key saves. Slovenia stayed in it until the seventh minute of stoppage time, but it would have been far earlier if not for those crucial stops.

SLOVENIA: Handanovic 8; Ilic 6, Brecko 4, Cesar 6, Jokic 5; Kampl 7, Krhin 6, Birsa 6, Pecnik 6; Novakovic 5, Bezjak 5. Subs: Ilicic 6, Ljubijankic 5, Lazarevic n/a.

UKRAINE: Pyatov 7; Fedetskiy 5, Khacheridi Rakitskiy 5, Shevchuk 6; Stepanenko 6, Sydorchuk 4, Rybalka 5; Konoplyanka 6, Yarmolenko 6, Seleznyov 5. Subs: Garmash 5, Kravets 6, Timoshchuk n/a.