DONETSK, June 15: Former World champion France defeated co-hosts Ukraine 2-0 in their Euro 2012 Group D match on Friday. With this win 1998 World Cup winning France the top position in their group with 4 points from two matches ahead of Ukraine who beat Sweden in their first match.

Menez and Cabaye were the scorers for France in the second half. after a goalless first half, the former World champion started positively in the second half by creating some handfull attacks.

France took the lead in 67th minute through Menez who scored his second international goal. He capitalized on Karim Benzema’s pass to beat the Ukranian goalkeeper. Then just after two minutes the home crowd once again silenced by second goal from Cabaye. He netted first timein the French jersey.

The game had originally been suspended for 57 minutes after the referee Bjorn Kuipers took the players off five minutes into the game because of torrential rain on Friday.

The first-half when it did resume saw France’s Jeremy Menez have a goal ruled out for offside and then the Paris Saint Germain wing had a shot blocked by Ukrainian ‘keeper Andrei Pyatov in the 29th minute.

Pyatov did brilliantly as well to save a point blank header from Philippe Mexes later in the half while Ukraine’s best opportunity saw Hugo Lloris save well from Ukrainian captain Andrei Shevchenko.

Ukraine top the group on three points after beating Sweden 2-1 while France and England are on a point apiece after the opening games.

England play Sweden later in Kiev. Agencies