Ukraine Rally Back To Beat Germany

Ukraine put a serious dent in the qualification hopes of Germany after they finally got off the mark by sneaking past the hosts 74-69 in Berlin thanks to the red-hot downtown shooting of Maryna Sazonenko.

The guard drilled home 6 triples in a crucial 17 point haul as the visitors got their own back for a narrow four point home floor loss to Germany on the opening day of the campaign.

Germany will be kicking themselves for a rotten finish to the game and also for throwing away the fourteen point lead which they held early in the second quarter.

Ukraine haven't exactly been prolific so far during the Qualifying Round and so when the hosts moved 39-25 ahead after a score by Linda Fröhlich seventeen minutes into the game, they perhaps thought it would be something of a procession.

However it proved to be far from that as the home team allowed Ukraine to get back into the game ahead of half-time.

The visitors finished by scoring eleven of the last fourteen points and headed to the locker rooms with a new found impetus at 42-36.

While Germany kept Ukraine at arms length for five minutes into the third quarter when they still led 50-43, they then collapsed as Ukraine again finished the period strongly.

A 9-2 run was finished by OIena Ogorodnikova as she tied the scores up and then the same player put her team in front.

Germany looked to have steadied themselves during the fourth quarter when they moved back in front at 63-60 thanks to a triple by Fröhlich but they then dried up altogether.

Ukraine scored nine unanswered points and that was the run that effectively ended the hopes of the home team - even if they did briefly make it a one shot-game with a minute to go.

Fröhlich finished with an impressive double-double of 19 points and 11 rebounds for Germany.

Quotes Germany vs. Ukraine

"The reason why we lost this game today was that we struggled too much offensively in the second half. We did not get our offense running and the Ukraine shot too many three-pointers.

"But we are still alive and everything is in our own hands. This qualification round is like a rollercoaster."

Germany Player Margret Skuballa:
"Of course we are still very frustrated after this tough loss at home. But we have to shift our focus to the next two games. Our intensity defensively was not the same in the second half and this also influenced our offense."

Ukraine Head Coach Iryna Shipakina:
"It was a very tough fight from the first to the last minute. I believed in the win from the first minute. Our girls played very well and I am proud on their character they showed tonight."

Ukraine player Lyubov Alyoshkina:
"It is my birthday today and the girls gave me the perfect present. I think we fought back very well after Germany beat us at home. We are very happy that we still have a chance and we want to be on the top in the end and not on the bottom."