( CNN ) -- Euro 2012 hosts Ukraine were brought back down to earth after their opening match heroics as France clinched a 2-0 victory in stormy Donetsk . Play in the Group D match was suspended for 58 minutes as spectacular torrential rain and forked lightning put the players ' safety at risk . When the teams returned to the field , the French made their superior technical ability count as clinical second-half strikes from Jeremy Menez and Yohan Cabaye sealed a comfortable win . In Group D 's other game , England won a thrilling contest against Sweden to dump the Scandinavians out of the tournament . Soccer Live : Euro 2012 day 8 as it happened . Young striker Danny Welbeck hit a brilliant winner 13 minutes from time after Sweden briefly led through Olof Mellberg 's double strike . Andy Carroll and Theo Walcott were also on target for England in the 3-2 triumph , their first ever competitive victory over the Swedes . Ukraine 0-2 France . Group D favorites France proved too good for hosts Ukraine in a rain-affected Euro 2012 clash in Donetsk . After a huge thunderstorm caused play to be suspended for almost an hour during the first half , Jeremy Menez and Yohan Cabaye struck after the break to seal victory for Laurent Blanc 's side . The game begun amid torrential rain and within five minutes of kick-off , Dutch referee Bjorn Kuipers ordered the teams off the field as thunder and treacherous forked lightning engulfed the Donbass Arena . The continuation of the match looked in doubt as large puddles of water began to form on the pitch but 58 minutes later , the teams re-emerged to clearer skies . Ukraine , despite the cacophonous roar from the crowd that greeted their every thrust forward , found it tough to cope with France 's slicker passing and movement . Home goalkeeper Andriy Pyatov was forced into a wonderful save with his feet to deny Menez , before batting away a Phillippe Mexes header . Veteran striker Andriy Shevchenko , a two-goal hero in Ukraine 's opening match against Sweden , again looked the hosts ' most potent threat . He saw one rasping strike palmed away by Hugo Lloris and then sent a thunderous long-range effort whistling inches over the bar shortly after the break . But just as Ukraine were finding their rhythm , France swept up the field and broke the deadlock . After some fine interplay between Franck Ribery and Karim Benzema , Menez cut inside Yevhen Selin and drilled a shot in at the near post . Three minutes later , Cabaye latched on to Benzema 's pass and buried an effort past Pyatov from 15 yards . The goals completely deflated the Ukrainians , who escaped going further behind when Cabaye blasted against the post after a mesmerizing spell of French possession . The win stretches Le Bleus ' unbeaten run to an imposing 23 games and it also made a bit of history . It is , incredibly , the first time they have won a European Championship match without either Zinedine Zidane or Michel Platini in their side . England 3-2 Sweden . England striker Danny Welbeck 's sumptuous late winner settled a topsy-turvy match as Sweden were sent crashing out of Euro 2012 . The Manchester United man 's cheeky backheel sealed the points for England after Olof Mellberg 's brace for Sweden had threatened to derail their more illustrious opponents . It was a sweet , if nerve-jangling , victory for the English , for whom Sweden had become something of a bogey team in international tournaments . But where England failed in Euro 1992 and the World Cups of 2002 and 2006 , they succeeded in Kiev to put themselves in a strong position in Group D. A point in their final pool match against Ukraine , in which the talismanic Wayne Rooney returns from suspension , will be enough to see England into the quarter-finals . Roy Hodgson 's side were on top in the first half and their pressure told when Steven Gerrard sent an inch-perfect cross into the box for Carroll to plant a trademark bullet header past Andreas Isaksson . But Carroll 's wild challenge on Kim Kallstrom then produced the free-kick that led to Sweden 's somewhat scrappy equalizer . Zlatan Ibrahimovic hit the set-piece against the wall before his miscued volley fell to Mellberg , whose shot was parried by Joe Hart only to bounce off Glen Johnson and over the line . The Scandinavians , needing a win , then went in front when Mellberg rose unmarked to head home his second goal from Sebastian Larsson 's free-kick . But England hit back when an Ashley Young corner was cleared straight to Walcott , whose 20-yard strike deceived Isaksson and flew into the middle of the net . Substitute Walcott was then instrumental in England 's third goal , racing to the byline and cutting the ball back for Welbeck to flick home a stunning backheel .
France beat hosts Ukraine 2-0 in rain-lashed Euro 2012 clash . Jeremy Menez and Yohan Cabaye on target after 58-minute delay due to storm . Danny Welbeck hits stunning winner as England edge Sweden 3-2 . Swedes become the second team eliminated from tournament .