Soccer is known as "the beautiful game." And sometimes it is just that: beautiful.
Andriy Shevchenko probably understood this more than anything on June 11th. Ancient in soccer years at 35, Shevchenko scored two spectacular aerial goals to push one of the co-hosts to victory in the first game, giving Ukraine a position atop Group D.
Not only was it beautiful play, but the joy and pride on the faces of the host countries' fans was enough for anyone new to the sport of soccer to understand the importance and beauty of the game.
After finding themselves down 1-0 on a well-developed goal by Zlatan Ibrahimovic early in the second half, the blue and yellow found a away to connect with a tenacious Shevchenko on two occasions, sending Olympic Stadium into a complete state of pandemonium.
What is so beautiful about the occasion may be the fact that a European after-thought finds itself above perennial powers France and England. Or that a man who may have been retired had his home country not been hosting the most prestigious tournament in soccer scored two goals.
I can't wait to see what the beautiful game provides us with the rest of the tournament.
