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Northern Ireland steps up to beat Ukraine 2-0 at Euro 2016

LYON, France (AP) Northern Ireland secured its first victory in a major competition in 34 years when it beat Ukraine 2-0 at the European Championship on Thursday.

Building on a strong finish to the first half, center back Gareth McAuley headed in a free kick from Oliver Norwood in the 49th minute. Substitute Niall McGinn added a second deep in stoppage time when Ukraine was chasing an equalizer.

The victory, Northern Ireland's first since beating host Spain in the 1982 World Cup, means the team has a real chance of qualifying for the knockout stages of Euro 2016.