Last updated on .From the section European Football

Ukraine players celebrate reaching their second successive European Championship finals

Ukraine held off a spirited Slovenia fightback to clinch their place at next summer's European Championship finals.

Ukraine took a 2-0 lead from the first leg to Maribor, but conceded after 11 minutes when home skipper Bostjan Cesar headed in from close range.

Slovenia pressed to take the tie into extra time but created few chances.

Home right-back Miso Brecko was sent off in injury time, before Andriy Yarmolenko secured Ukraine's spot by converting after a counter-attack.

Ukraine earned qualification to a European Championship finals for the first time, having automatically reached the 2012 tournament as co-hosts.

Now they will go to France hoping to improve on their group-stage exit three years ago.

Ukraine built a convincing first-leg lead in a dominant display in Lviv on Saturday, but offered little attacking threat in the first half of the return leg as Slovenia threatened a comeback.

After Cesar converted Valter Birsa's cross, the home side enjoyed plenty of possession as they searched for a second goal to level the aggregate score.

However, they could not beat Ukraine keeper Andriy Pyatov, who denied Cesar in the 74th minute with a smart one-handed save.

Brecko was dismissed for a high challenge as home frustrations grew, Yarmolenko finally converting the equaliser following a three-man Ukrainian breakaway.

Slovenia had won 10 of their 12 previous matches at Stadium Ljudski in Maribor

Who are the 24 teams at Euro 2016?

Albania, Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, England, France, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Northern Ireland, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Ireland, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, Wales.