Andriy Shevchenko turned back the clock, guiding Ukraine to a 2-1 victory over Sweden in their Group D match on Monday.
The home team still rely heavily on their 35-year-old captain, and the former Chelsea and AC Milan striker did not disappoint, scoring both goals in Ukraine's crucial win.
Shevchenko netted two second-half headers in the 55th and 62nd minutes after current Milan striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic had given Sweden the lead in the 52nd.
Meanwhile, England captain Steven Gerrard said he was happy with his side's 1-1 draw with France earlier in the day. "We would have been delighted with a win but as you saw tonight France have got fantastic players," Gerrard told ITV1.
"We caused them as many problems as they caused us so we're satisfied with the performance.
"But we said before the game that win, lose or draw we wouldn't get carried away and that this was just a platform. It's great to get off the mark points-wise."
Gerrard was impressed by Arsenal winger Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who was preferred to Gerrard's Liverpool teammate Stewart Downing. "They're young players but good players. Wayne Rooney showed all those years ago that if you're good enough, you're old enough.
"Oxlade-Chamberlain showed tonight that he's good enough for this level. He's still got a lot of learning to do, but playing with experienced players he'll get there."
Hodgson was satisfied to pick up a point against a tough French side. "I've had three games. I am satisfied with those three games but you don't become a really good team in three matches and 10 training sessions.
"The French have gone 22 games unbeaten. They've not done that overnight. It's been people playing together, getting to know each other's games.
"The longer we play together, the better we'll become too.
"This gives us a good platform. Hopefully we'll get fitter. The more we train and get matches under our belts the fitter we'll become."
"I have to be proud of their display. No player let us down. I was confident the players would not let us down."
Hodgson said he had no concerns starting with Oxlade-Chamberlain and tipped him to have a bright England future. "He deserved it. The way he's played since coming into the squad, the performance he gave against Belgium, the ability he has to skip past defenders, which is an important ability to have, is excellent.
"I said to him before the game that this was a big occasion, but there'll be so many more big occasions in the rest of his career so he shouldn't hang himself on this occasion.
"I just wanted him to play to the best of his ability, and remember he had plenty of games for England ahead of him."
France coach Laurent Blanc was not happy with France's slow start. "England were excellent for the first 20 minutes.
"We took a while to get into the game and, as ever, we were punished. Perhaps it was inexperience but we didn't start the game as we'd hoped to.
"Had we not reacted we could have lost this game. I hope that doesn't happen again. In the next game, we have to get into it right from the outset."