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[caption id="attachment_16080" align="alignnone" width="580"] Arkadiusz Milik scored the solitary goal for Poland. Twitter[/caption] Internet Desk: Northern Ireland's first match at a European Championship finals ended in defeat as Arkadiusz Milik's 51st-minute goal gave Poland a 1-0 win in Nice. Ajax star Milik scored by slotting in a low shot after being picked out by Jakub Blaszczykowski. Poland had dominated the first half but were thwarted by some superb defending by Michael O'Neill's men. Northern Ireland did not manage to get a decent effort on target and must now regroup to play Ukraine on Thursday. Poland deserved the three points, the first time they have won an opening match at a Euro finals, inflicting a first defeat in 13 on their Group C opponents. Northern Ireland endured an anxious opening and must have been relieved to get to the break still on level terms - they have now conceded just one first-half goal in their last 21 matches. But that all changed when Milik, scorer of 24 for his club last season, took one touch before finding the net with a left-foot shot. With Northern Ireland having to find something, Shane Ferguson was replaced in the 66th minute by QPR striker Conor Washington - who was working as a postman and playing for St Ives when the Euros were last staged in 2012. Jamie Ward later came on too but it just was not happening for the team in green. Their best hope was a well-worked free-kick which ended with skipper Steven Davis just failing to get in his shot. [caption id="attachment_16081" align="alignnone" width="580"] Luka Modric scored the winner for Croatia. Twitter[/caption] Meanwhile, Luka Modric scored a sensational long-range volley as Croatia deservedly opened their Euro 2016 campaign with victory over Turkey in Paris. Modric struck towards the end of the first half and his team created numerous chances to extend their lead as they dominated after the interval. Darijo Srna and Ivan Perisic struck the woodwork while Turkey keeper Volkan Babacan made several good saves as Croatia won the first match of a tough group that includes Spain and the Czech Republic. Turkey's best chance came in the opening half, when Ozan Tufan saw his header saved - but despite being roared on by their passionate fans inside the Parc des Princes, they were second best on Sunday. They did produce one scare for the Croatian defence right at the end but there was a timely block from Vedran Corluka, who was wearing a white bandage that evoked shades of former England defender Terry Butcher after suffering a cut to his head from a stray elbow in the first half.