Ukraine U19 through to Euro semis
Tuesday, July 24, 2018
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Ukraine U19 successfully passed the group stage and reached the European U19 Championship semi-finals
Topping the group and the World Cup berth
The Ukrainians got a tough quartet with France, England and Turkey, but the team of Oleksandr Petrakov did not just look decent in every match, but also became the winners in their group. In the opener, the Blue-Yellows beat France (2-1), then they were tied with England (1-1), and narrowly defeated Turkey in the last round (1-0). As a result, the Ukrainians topped Group B with 7 points and qualified for the World Cup to be held next year in Poland.
The Miners on side
Five Shakhtar players - Valerii Bondar (the team captain), Viktor Kornienko, Yukhym Konoplia, Maksym Chekh and Andrii Kulakov play for Ukraine at the Euro 2018. All of them took part in the group round games. Bondar and Korniienko played three games without substitutions, with Konoplia providing an assist in the first meeting vs France.
- In this group, all games were really tough, but we carefully prepared for the Euro: we gathered in advance, we trained hard and approached the tournament in good shape. Most importantly, in each match we followed the coach’s game plan and showcased our football - hence the outcome, - says the Ukraine and Shakhtar defender Viktor Korniienko. - The first spot was, perhaps, unexpected, but absolutely deserved thing: we defeated the championship favourites France, playing on even terms with the strong Englishmen. Most importantly, we made it to the knockout stage and qualified for the World Cup, where we will represent our country and the club.
In the Euro 2018 semi-final, Ukraine will lock horns with Portugal who have topped up Group A. The match will be held on July 26, at 15:00.
The Ukrainians got a tough quartet with France, England and Turkey, but the team of Oleksandr Petrakov did not just look decent in every match, but also became the winners in their group. In the opener, the Blue-Yellows beat France (2-1), then they were tied with England (1-1), and narrowly defeated Turkey in the last round (1-0). As a result, the Ukrainians topped Group B with 7 points and qualified for the World Cup to be held next year in Poland.
The Miners on side
Five Shakhtar players - Valerii Bondar (the team captain), Viktor Kornienko, Yukhym Konoplia, Maksym Chekh and Andrii Kulakov play for Ukraine at the Euro 2018. All of them took part in the group round games. Bondar and Korniienko played three games without substitutions, with Konoplia providing an assist in the first meeting vs France.
- In this group, all games were really tough, but we carefully prepared for the Euro: we gathered in advance, we trained hard and approached the tournament in good shape. Most importantly, in each match we followed the coach’s game plan and showcased our football - hence the outcome, - says the Ukraine and Shakhtar defender Viktor Korniienko. - The first spot was, perhaps, unexpected, but absolutely deserved thing: we defeated the championship favourites France, playing on even terms with the strong Englishmen. Most importantly, we made it to the knockout stage and qualified for the World Cup, where we will represent our country and the club.
In the Euro 2018 semi-final, Ukraine will lock horns with Portugal who have topped up Group A. The match will be held on July 26, at 15:00.