Ukraine through to quarter-finals!
Wednesday, June 30, 2021
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In the European Championship Round of 16, the national team of Ukraine met with Sweden in Glasgow
Three Shakhtar players in the starting XI
In this match, the head coach of the national team Andriy Shevchenko decided to deploy three central defenders. Sergii Kryvtsov made his first start during this Euro campaign. Also, the lineup featured Mykola Matviienko and defensive midfielder Taras Stepanenko.
Goals by Zinchenko and Forsberg
The teams delivered a super tense and exciting first half. In terms of the play, it was even: both sides had some promising approaches to each other’s goals, having largely equal possession and attempts figures. The same thing happened to the score. In the 27th minute, following a spectacular move, the Ukrainians went in front: the ball is sent to the right-hand side of the pitch and laid out by Shaparenko to Yarmolenko whose cross with the outside of his foot ends up at Zinchenko, with the latter blasting in a great shot past Olsen. A little later, Yarmolenko sent the ball high from the same position. The Swedes, however, managed to equalize just before the half-time whistle - Forsberg scored from outside the penalty area after the ball bounced off the defender’s leg.
Spectacular football
In the second half, the game gave a moment’s break to neither the players nor the audience. Stepanenko and Larsson sent the ball side from long range. In the 55th minute, Sydorchuk hit a Yarmolenko delivery against the near goalpost. And literally in the next attack, Forsberg tried to score through a bent shot only to see Ukraine being rescued by a goalpost. Matviienko and Kryvtsov played reliably in their penalty area on a few occasions. In the 66th minute, Buschan flashed his skill while parrying away a great attempt by Kulusevski. A few moments later, Yarmolenko fired a Yaremchuk pass on target only to see Olsen stop it. Finally, the indefatigable Forsberg dribbled across the penalty area and hit the crossbar after cutting inside! Threatening gradually gave way to pragmatism as the match was approaching the end of normal time. Nevertheless, one long ball in the 88th minute got past the Ukraine defenders, but Zabarnyi was prompt to save a Kulusevski attempt.
Sending-off, injuries, passions and winner
In extra time, Andriy Shevchenko fielded fresh Besedin and Makarenko instead of Yaremchuk and Stepanenko. Janne Andersson waited a few minutes and made a triple substitution. Immediately after that, Danielson roughly fouled on Besedin by kicking the latter in the fibula area, for which the referee sent the former off after a VAR check, while the injured Artem had to be substituted. The cost of an error might be extremely high, with the play splitting into short episodes interrupted by injuries and breaks. Kryvtsov also got an ankle injury, but was able to return to the field. In the second extra-time half, Malynovskyi brought Dovbyk through on target with a smart pass, with the latter sending it high despite being caught offside anyway. Later, Ruslan himself caught a deflected ball to volley it just inches off the post. And when it seemed that everything would be decided in a penalty shootout, Dovbyk avoided an offside position and headed a Zinchenko cross right home, making it 2-1 in favour of the Ukraine national team!
Andriy Shevchenko's team have advanced to the Euro quarter-finals to face England in Rome on July 3rd (at 22:00).
Sweden 1-2 Ukraine
Goals: 0-1 Zinchenko (27’), 1-1 Forsberg (43’), 1-2 Dovbyk (120+1’)
Ukraine: Buschan, Zabarnyi, Kryvtsov, Matviienko, Karavaev, Sydorchuk (Bezus - 118’), Stepanenko (Makarenko - 94’), Zinchenko, Yarmolenko (c) (Dovbyk - 106’), Shaparenko (Malynovskyi - 61’), Yaremchuk (Besedin - 91’; Tsyhankov - 101’)
In this match, the head coach of the national team Andriy Shevchenko decided to deploy three central defenders. Sergii Kryvtsov made his first start during this Euro campaign. Also, the lineup featured Mykola Matviienko and defensive midfielder Taras Stepanenko.
Goals by Zinchenko and Forsberg
The teams delivered a super tense and exciting first half. In terms of the play, it was even: both sides had some promising approaches to each other’s goals, having largely equal possession and attempts figures. The same thing happened to the score. In the 27th minute, following a spectacular move, the Ukrainians went in front: the ball is sent to the right-hand side of the pitch and laid out by Shaparenko to Yarmolenko whose cross with the outside of his foot ends up at Zinchenko, with the latter blasting in a great shot past Olsen. A little later, Yarmolenko sent the ball high from the same position. The Swedes, however, managed to equalize just before the half-time whistle - Forsberg scored from outside the penalty area after the ball bounced off the defender’s leg.
Spectacular football
In the second half, the game gave a moment’s break to neither the players nor the audience. Stepanenko and Larsson sent the ball side from long range. In the 55th minute, Sydorchuk hit a Yarmolenko delivery against the near goalpost. And literally in the next attack, Forsberg tried to score through a bent shot only to see Ukraine being rescued by a goalpost. Matviienko and Kryvtsov played reliably in their penalty area on a few occasions. In the 66th minute, Buschan flashed his skill while parrying away a great attempt by Kulusevski. A few moments later, Yarmolenko fired a Yaremchuk pass on target only to see Olsen stop it. Finally, the indefatigable Forsberg dribbled across the penalty area and hit the crossbar after cutting inside! Threatening gradually gave way to pragmatism as the match was approaching the end of normal time. Nevertheless, one long ball in the 88th minute got past the Ukraine defenders, but Zabarnyi was prompt to save a Kulusevski attempt.
Sending-off, injuries, passions and winner
In extra time, Andriy Shevchenko fielded fresh Besedin and Makarenko instead of Yaremchuk and Stepanenko. Janne Andersson waited a few minutes and made a triple substitution. Immediately after that, Danielson roughly fouled on Besedin by kicking the latter in the fibula area, for which the referee sent the former off after a VAR check, while the injured Artem had to be substituted. The cost of an error might be extremely high, with the play splitting into short episodes interrupted by injuries and breaks. Kryvtsov also got an ankle injury, but was able to return to the field. In the second extra-time half, Malynovskyi brought Dovbyk through on target with a smart pass, with the latter sending it high despite being caught offside anyway. Later, Ruslan himself caught a deflected ball to volley it just inches off the post. And when it seemed that everything would be decided in a penalty shootout, Dovbyk avoided an offside position and headed a Zinchenko cross right home, making it 2-1 in favour of the Ukraine national team!
Andriy Shevchenko's team have advanced to the Euro quarter-finals to face England in Rome on July 3rd (at 22:00).
Sweden 1-2 Ukraine
Goals: 0-1 Zinchenko (27’), 1-1 Forsberg (43’), 1-2 Dovbyk (120+1’)
Ukraine: Buschan, Zabarnyi, Kryvtsov, Matviienko, Karavaev, Sydorchuk (Bezus - 118’), Stepanenko (Makarenko - 94’), Zinchenko, Yarmolenko (c) (Dovbyk - 106’), Shaparenko (Malynovskyi - 61’), Yaremchuk (Besedin - 91’; Tsyhankov - 101’)