A step towards Euro 2024!
Thursday, March 21, 2024
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Ukraine national team won in the semi-finals of the European Championship qualifying play-offs
The starting line-up of the Blue-and-Yellows for the game against Bosnia and Herzegovina included 4 Shakhtar players: defenders Mykola Matviienko and Yukhym Konoplia, midfielders Heorhii Sudakov and Oleksandr Zubkov.
The teams spent the first half as carefully as possible, not risking attacking forcefully and waiting for the opponent’s mistake, and as a result, there were almost no goal-scoring opportunities. Sudakov and Konoplia made inaccurate long-range attempts for the Ukrainians, the Bosnians had their chance closer to the break, when Dzeko and Kolasinac were in the advantageous position, but prevented each other from scoring.
At the beginning of the second half, Zubkov and Konoplia created a good moment – Oleksandr passed to his teammate for the run, and Yukhym made a shot, but it was turned for a corner. But the host team took their chance and opened the scoring in the 57th minute: after the corner kick, Dedic shot from the right edge of the penalty area in a second way attack, and the ball bounced into the far corner from Matviienko’s foot. Serhii Rebrov’s team rushed to fight back and had their opportunities. At first, the defenders blocked Konoplia’s dangerous cross, and Mudryk missed the target when finishing off. And then Mykhailo decided to make a long-range shot, but Sehic got the ball in the left corner. And yet, the Blue-and-Yellows achieved their goal, turning the game around in the final stretch. In the 85th minute, Mudryk found Konoplia on the right wing with a diagonal pass, the latter made a cross to the centre of the penalty area, and Roman Yaremchuk equalised the score with a one-touch shot. And in the 88th minute, Yaremchuk assisted Artem Dovbyk with a pass from the left wing, the latter then brought a victory to the Ukrainians with a header!
2-1 – Ukraine national team defeated Bosnia and Herzegovina and reached the final of the qualification.
On March 26, the Ukrainians will play against Iceland national team in the decisive match. The game will take place in Wroclaw, Poland (it will kick off at 21:45). The winner of the match will go to the 2024 European Championship.
The teams spent the first half as carefully as possible, not risking attacking forcefully and waiting for the opponent’s mistake, and as a result, there were almost no goal-scoring opportunities. Sudakov and Konoplia made inaccurate long-range attempts for the Ukrainians, the Bosnians had their chance closer to the break, when Dzeko and Kolasinac were in the advantageous position, but prevented each other from scoring.
At the beginning of the second half, Zubkov and Konoplia created a good moment – Oleksandr passed to his teammate for the run, and Yukhym made a shot, but it was turned for a corner. But the host team took their chance and opened the scoring in the 57th minute: after the corner kick, Dedic shot from the right edge of the penalty area in a second way attack, and the ball bounced into the far corner from Matviienko’s foot. Serhii Rebrov’s team rushed to fight back and had their opportunities. At first, the defenders blocked Konoplia’s dangerous cross, and Mudryk missed the target when finishing off. And then Mykhailo decided to make a long-range shot, but Sehic got the ball in the left corner. And yet, the Blue-and-Yellows achieved their goal, turning the game around in the final stretch. In the 85th minute, Mudryk found Konoplia on the right wing with a diagonal pass, the latter made a cross to the centre of the penalty area, and Roman Yaremchuk equalised the score with a one-touch shot. And in the 88th minute, Yaremchuk assisted Artem Dovbyk with a pass from the left wing, the latter then brought a victory to the Ukrainians with a header!
2-1 – Ukraine national team defeated Bosnia and Herzegovina and reached the final of the qualification.
On March 26, the Ukrainians will play against Iceland national team in the decisive match. The game will take place in Wroclaw, Poland (it will kick off at 21:45). The winner of the match will go to the 2024 European Championship.