Victory of the national team
Wednesday, June 11, 2025
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On 11 June, Ukraine played their second match at the Canadian Shield friendly tournament, facing New Zealand
Head coach Serhii Rebrov made extensive changes to the line-up compared to the first match, with one Shakhtar representative starting from the opening minutes – midfielder Yehor Nazaryna.
The match saw even game, with both teams trying to respond to each attack with one of their own. Ukraine created the first dangerous chance when Hutsuliak headed towards goal from a few metres out after a cross from Pikhalonok, but the opposing goalkeeper Crocombe reacted and saved his team. Gradually, the Blue-and-Yellows began to dominate play and had two excellent opportunities to open the scoring in the middle of the half: first, Kabaiev shot over the bar from the edge of the penalty area, and in the next attack Zubkov backheeled the ball to Tymchyk, whose shot was parried by the keeper, while Kabaiev failed to hit the target on the rebound. Shortly before the break, Nazaryna had two dangerous long-range efforts – the first went over the crossbar and the second was saved by Crocombe.
The goals came in the second half and the Ukrainians were the first to score. In the 54th minute, Mykhailichenko passed from the left flank closer to the centre to Hutsuliak, who entered the penalty area and struck accurately into the near corner, making it 0-1. However, New Zealand equalized just five minutes later: the ball was sent into the centre of the goal area after a corner kick, with Stamenic heading it into the net. In the middle of the half, Serhii Rebrov made a series of substitutions, and it was the fresh players who created the second goal for the Blue-and-Yellows. In the 75th minute, Martyniuk delivered a cross from the left flank into the centre of the penalty area, where Zinchenko burst in from deep and volleyed into the right corner – 1-2. Tsyhankov could have scored immediately afterwards, but his effort from a rebound went just wide of the post.
2-1 – Ukraine finished the Canadian Shield mini-tournament with a victory over New Zealand.
The match saw even game, with both teams trying to respond to each attack with one of their own. Ukraine created the first dangerous chance when Hutsuliak headed towards goal from a few metres out after a cross from Pikhalonok, but the opposing goalkeeper Crocombe reacted and saved his team. Gradually, the Blue-and-Yellows began to dominate play and had two excellent opportunities to open the scoring in the middle of the half: first, Kabaiev shot over the bar from the edge of the penalty area, and in the next attack Zubkov backheeled the ball to Tymchyk, whose shot was parried by the keeper, while Kabaiev failed to hit the target on the rebound. Shortly before the break, Nazaryna had two dangerous long-range efforts – the first went over the crossbar and the second was saved by Crocombe.
The goals came in the second half and the Ukrainians were the first to score. In the 54th minute, Mykhailichenko passed from the left flank closer to the centre to Hutsuliak, who entered the penalty area and struck accurately into the near corner, making it 0-1. However, New Zealand equalized just five minutes later: the ball was sent into the centre of the goal area after a corner kick, with Stamenic heading it into the net. In the middle of the half, Serhii Rebrov made a series of substitutions, and it was the fresh players who created the second goal for the Blue-and-Yellows. In the 75th minute, Martyniuk delivered a cross from the left flank into the centre of the penalty area, where Zinchenko burst in from deep and volleyed into the right corner – 1-2. Tsyhankov could have scored immediately afterwards, but his effort from a rebound went just wide of the post.
2-1 – Ukraine finished the Canadian Shield mini-tournament with a victory over New Zealand.