On Monday, November 20, the Ukrainian national football team, which lost to Italy in the away match (1:2), played a decisive match at the BayArena stadium in Leverkusen, Germany, against the reigning European champions for a ticket to Euro 2024.
Euro 2024 selection. Group C
Ukraine – Italy – 0:0
Ukraine: Trubin, Mikolenko, Zabarny, Svatok (Malinovsky, 90+1), Hemp (Timchik, 86), Stepanenko (Pikhalenok, 80), Zinchenko (Sikan, 86), Sudakov, Mudrik, Tsygankov (Zubkov, 80), Dovbik.
The tournament schedule before the confrontation between the teams of Sergei Rebrov and Luciano Spalletti, whom Ukrainian tennis player Sergei Stakhovsky called a prostitute, was extremely simple. Squadra Azzurra was happy with even a draw, but the Ukrainian team only needed a victory to qualify directly for the European Championship. Even though the “yellow-blues” have never managed to beat a formidable opponent before (two draws and seven defeats).
Already the opening of the meeting showed that the Italians, wise from the bitter experience of not qualifying for the 2022 World Cup, did not even mentally think about playing for a draw. By and large, with the exception of the episode when Donnarumma had difficulty parrying a dangerous shot from Sudakov and a couple of other attacks by the “yellow-blues,” the Apennines completely controlled the situation on the field before the break, and only Trubin’s brilliant reaction saved Ukraine after the strikes of Barella and Frattesi. The statistics of the strikes – 10:3 in favor of Italy – indicated something.
The Ukrainian football players continued to endure and fight in the second half, especially not allowing the opponents to run wild near their goal. But over time, the Italians, who had a difficult match with North Macedonia a few days ago, began to “get hooked”, and ours moved forward more and more actively. The moment of truth could have come in the 90+3rd minute, but the Spanish referee did not dare award a penalty for a foul on Mudryk in someone else’s penalty area.
Unfortunately, the Ukrainian team was unable to make it out of the “group of death” to the European Championship, which Germany will host next year (Italy was ahead of the “yellow-blues” only due to an advantage in personal meetings). But Sergei Rebrov’s team, which took points from both England and Italy, will still have a chance in March 2024 to get a ticket to Euro 2024 in the playoffs based on the Nations League rankings.
Let us add that in another game day match in Group C, England, which made it to the European Championship ahead of schedule, played away in a draw with North Macedonia – 1:1 (Atanasov, 59, own goal – Bardi, 41; in the 41st minute, Macedonian Bardi scored a penalty).
Final position of the teams: 1. England – 20 points; 2. Italy – 14; 3. Ukraine – 14; 4. North Macedonia – 8; 5. Malta – 0.
In addition to the Italian team, the teams of Austria, England, Belgium, Germany (hosts of the tournament), Spain, Portugal, Slovakia, Turkey, France, Hungary, Scotland, Albania, Denmark, the Netherlands, Romania reached the final part of Euro 2024. Switzerland, Serbia, Slovenia and the Czech Republic. Three more lucky winners will be determined based on the results of the playoff matches.
Previously, FACTS reported that UEFA angered Ukraine before the decisive match with Italy for a ticket to Euro 2024.
Photo uaf.ua
Source: Fakty
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