In preparation for the final tournament of Euro 2023 (U-21), the Ukrainian national team played a friendly match against Italy last Monday.
n March 24 in Belek, Turkey, the Blue and Yellows defeated the Danish youth team in another sparring match. Denmark - 3: 2. After that, the Ukrainians moved to the south of the Apennine Peninsula, where yesterday they met with the Italian youth team.
It should be noted that the actions of his wards were led by the head coach of the youth team Ruslan Rotan, who returned from the location of the main team of the country.
Friendly match
ITALY (U-21) - UKRAINE (U-21) - 3: 1 (1:0)
Goals: Lovato (19), Colombo (71, 82) - Kashchuk (68)
Ukraine (U-21): Neshcheret, Lyakh, Taloverov (K), Batagov, Vivcharenko, Mykhaylenko (Ocheretko, 69), Brazhko, Kashchuk (Khlan, 69), Kryskiv, Viunnyk (Nazarenko, 77), Sikan (Kukharevych, 77).
Substitutes: Kinareikin, Fesyun, Didyk, Zhelyzko, Bilovar, Drambayev, Rubchynsky, Bol, Roman, Bragaru.
Italy (U-21): Turati, Okoli, Lovato, Pirola, Bellanova (Pierozzi, 77), Ricci (C), Udodji, Faggioli, Beauvais (Fabbian, 77), Cancellieri (Oristano, 69), Colombo (Mulattieri, 89).
From the first minutes, the initiative was on the side of the hosts, in particular, Faggioli scored on target. The blue and yellows can only note an inaccurate header from Viunnik. In the 19th minute, the Italians took the lead - Faggioli made a standard from the right flank, and Lovato closed with his head. 1:0.
In the middle of the half, Kryskiv made a good pass to the penalty area to Kashchuk, but he was prevented from scoring. Closer to the break, the speed increased, and the hosts had a great stretch. So, Faggioli took two dangerous free kicks, after one of which he hit the post, and once again our team was saved by Neshcheret. The blue and yellows responded with a shot by Sikan on target. And in the time added by the referee, Udodji broke into the penalty area and passed to Cancellieri, who lacked accuracy.
After the break, the hosts continued to control the ball, Neshcheret saved after shots by Cancellieri and Bove. In the 68th minute, the Ukrainians equalized - Viunnyk passed to Kashchuk, who managed to get into the penalty area through the opposition and beat the keeper with a shot from the right.
However, very soon the Italians regained the advantage when, during one of the attacks, Neshcheret and the crossbar helped our team out, but on the third attempt Colombo sent the ball into the net. Subsequently, the Apennine striker made a double, closing Oristano's cross from the left flank. As a result, the hosts won 3-1.
It will be recalled that this year the youth national team of Ukraine will take part in the final tournament of Euro 2023 (U-21). A total of 16 teams will take part in the forum, which will take place from June 21 to July 8 in Georgia and Romania. As a result of the draw, which took place on October 18 last year in Bucharest, the blue and yellows got into Group B, where they will meet Romania, Spain and Croatia. The top three teams of Euro 2023 (except France and England) will receive tickets to the 2024 Olympic Games.