On Friday 16 June, the Ukraine national team played their second match in the Euro 2024 qualifiers in Skopje, against North Macedonia.
Photo - uaf.uaEuro 2024. Qualifying tournament. Group C
NORTHERN MACEDONIA v UKRAINE - 2:3 (2:0)
Goals: Bardi (31 penalty), Elmas (39) - Zabarny (62), Konoplya (67), Tsygankov (82)
Warnings: S.Ristovski (8), Musliu (55) - Dovbik (45+1)
Penalty: Musliu (72, replay warning)
Ukraine: 12.Trubin - 18.Tymchyk (17.Konoplya, 46), 13.Zabarniy, 22.Matvienko, 16.Mykolenko - 6.Stepanenko, 21.Sudakov - 15.Tsygankov (20.Zubkov, 90+3), 10.Mudryk (5.Sidorchuk, 90), 7.Yarmolenko (K) (8.Malinovsky, 66) - 11.Dovbik (9.Vanat, 46).
The substitutes : 1.Buschan, 23.Lunin, 2.Sobol, 3.Svatok, 4.Kryvtsov, 14.Buyalskyy, 19.Ignatenko.
Northern Macedonia: 1.Dimitrijevski, 8.Alioski, 6.Musliu, 4.Zajkov, 13.S.Ristovski, 3.Ashkovski (2.Brdarovski, 64; 20.Dorian Babunski, 90), 5.Ademi (11.Atanasov, 64), 10.Bardi, 7.Elmas, 23.Nestorovski (19.M.Ristovski, 64), 9.Trajkovski (17.Doriev, 76).
On the reserves: 12.Iliev, 22.Szyszkowski, 14.Wielkowski, 15.Maniew, 16.David Babunski, 18.Elezi, 19.M.Ristovski, 21.Dimoski.
Match transcript and stats >>>>
Post-match press conference >>>>.
Table of the qualifying group C, calendar of games >>>>
The Northern Macedonian national team started the match confidently and as the game progressed they continuously improved their control of the ball. At the same time the hosts did not shy away from small fouls. The Ukraine national team's game clearly lacked flair.
The game turned into a great number of standard positions at the Ukrainian team's goal, one of which became the cause of the first goal. Matvienko's hand was played into a corner, and the referee awarded a penalty after the VAR system was used, which was neatly converted by Bardi, with Trubin and the ball in different corners of the net - 1-0.
The goal inspired the Macedonians, and soon the Ukraine goalkeeper saved his team from a second goal by kicking the ball away following a long-range effort. However, in the 39th minute of the match the national team of Northern Macedonia continued its success - Elmas stroke out the ball from 25 meters and shot it into the "nine" goal of the guests - 2:0. Moreover, towards the end of the first half Macedonians were very close to the third goal: Alioski on a free kick, sent the ball under the crossbar, Trubin managed to reach for it, but beat it right to Trajkovski, who played on the finish from close range, but in this situation the Ukrainian team was saved by Stepanenko, who played as a goalkeeper.
In the second half, the national team of Northern Macedonia played as true to form as possible, defending with great effort, counterattacking without risk and dragging time out in all the right situations. However, in the 62 th th Ukrainians managed to reduce the gap in the account - it was Zabarnyy effectively responded to a gift from a corner by Tsygankov and a header made his debut goal for the team of Ukraine - 2-1. And after five minutes, Konoplya headed home from 14 meters to level the score at 2:2 (and it was also his debut goal).
Finally, 72 minutes into the match, Macedonians found their situation exacerbated by Musliu's sending off for a second yellow card. Then, Tsygankov made a dangerous free-kick - the ball flew over the home team's crossbar. Soon after, Girona's midfielder shot from outside the penalty box (!), but managed to put the ball over the top of the net. However, at the 82nd minute of the match Tsygankov still scored a goal: after responding to a diagonal cross by Mudryk, he jumped one on one with the goalkeeper of Northern Macedonia and header from eight meters sent the ball under the crossbar - 2:3, a volitional victory for Ukraine!
In the other match of the group "C" England beat away Malta - 4:0. As a result, the current standings in the group looks as follows:
1. England - 9 points (3 matches)
2. Italy - 3 (2)
3. Ukraine - 3 (2)
4. Northern Macedonia - 3 (2)
5. Malta - 0 (3)
It should be added that in the next round in this group: Ukraine will play Malta, England will play Northern Macedonia. Both games will be played on June 19.
Alexander POPOV
