On Saturday, 14 October, the Ukraine national team played its next match within the Euro 2024 qualifying tournament - in Prague, against the team of Northern Macedonia.
Photo - Alexander PopovEuro 2024. Qualifying tournament. Group C.
UKRAINE - NORTH MACEDONIA - 2:0 (1:0)
Goals: Sudakov (30), Karavaev (90+6)
Warnings: Malinovskiy (69) - Serafimov (90+2), Ademi (90+4)
Ukraine: 12.Trubin - 2.Konoplya, 22.Matvienko, 13.Zabarny, 16.Mikolenko - 6.Stepanenko (K), 17.Zinchenko (5.Sidorchuk, 76) - 20.Zubkov (8.Malinovskyi, 67), 7.Sudakov (4.Svatok, 87), 10.Mudryk (21.Karavaev, 87) - 11.Dovbik (9.Yaremchuk, 76).
Reserves: 1.Buschan, 23.Riznyk, 3.Mykhailichenko,14.Buyalskyi, 15.Nazarina, 18.Pikhalenok, 19.Vanat.
North Macedonia: 1.Dimitrievski, 4.Serafimov, 6.Musliu, 15.Manev (11.Churlinov, 46), 3.Ashkovski (14.Dimoski, 76), 17.Elezi (13.Doriev, 74), 21.Atanasov (5.Ademi, 63), 10.Bardi (K), 8.Alioski, 7.Elmas, 20.Miovski (9.Trajkovski, 84).
Reserves: 12.Aleksovski, 22.Siszkowski, 2.Iliasovski, 16.Mitrovski, 18.Alimi, 19.Ristovski, 23.Todoroski.
Match transcript and statistics >>>
Post-match press conference >>>>
Group C qualifying table, calendar of games >>>
The match started, as expected, with attacks of our national team. Obviously, Sergei Rebrov demanded from his subordinates not to repeat the mistakes of the first match with the Macedonians, when we looked frankly weak in the first half. However, today's game was not without "validol".
It was the Ukraine national team that managed to create the first moment in the match - Dovbik stretched the ball on the right flank and, breaking into the opponent's penalty area, shot from close range straight at the goalkeeper. A few minutes later, Mudryk created an identical moment - also entering the North Macedonia penalty area, the midfielder failed to beat Dimitrijevski.
It is noteworthy that after this episode, the Chelsea midfielder began to play even more in attack, often not passing to his partners who were in more favourable positions. In addition, Mudryk frankly could not keep up with his counterpart in defence when our team was defending. However, towards the middle of the half, our team still managed to open the scoring! Sudakov, having taken the ball from the opponent near his penalty box, moved to the centre and shot from twenty meters - the "shell", having hit the guests' defender on the way, flew into the goal - 1:0!
And then something inexplicable began. After scoring a goal, Rebrov's charges for some reason stepped back and allowed their opponents to control the ball for a long time. As a result - two super goalscoring chances at our goal. First Trubin played reliably after Miovski's one-on-one with him, and then parried the shot of Elmas, who was missed on the flank by Mudrik. It seemed that the end of the half would be completely for the Macedonians, but before the half-time whistle the score could be doubled by Dovbik, but his head shot was slightly inaccurate....
But the beginning of the second half was still in favour of the North Macedonian players. Having made a number of substitutions, Blagoja Milevski decided to strengthen the offensive line. It was Churlinov, who came on as a substitute, who could equalise in the 54th minute. The forward broke through three of our defenders into the penalty area and somehow miraculously shot past the goal from two metres.
The Macedonians were openly playing first choice, but it was in such a situation that we had two great chances to remove all questions about the winner of the game. First, Sudakov unleashed a beautiful counterattack, passing to Dovbik. The Girona striker put Mudryk one-on-one with Dimitrijevski, but the Ukrainian failed to convert the chance. A minute later the visitors were saved by the crossbar after a header from Matvienko!
Towards the end of the game, the pace slowed down a bit, as the physical condition of both teams was not unlimited. But even in such a "quiet" game our national team had a great chance to score a second goal. In the 84th minute Sudakov dared to take a long-range shot - and only Dimitrievski's save saved North Macedonia - the ball flew into the crossbar!
However, it was Dinamo's Karavaev who put a spectacular point in the game in extra time. After running down the left flank, the defender assessed where Dimitrievski was and shot at an empty net! 2:0! A hard, but extremely important victory of our national team!
Let us remind you that the Ukrainian national team will play its next match in the qualifying cycle for Euro 2024 on Tuesday, 17 October. The opponent of Serhiy Rebrov's team will be the national team of Malta. The kick-off is at 21:45.
Volodymyr Bobyr
