On Saturday, September 7, the national team of Ukraine held its first match in the Nations League season 2024/25. The opponent of the Blue-Yellows was the national team of Albania, and the game itself took place in Prague at the Epet Arena stadium.
Photo — UAFNations League 2024/25. Division "B". Group 1. 1st round
UKRAINE - ALBANIA - 1:2 (0:0)
Goals: Konoplya (49) - Ismayli (54), Asani (66).
Warnings: Asani (68)
Ukraine: 12.Trubin, 16.Mikolenko, 22.Matvienko (K), 13.Zabarny, 2.Konoplya, 18.Brazhko (8.Malinovskyi, 81), 10.Shaparenko (11.Vanat, 72), 14.Sudakov (7.Yarmolenko, 72), 21.Kabaev (20.Pikhalenok, 72), 15.Tsygankov (17.Zinchenko, 81), 9.Yaremchuk.
Reserves: 1.Buschan, 23.Lunin, 3.Bondar, 4.Taloverov, 5.Sidorchuk, 6.Stepanenko, 19.Tymchik.
Albania: 1.Strakosha, 3.Mitay, 5.Kumbula, 18.Ismayli, 4.Husay (K), 20.Ramadani, 21.Aslani, 9.Asani, 10.N.Bayrami (8.Hoxha, 77), 14.Ljaci (16.Berisha, 73), 7.Manaj.
Reserves: 12.Simoni, 23.Sherry, 2.Baliu, 6.A.Bayrami, 8.Hoxha, 11.Uzuni, 13.Mihai, 15.Seferi, 17.Hadroy, 19.Spahiu, 22.Abrashi.
Match statistics >>>
Post-match press conference >>>>
Despite the desire of Ukraine to seize the advantage from the starting whistle, the first goal was created by Albania - it was Ljaci who shot from outside the penalty area of the "blue-yellow", and the ball flew near the bar.
Later the Ukrainians managed to take control of the ball, but it did not give absolutely nothing. But Albanians' counterattacks often looked quite dangerous. The closest to success opponent of the Ukrainian national team was at the end of the first half, when after a corner kick and Ljaca's shot, the ball almost brushed the bar of Trubin's goal.
Nevertheless, the Ukraine national team managed to create one goal moment in the first half: in the 42nd minute of the match the attack of "blue-yellow" ended with Yaremchuk's shot from the right side of the Albanian penalty area into the near corner of the goal, and Strakosha barely converted the game to a corner. We can also note a good, but slightly inaccurate shot by Brazko after a corner kick. But in the end, the teams went to the break with zeros on the scoreboard.
But at the very beginning of the second half Ukraine opened the scoring - it was Konoplya struck a flying shot from the right side of the penalty area of Albanians and the ball flew into the near corner of the goal - 1:0.
The Albanian team immediately responded with the most dangerous shot of Manaj from 25 meters - Trubin in a throw transferred the game to the corner. And after a feed from the corner of the field Albanians evened the score: in the penalty area of the Ukrainians there was confusion, and in this situation Ismayli was the most industrious - 1:1.
After that, the Ukrainian national team gave a good stretch, marked by dangerous strikes Brazhko and Sudakov (in both cases, the ball went near the bar), but in the end, success again achieved Albanians: in the 66th minute of the meeting Manai broke into the penalty area of the Ukrainians on the left, gave a pass to a completely free Asani, who without problems, as in training, sent the ball into the net - 1:2.
We can not say that the rest of the match went under the sign of the advantage of the national team of Ukraine, although Rebrov's wards and sought to equalize the score. Albanians were not going to cling to their goal and worried the opponent as counterattacks, and dangerous play in standard positions. So there were no special prerequisites for a goal for the national team of Albania in this segment of the meeting. As a result, the match ended with the defeat of the national team of Ukraine, 1:2.
In the parallel match of the 1st round of the first group of the first group of Division "B" Georgia defeated the Czech Republic on its field - 4:1. Thus, the tournament position of the teams is as follows:
1. Georgia - 3 points
2. Albania - 3
3. Ukraine - 0.
4. Czech Republic - 0
In the next round in this group on September 10 will play: Czech Republic - Ukraine, Albania - Georgia.
Alexander POPOV
