On Tuesday, November 19, the Ukrainian national team played its final match in the group stage of the Nations League 2024/25 season. The opponent of the "blue and yellow" was the national team of Albania, and the game took place in Tirana at the "Air Albania" stadium.
Nations League 2024/25. Division "B". Group 1. Matchday 6
ALBANIA — UKRAINE — 1:2 (0:2)
Goals: Bayrami (75 pen.) — Zinchenko (5), Yaremchuk (9)
Warnings: Dovbik (80) — Bayrami (68), Mita (79), Tuci (80)
Ukraine: 12.Trubin — 2.Konoplya (3.Sych, 76), 13.Zabarnyi, 22.Matviyenko (C), 16.Mykolenko — 21.Kalyuzhnyi, 8.Sudakov, 17.Zinchenko (10.Shaparenko, 69) — 19.Hutsulyak (14.Nazarenko, 85), 7.Mudryk (4.Talovirov, 85) — 9.Yaremchuk (11.Dovbik, 76).
Substitutes: 1.Bushchan, 23.Riznyk, 5.Bondar, 6.Brazhko, 15.Kryskiv, 18.Yarmolyuk, 20.Zubkov.
Albania: 1.Strakosha, 2.Balju, 18.Ismajli (C), 5.Ajeti, 3.Mita, 8.Asllani, 20.Ramadani (7.Tuci, 76), 14.Laci (15.Seferi, 90), 9.Asani (10.Bayrami, 46), 17.Muchi (21.Hodja, 51), 19.Daku (11.Uzuni, 46).
Substitutes: 12.Kastrati, 23.Sheri, 4.Hysaj, 6.Mersinaj, 13.Mihaj, 16.Muja, 22.Abrashi.
Match statistics >>>
Post-match press conference >>>
The Ukrainian national team seized positional advantage from the opening whistle, and just five minutes into the match it paid off: during a prolonged attack by the "blue and yellow," Yaremchuk struck from within the Albanian penalty area, hitting an opponent; the ball bounced to Zinchenko and he, striking from about 12 meters, found the bottom corner of Strakosha's net — 0:1.
Not even five minutes later, Ukraine doubled its advantage: Sudakov softly crossed into the opponent's penalty area, Konoplya won an aerial duel, and flicked the ball to the far post, where Yaremchuk jumped and powerfully headed the ball from two meters into Albania's goal — 0:2.
After conceding two goals, the Albanians did not sink but, on the contrary, became more active in attack. However, they did not achieve anything significant. Meanwhile, the Ukrainian team soon recorded another dangerous moment — with a solid shot from Sudakov from outside the penalty area, which Strakosha struggled to deal with, dangerously parrying the ball back in front of him.
Nevertheless, in general, during this segment of the match, the play was even. Towards the end of the first half, the Ukrainian team again had a positional advantage, but it was in these conditions that the Albanian team created their first scoring opportunity in the match: just before the halftime whistle, Muchi struck from about 20 meters, and the ball flew just inches past the post.
With the beginning of the second half, the Albanian team literally rushed towards the Ukrainian goal and, overall, held the advantage until the final whistle. However, it was the guests who created the first dangerous moment after the break — Sudakov shot from afar, and the ball flew not far from Strakosha's crossbar. The Albanians immediately responded with a similar shot from Uzuni. Later, Ajeti hit the target — Trubin managed to save the threat from his goal with a dive.
The Ukrainian team, in general, defended reliably, but in the 74th minute, Trubin fouled Uzuni in the penalty area, and the referee unhesitatingly awarded a penalty, which Bayrami confidently converted — 1:2.
After that, the pressure on the Ukrainian goal predictably increased. However, in the end, the guests managed to maintain their winning score. Moreover, they could have developed their success, but in the stoppage time of the second half, Strakosha managed to cope with a dangerous shot from Nazarenko.
In a parallel match of Matchday 6 in Division "B," the Czech Republic defeated Georgia on their home ground — 2:1. As a result, the final tournament standings of teams in this group became as follows:
1. Czech Republic — 11 points
2. Ukraine — 8
3. Georgia — 7
4. Albania — 7
According to the tournament regulations, the Ukrainian team now awaits playoff matches against representatives of Division "A" for the right to compete in it in the next season of the Nations League.
Alexander POPOV
