Last Tuesday, November 19, the Ukrainian youth national team held an away friendly match against Italy’s youth team as part of their preparation for the Euro-2025 (U-21) final tournament.
Friendly match
ITALY (U−21) — UKRAINE (U−21) — 2:2 (1:1)
Goals: Fabbián (26), Esposito (45) — Kvasnytsia (28), Krasnopir (83)
Italy (U−21): Zakkí (Sassi, 46), Palestra, Bertola, Ghilardi, Turicchia (Ruggeri, 74), Casadei (Volpato, 74), Prati, Miretti (Nionto, 58), Pafundi (Ndour, 58), Fabbián, P. Esposito (Ambrosino, 74).
Ukraine (U−21): Neshcheret, Kuzik (Khlan, 61), Batagov, Koziik, Krupskyi, Yatsyk (Melnychенко, 66), Varfolomieiev, Fedor (Tsarenko, 58), Bragaru, Kvasnytsia (Veletin, 46), V'yunnyk (Krasnopir, 81).
Recall that on November 15, Unai Mielgosa's team played a friendly against the Portuguese youth national team (3:3). This time in Spezia at the "Alberto Picco" stadium, our "blue-yellow" team faced the Italian youth national team.
The hosts managed to open the scoring in the 26th minute. Giovanni Fabbián responded to a pass from the right flank and directed the ball into Ruslan Neshcheret's net.
However, just two minutes later, the Ukrainians equalized. Illia Kvasnytsia intercepted the ball in the opponent's half, moved into a favorable position, and accurately shot into the bottom corner — 1:1.
Still, the teams went into halftime with the Italians in the lead. Pio Esposito jumped higher than everyone after a corner kick and again put our opponent ahead.
After the break, our team’s head coach made several substitutions to intensify the game, and it paid off. Two players who came on in the second half, Anton Tsarenko and Ihor Krasnopir, combined excellently, with the latter equalizing the score — 2:2.
Thus, Unai Mielgosa’s team recorded their second consecutive away draw against top teams of their age category, who also qualified for Euro-2025 (U-21).
