The wandering Ukraine, martyred by the war, finally found a place and football consolation in Germany after its embarrassing defeat against Romania. Sheltered by the flag and the encouragement of the refugees, Rebrov’s team arrived in time to defeat the surprising Slovakia and get involved in the Euro Cup in the diabolical and uncertain Group E. The Slovaks do not learn, they do not know how to continue their good starts in the tournament, winners against Belgium and now pending the match against Romania. Calzona’s players settled in after scoring 1-0 and passively accompanied Ukraine’s comeback.
1
Martin Dúbravka, Milan Skriniar, Peter Pekarík, Denis Vavro, Dávid Hancko, Stanislav Lobotka, Juraj Kucka, Ondrej Duda, Ivan Schranz, Lukás Haraslín, Róbert Bozeník, David Strelec (Róbert Bozeník, min. 59), László Bénes (Ondrej Duda, min. 59), Tomás Suslov (Dávid Hancko, min. 66), Adam Obert (Lukás Haraslín, min. 66) and Leo Sauer (Ivan Schranz, min. 85)
2
Anatolii Trubin, Illia Zabarnyi, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Mykola Matviienko, Oleksandr Tymchyk, Heorhii Sudakov, Mykhailo Mudryk, Andrii Yarmolenko, Volodymyr Brazhko, Mykola Shaparenko, Artem Dovbyk, Roman Yaremchuk (Artem Dovbyk, min. 66), Oleksandr Zubkov (Andrii Yarmol enko, min. 66), Ruslan Malinovskyi (Mykhailo Mudryk, min. 84), Serhii Sydorchuk (Volodymyr Brazhko, min. 84) and Maksym Talovierov (Mykola Shaparenko, min. 91)
Goals
1-0 min. 16: Schranz. 1-1 min. 53: Shaparenko. 1-2 min. 79: Yaremchuk
Referee Michael Oliver
Yaremchuk (min. 83)
The two coaches were sensitive to the opposite results that occurred for both teams in their debut: Calzona used the same lineup that defeated Belgium (0-1) while Rebrov changed one player per line, including goalkeeper Lunin, after the Real Madrid player takes the blame for the 3-0 defeat against Romania; Trubin responded quickly with two worthy saves. Although they won the third time after a prolonged out of bounds by Haraslin and a header by Schranz, which already resolved the duel against Belgium.
The play showed at times that the football constants with which the two teams reached the Euro Cup were maintained. Slovakia played very safe and confident to Lobotka’s rhythm. Impatient to correct the nonsense of their debut, Ukraine was a victim of haste, weak in the areas and very vertical in its attack, waiting to hook up with Dovbik, Girona’s top scorer. Exquisite in his control and mastery of the ball, the striker began to target Dubravka. Based on Dovbik’s intimidation and collective agitation, Ukraine looked for an equalizer that was initially denied by the post on a cross shot by Tymchyk.
Mudryk also didn’t get it right in a one-on-one with Dubravka. The Slovaks lost the place they had gained and began to concede fouls and chances, too permeable, not very consistent, very far from Trubin. There was nothing more than a counterattack directed by Haraslin that neutralized the goalkeeper before reaching the break. Lobotka took the ball again and Slovakia tried to make Ukraine desperate. Mudryk, however, did not stop dribbling, running and throwing good passes, even though there was no way for Dovbyk to finish a play. Until Shaparenko appeared.
The midfielder came from the second line and hooked Zinchenko’s cross with his left foot to make it 1-1. The change wheel facilitated the exchange of blows, more numerous in Dubravka’s goal and also more selective in Trubin’s. Slovakia tried without success to calm the clash due to rival fiery. Mudryk even hit the post in the middle of the race, when the players of both teams were beating each other halfway, pending the individuality match. A fertile ground for an exquisite striker like Yaremchuk.
The Valencia attacker hit the high and long ball sent from the right wing and hit it against Dubravka. The goal stunned Slovakia and confirmed Ukraine’s excellent recovery. In favor of the score, the Ukrainians went on to rule the event and defend their candidacy for the round of 16. Accustomed to being a nomadic team, they never gave up on the German field, always connected with the soldiers on the battlefield, convinced that there is no better place to stay than Germany. Slovakia had nothing to say, a spectator of their defeat in the same way that they had been the protagonist of the victory against Belgium.
The Belgians will now be the ones who will measure how far Ukraine’s resurgence goes.
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