Ukraine’s look in its first main event since Russia’s full-scale invasion has given the war-plagued nation a purpose to have a good time the success of a proficient crew which has each high quality wanted to go far within the Euros.
Ukraine, which has been preventing off a Russian invasion since February 2022, will play in its fourth straight Euros with a slew of world-class gamers corresponding to Actual Madrid goalkeeper Andriy Lunin, Chelsea winger Mykhailo Mudryk and Arsenal full-back Oleksandr Zinchenko.
Ukraine will face Belgium, Romania and Slovakia in Group E. Though the Belgians are the group favourites, Ukraine are well-equipped to succeed in the knockout stage by ending second.
Up entrance, Ukraine will depend on the towering Artem Dovbyk, whose physicality and tempo terrorise defenders.
The 26-year-old moved to Girona from Dnipro-1 final 12 months and was La Liga’s prime scorer of the season with 24 targets in 36 video games, yet one more Villarreal’s Alexander Sorloth.
UKRAINE AT A GLANCE
Earlier Euro efficiency: Three participations, quarter-finalists in 2020
Different honours: None
FIFA rating: 22
Nickname: The Blue and Yellow
Coach: Serhiy Rebrov
Star gamers: Oleksandr Zinchenko, Artem Dovbyk, Mykhailo Mudryk
Predominant golf equipment: Shakhtar Donetsk, Dynamo Kyiv
How did it qualify: Received Play-off B
Pre-Euro friendlies:
Ukraine 0 Germany 0
Ukraine 1 Poland 3
Ukraine v Moldova (June 11)
Ukraine certified for the Euros with a 2-1 win after a second-half comeback towards Iceland in its playoff ultimate in March after shedding an computerized qualification spot to Italy.
That victory proved an emotional second for the nation that had eagerly adopted their crew’s qualifying marketing campaign, which was completely held exterior Ukraine as a result of invasion, which Moscow calls a ‘particular army operation’.
“The emotions inside are so laborious to explain as at this time each Ukrainian was watching our sport,” Zinchenko stated after the win.
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The crew acquired messages of assist from troopers on the entrance line, whereas President Volodymyr Zelenskiy thanked them for “proving as soon as once more: at any time when Ukrainians face difficulties however don’t hand over and proceed to struggle, Ukrainians actually win”.
Russia won’t participate within the 24-nation event, having been banned by European soccer governing physique UEFA over the invasion of Ukraine.
On the final Euros, Ukraine reached the quarterfinals, shedding 4-0 to eventual runner-up England. It was eradicated on the group stage in its two different appearances.
Ukraine has misplaced solely two of its final 20 Euro qualifiers, and was taking up Germany, Poland and Moldova in friendlies in June as a part of its final preparations for the event.
A future on the Euros would assist the individuals of Ukraine to take their minds off the horrors of warfare, not less than for a second.
“The missiles are flying on daily basis. Our mission is to indicate that we’re all alive and preventing towards the Russians and that we want Europe’s assist,” supervisor Serhiy Rebrov stated earlier than Ukraine’s victory towards Iceland.
UKRAINE SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Georgiy Bushchan (Dynamo Kyiv), Anatoliy Trubin (Benfica/POR), Andriy Lunin (Actual Madrid/ESP)
Defenders: Yukhym Konoplya (Shakhtar Donetsk), Bohdan Mykhaylichenko (Polissya Zhytomyr), Maksym Taloverov (LASK Linz/AUT), Illya Zabarnyi (Bournemouth/ENG), Vitaliy Mykolenko (Everton/ENG), Valeriy Bondar (Shakhtar Donetsk), Mykola Matviyenko (Shakhtar Donetsk), Oleksandr Tymchyk (Dynamo Kyiv), Oleksandr Svatok (Dnipro-1)
Midfielders: Serhiy Sydorchuk (Westerlo/BEL), Taras Stepanenko (Shakhtar Donetsk), Ruslan Malinovskyi (Genoa/ITA), Mykhailo Mudryk (Chelsea/ENG), Volodymyr Brazhko (Dynamo Kyiv), Oleksandr Zinchenko (Arsenal/ENG), Mykola Shaparenko (Dynamo Kyiv), Georgiy Sudakov (Shakhtar Donetsk), Viktor Tsygankov (Girona/ESP), Andriy Yarmolenko (Dynamo Kyiv), Oleksandr Zubkov (Shakhtar Donetsk)
Forwards: Artem Dovbyk (Girona/ESP), Roman Yaremchuk (Valencia/ESP), Vladyslav Vanat (Dynamo Kyiv)
UKRAINE FULL SCHEDULE
Ukraine vs Romania – June 17, Monday – 6:30 PM
Ukraine vs Slovakia – June 21, Friday – 6:30 PM
Ukraine vs Belgium – June 26, Wednesday – 9:30 PM
LIVESTREAM AND TELECAST INFO
All of Ukraine’s matches at Euro 2024 will probably be telecasted on the Sony Sports activities Community. The matches will even be live-streamed on the SonyLIV app.
(With inputs from Reuters and AFP)