Download Slovakia vs Ukraine 1-2 Highlights | Euro 2024
Ukraine produced a thrilling second-half comeback to beat Slovakia in Dusseldorf and keep their Euro 2024 campaign alive as Roman Yaremchuk came off the bench to score a wonderful late winner.
Slovakia, who stunned Belgium in their opening game, continued their fine start to the tournament with an impressive first-half showing as Ivan Schranz scored his second goal in as many games to give them a deserved lead.
But Ukraine showed signs of life before the break when Oleksandr Tymchyk rattled the post, and Mykola Shaparenko found the equaliser early in the second half as the momentum shifted.
The decisive moment arrived with 10 minutes to go when Yaremchuk’s delightful cushioned touch and finish completed the comeback to send the yellow-clad supporters wild.
It leaves a wide-open Group E finely poised, with Ukraine, Slovakia and Romania all on three points and Belgium still on zero ahead of Saturday’s clash between Belgium and Romania.
Also: Argentina vs Canada 2-0 Highlights | Copa America
TALKING POINT– UKRAINE FINALLY SHOW DARK-HORSE POTENTIAL TO BLOW GROUP E WIDE OPEN
Romania’s 3-0 drubbing of Ukraine was second only to Slovakia’s win over Belgium when it came to the biggest shocks in the first round of group games.
Serhiy Rebrov’s side had been picked by many as tournament dark horses because of their talent-packed squad, but in the opening match and the first half against Slovakia, they looked miles off the standards that had been expected.
That all changed in the second half in Dusseldorf, where a stirring comeback was fully deserved as Ukraine seized control of the game and piled pressure on a Slovakian side who had looked so slick during the early exchanges.
The result also puts Group E in a fascinating position. If Belgium beat Romania on Saturday, all four teams will be on three points. Get the popcorn out for the final round if that happens.
PLAYER OF THE MATCH – MYKOLA SHAPARENKO
Trailing 1-0 and looking like they were about to head out of the tournament, Ukraine needed a hero.
Dynamo Kyiv midfielder Shaparenko probably was not the one they were expecting, but it was the 25-year-old who took the game by the scruff of the neck in the second half, scoring a composed equaliser before providing the assist for Yaremchuk’s winner.
PLAYER RATINGS
Slovakia: Dubravka 6, Pekarik 6, Vavro 6, Skriniar 6, Hancko 6, Kucka 6, Lobotka 7, Duda 6, Schranz 7, Bozenik 6, Haraslin 8
Subs: Benes 6, Strelec 6, Obert 6, Suslov 6, Sauer N/A
Ukraine: Trubin 7, Tymchyk 6, Zabaryni 6, Matviienko 6, Zinchenko 8, Brazhko 7, Shaparenko 8, Yarmolenko 6, Sudakov 7, Mudryk 7, Dovbyk 6
Subs: Zubkov 6, Yaremchuk 8, Malinovskyi N/A, Sydorchuk N/A, Talovierov N/A
MATCH HIGHLIGHTS
KEY STAT
- At 30 years and 282 days old, Ivan Schranz is the oldest player to score on his first two EURO appearances, overtaking Bulgaria’s Hristo Stoichkov who was 156 days younger when achieving the feat in 1996.
Goal Scorer: I. Schranz 17′, M. Shaparenko 54′, R. Yaremchuk 80′
Watch Highlights Below
FH TV
Highlights2
FH TV 2
Match stats
|
TEAM STATS
|
||
|---|---|---|
| 14 | Shots | 13 |
| 5 | Shots on target | 5 |
| 56% | Possession | 44% |
| 534 | Passes | 419 |
| 89% | Pass accuracy | 87% |
| 9 | Fouls | 12 |
| 0 | Yellow cards | 1 |
| 0 | Red cards | 0 |
| 2 | Offsides | 5 |
| 4 | Corners | 4 |
1
CLICK HERE TO COMMENT
