On November 14, 2026, the Ukraine women's national basketball team suffered its first defeat in the second round of qualifiers for EuroBasket 2027. In Manchester, the Ukrainian team lost to Great Britain with a score of 83:85, despite leading by a comfortable ten-point margin until the final quarter. The match ended with a dramatic comeback by the hosts, who scored 32 points in the decisive tenth minute against 20 for their opponents.
Ukrainians dictate terms for three quarters
The encounter at the Manchester arena began according to the Ukrainian team's script. The players of the national team were active on offense and confidently won the opening quarter 27:18. In the second ten-minute stretch, the British managed to slightly reduce the deficit, winning that period 17:14, but the Ukrainians went into the long break leading 41:35. After the break, the Ukrainian national team seized the initiative again: they won the third quarter 22:18 and entered the final ten minutes with a ten-point advantage at 63:53.
Decisive quarter: 32 points in 10 minutes
The concluding ten-minute period completely changed the flow of the game. Great Britain significantly stepped up their offense and began rapidly reducing the gap. Over the final ten minutes, the hosts scored 32 points, while the Ukrainian team responded with only 20. The 12-point difference in favor of the British in the decisive quarter became the key factor: the final whistle recorded an 85:83 victory for Great Britain. Thus, the advantage accumulated over the first three periods was completely wiped out in a single quarter.
Yagupova is Ukraine's top performer
Alina Yagupova was the highest scorer for the Ukrainian national team with 26 points. Her individual actions largely determined the Ukrainian team's attacking play in the first three quarters. However, in the crucial quarter, her efforts were not enough to hold the lead. For Great Britain, Savannah Wilkinson scored 22 points, becoming the key figure in the hosts' comeback.
Tournament context and upcoming matches
For the Ukrainian national team, this defeat was their first in the second qualifying stage. In the opening match of this segment, the Ukrainians secured an away victory over the national team of Luxembourg with a score of 64:52. Thus, before the match in Manchester, the team had one win and zero losses. The next opponent for the Ukrainian national team will be France: the match will take place on November 17, 2026, in Riga, starting at 15:00 Kyiv time. According to the tournament regulations, the top two teams of the group will secure berths in the final stage of EuroBasket 2027, making the upcoming encounter with France crucially important for the Ukrainian team's future prospects.
Match summary and statistics
The final score of the Great Britain vs. Ukraine match was 85:83 (quarters: 18:27, 17:14, 18:22, 32:20). The crushing 10-point advantage held by the Ukrainian team before the final quarter was completely neutralized thanks to the productive play of the British in the decisive segment. For the coaching staff of the Ukrainian national team, the upcoming period until the match against France will be a time to analyze the mistakes made in Manchester and adjust tactics, given that the fight for the two berths in the final tournament remains fierce.
