---
title: "Striking Comeback: Ukraine Narrowly Defeats Hungary in Nations League"
description: "Ukraine's national team under Andrea Maldera started the Nations League with an away win against Hungary 1:0 thanks to Danylo Sikan's header."
date: 2026-09-25T20:50:00.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/ukraine-defeats-hungary-nations-league-2026
tags: [nations-league, ukraine-football, hungary-ukraine, danylo-sikan, andrea-maldera]
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Striking Comeback: Ukraine Narrowly Defeats Hungary in Nations League

![Ukrainian national team celebrating victory in the Nations League match against Hungary](https://xab.info/media/2026/09/25/ukraina-pobedila-vengriyu-liga-natsiy-2026/ukraina-pobedila-vengriyu-liga-natsiy-2026-1.webp)

## 🎯 Key Points

- Ukraine defeated Hungary 1:0 in their Nations League opening match.
- Danylo Sikan scored the decisive goal in the first half.
- The match served as Andrea Maldera's official debut as head coach.
- Ukrainian ultras held a banner action supporting occupied Oleshky.

The Ukrainian national team successfully kicked off its new UEFA Nations League Division B campaign by securing a narrow yet vital victory over Hungary. The match took place at the Puskás Aréna in Budapest and was remembered not only for the intense battle on the pitch but also for crucial personnel changes, tough challenges, and striking solidarity displays from Ukrainian fans in the stands.

### Andrea Maldera's Debut and Personnel Intrigue

This match marked the first official test for Ukraine's new coaching staff led by Andrea Maldera. Ahead of the game, the Italian specialist actively commented on the physical condition of key players, notably Matviy Ponomarenko and Roman Yaremchuk, as well as Mykhailo Mudryk's future prospects. Ultimately, right before the opening whistle, it was revealed that Roman Yaremchuk did not make the final matchday squad, while young Matviy Ponomarenko started on the bench. The starting lineup looked experimental yet well-balanced.

### Match Flow: Tactical Battle and Sikan's Goal

The game started at a high tempo, though both teams struggled to adapt to each other initially, leaving the midfield practically bypassed. Hungary created more dangerous scoring chances in the first half, highlighted by Lukács hitting the crossbar and Bolla firing just over the bar. Ukraine responded with a couple of long-range shots, with Danylo Sikan's effort standing out. The turning point of the first half arrived shortly before the break: Georgiy Sudakov delivered a precise cross from the left flank, and Danylo Sikan cleverly eluded his markers to head home past goalkeeper Dénes Dibusz (Tóth).

### Controversial Data

Certain match episodes and refereeing decisions sparked differing analytical opinions. Several sports commentators pointed out the extremely aggressive nature of challenges in the first half, specifically a heavy collision between Volodymyr Brazhko and Kevin Csoboth (Schaefer), after which the Hungarian player required medical attention. While some critics blamed the referee for being overly lenient regarding rough play, others emphasized that the official deliberately let both teams play physical football. Additionally, a late red card shown to Oleksandr Nazarenko in stoppage time caused a mass scuffle.

### Second Half and Ukrainian Ultras' Protest

After the interval, the game dynamic shifted drastically: Hungary seized the initiative and dominated possession, forcing Ukraine to defend deeply. Despite mounting pressure, Maldera's side defended resolutely and even missed a golden opportunity in the 76th minute when Oleh Ocheretko set up Ihor Krasnopir for a one-on-one chance. Beyond on-field events, Ukrainian ultras caught global attention by unfurling banners at the Puskás Aréna drawing attention to the humanitarian crisis in occupied Oleshky under the 'Save Oleshky' banner.

## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification

- [Ударное возвращение: Украина минимально победила Венгрию в Лиге наций](https://sport.rbc.ua/ukr/football/udarne-povernennya-ukrayina-minimalno-peremogla-1790369145.html) - Основной источник детального отчета о матче, составе и событиях на поле.
- [Лига наций. Венгрия — Украина. Прямая трансляция матча: смотреть онлайн](https://sport24.ru/football/news-884819-liga-natsiy-vengriya-ukraina-pryamaya-translyatsiya-matcha-smotret-onlayn) - Подтверждение факта проведения матча в Лиге наций.
- [Венгрия – Украина. Текстовая онлайн трансляция матча Лиги наций УЕФА](https://www.ua-football.com/foreign/nations_league/1790353542-vengriya-ukraina-tekstovaya-onlayn-translyaciya-matcha-ligi-naciy-uefa.html) - Хронология событий матча и статистические детали.
- [Украина вырвала победу у Венгрии в Лиге наций](https://www.gazeta.ru/sport/news/2026/09/25/29397241.shtml) - Подтверждение итогового счета и ключевых моментов встречи.

## ❓ FAQ

### Q: What was the final score of the Hungary vs Ukraine match?
**A:** Ukraine won a narrow 1:0 victory.

### Q: Who scored the winning goal for Ukraine?
**A:** Forward Danylo Sikan scored the winning goal with a header.

### Q: Who is managing the Ukrainian national team in this Nations League campaign?
**A:** Andrea Maldera led the team as head coach for his official debut.