On Tuesday, October 20, the Ukraine futsal national team kicked off their qualification campaign for the 2028 World Cup. In their opening match of the tournament, the "blue-and-yellows" under head coach Oleksandr Kosenko faced Estonia and secured a convincing 9-2 victory. This match was the team's first in Group 9, where, alongside Estonia, the Ukrainians will also play against Slovakia.
A Rout in the First Half
Oleksandr Kosenko's team practically settled the match in the first half alone, scoring seven times before the break. Such a pace allowed the national team to completely control the game and deny the opponent any real chance of a comeback. The only goal scored against Ukraine in the first half came from Denis Vnukov in the second minute, while Nazar Shved scored an own goal in the 13th minute, increasing the guests' deficit.
Abakshyn's Hat-Trick and Mykytyuk's Brace
The main hero of the match was Danyil Abakshyn, who completed a hat-trick, scoring in the 1st, 12th, and 18th minutes. Mykola Mykytyuk contributed a brace (10th and 15th minutes), while Rostyslav Semenchenko (11th) and Ihor Cherniavskyi (20th) added one goal each. Thus, by halftime, the Ukrainians held a commanding lead, laying a solid foundation for the final result.
Second Half and Final Score
In the second half, the Ukrainians continued to press and brought the score to a rout. Vadym Danyliuk scored in the 26th minute, and Illia Prykhodko sealed the final result in the 32nd minute. The match ended 9-2 in favor of the Ukrainian national team. Full goal chronology: Abakshyn (1, 12, 18), Mykytyuk (10, 15), Semenchenko (11), Cherniavskyi (20), Danyliuk (26), Prykhodko (32) — for Estonia, Vnukov (2) and an own goal by Shved (13).
Group 9 and Upcoming Schedule
Ukraine was drawn into Group 9, where they will also play Slovakia alongside Estonia. The first meeting with the Slovaks is scheduled for November 10, with the return fixtures in this qualifying cycle taking place in 2027. This will give Kosenko's team an opportunity to build upon their opening victory in subsequent matches.
Historical Context: World Cup Bronze
The current qualifying campaign follows the national team's recent historic success. At the previous World Cup in 2024, the Ukrainian team won the bronze medals, crushing France 7-1 in the third-place match. This result remains one of the brightest in the history of Ukrainian futsal and sets a high bar for the current qualifying cycle, which the team started with a confident win over Estonia.
