The Ukraine U-19 youth national football team has kicked off their journey at the Euro 2026 tournament with a resounding victory. In the first group stage match, the team coached by Dmytro Mykhaylenko secured a comeback win against their Croatian counterparts with a score of 3:1. The match was characterized by intense competition and demonstrated the character of the Ukrainian team.
Tough Start and Quick Response
The beginning of the game did not promise an easy success for the Ukrainians. As early as the 22nd minute, the home team made a mistake that led to a penalty being awarded against them. Croatian Ivan Barić confidently converted the penalty, putting the visitors ahead.
However, the conceded goal did not break the team. The Ukrainians responded instantly — just four minutes after the opponent's goal. Following a precise delivery by Pavlo Liushyn from a corner kick, striker Dmytro Bohdanov won the aerial duel and headed the ball into the net. This was Bohdanov's debut goal for the national team.
Explosive Second Half
The teams went into halftime with the score at 1:1, but the start of the second half belonged entirely to Ukraine. In the 48th minute, the "blue and yellows" launched a real assault in the opponent's penalty area. The Croatian goalkeeper first saved a shot by Bohdanov, then parried an attempt by Patrik Sikuta, but on the third try, Mykyta Kaliuzhny broke through the defensive line — 2:1.
The final nail in the coffin was driven by Pavlo Liushyn in the 57th minute. After Sikuta moved to the left flank and delivered a precise pass, the 18-year-old midfielder struck a magnificent shot into the right corner of the goal — 3:1. This goal was the highlight of the match and sealed the final result.
Standings and Prospects
Thanks to this victory, Ukraine topped the standings in Group B. In a parallel match in the quartet, the Italian national team defeated Serbia with a score of 2:0. In Group A, where Wales is hosting the matches, Spain and Germany are leading, having defeated the hosts and Denmark respectively.
The Euro 2026 tournament is of colossal importance, as qualification spots for the 2027 World Cup (U-20), which will be held in Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan, are at stake.
Upcoming Matches
The team coached by Dmytro Mykhaylenko will play their next match on Thursday, July 2, at 20:00 against the Serbian national team. The final round match against Italy is scheduled for July 5.
Recall that at the senior level, yesterday the Brazilian national team, thanks to a goal in the 95th minute, staged a crazy comeback against Japan and advanced to the Round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup.