Ukraine have kicked off their performance at UEFA Euro 2020, playing against the Dutch at Amsterdam's Johan Cruyff Arena on June 13, 2021.
The first half was dictated by the local team. Andriy Shevchenko's team played number two and waited for their chances in counterattacks. At the 12th minute, the coaching staff of the Ukrainians was forced to carry out a substitution. Oleksandr Zubkov was injured and Marlos came out instead.
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Ukraine's goalkeeper Georgiy Bushchan became the hero of the first half, as his three saves helped keep the team mates away from trouble.
The yellow and blue team responded with a dangerous kick performed by Andriy Yarmolenko from outside the penalty area.
The second period started very badly for Ukraine. The Netherlands scored twice between the 52nd and 58th minute. The host captain, Georginio Wijnaldum, who recently changed his club registration, opened the scoring. And then Wout Weghorst rammed the ball into the net. The second goal had a VAR check for a suspected foul, but the referee decided that it was legitimate.
At the 74th minute, the Ukraine team got an impulse. Andriy Yarmolenko played a one-two with Roman Yaremchuk, moved to the center and, in his corporate style, sent the ball exactly into the net with his left foot. This is Yarmolenko's 41st goal as a member of the national team.
At the 79th minute, Ruslan Malinovsky delivered a perfect freekick, and Yaremchuk sent the ball into the net with his head. Thus, the score became 2-2.
However, at the 85th minute, the Dutch defender, Dumfries, sent a downward header into the net in the fight against Oleksandr Zinchenko and scored the winning goal with his head.
Netherlands vs Ukraine: 3-2
- Goals: Wijnaldum, 52 min; Weghorst, 58 min; Dumfries, 85 min. Yarmolenko, 75 min; Yaremchuk, 79 min.
- The Netherlands lineup: 1 Stekelenburg, 25 Timber, 6 de Vrij, 17 Blind, 22 Dumfries, 15 de Roon, 8 Wijnaldum, 21 de Jong, 12 van Aanholt, 19 Weghorst, 10 Depay;
- Substitutes: 2 Veltman (s 88'), 4 Ake (s 64'), 5 Wijndal (s 64'), 7 Berghuis, 9 de Jong (s 88'), 13 Krul, 14 Klaassen, 16 Gravenberch, 18 Malen (s 90'), 23 Bizot, 24 Koopmeiners, 26 Gakpo.
- The Ukraine lineup: 1 Bushchan, 21 Karavayev, 13 Zabarnyi, 22 Matviyenko, 16 Mykolenko, 8 Malinovsky, 5 Sydorchuk, 17 Zinchenko, 7 Yarmolenko, 9 Yaremchuk, 20 Zubkov.
- Substitutes: 2 Sobol, 4 Kryvtsov, 6 Stepanenko, 10 Shaparenko (s 64'), 11 Marlos (s 13'), 12 Pyatov, 14 Makarenko, 19 Besyedin, 23 Trubin, 24 Tymchyk, 25 Popov, 26 Dovbyk.
- Sydorchuk was booked for shunting Weghorst to the ground off the ball.
Netherlands - Ukraine: Facts and figures
- The Ukrainian national team were defeated in the sixth consecutive match at the European Championships, as was the case with the Yugoslav national team in the period from 1968 to 1984, but Ukraine were able to break a series of five matches in a row without scored goals.
- Andriy Yarmolenko and Roman Yaremchuk became the second and third Ukrainians after Andriy Shevchenko to score goals during Euro matches.
- The Ukrainian national team were able to score goals at the European Championships after 72 goalless attempts.
- It was the first match in European championship history in which five goals were scored in the second half after a goalless draw in the first half.
Euro 2020: Group C
- The national teams of Austria and North Macedonia have already played in another match of this group.
- After the 1st round, Ukraine ranks third in its group.
- Group C matches are hosted by Bucharest and Amsterdam.
