Euro 2020: Ukraine Beat North Macedonia To Boost Second Round Chances •

By Daily Sports on June 17, 2021

Andriy Yarmolenko grabbed a goal and an assist as Ukraine beat North Macedonia 2-1 on Thursday to boost their chances of reaching the European Championship knockout stages and leave their opponents' hopes hanging by a thread.

Yarmolenko put Ukraine ahead from a corner in the 29th minute, popping up at the back post to beat Stole Dimitrievski with a side-footed finish after latching on to Oleksandr Karavaev's flick.

Ukraine's captain helped double the lead five minutes later, receiving the ball wide on the right and finding Roman Yaremchuk, who timed his run to perfection to stay onside before bending a low shot past Dimitrievski at the near post.

Goran Pandev raised North Macedonia's hopes when he got in behind the defence and calmly chipped the ball over the keeper to score, but their joy was short-lived when the linesman's offside flag went up for the 37-year-old.

TWO MISSED PENALTIES

Dimitrievski produced a fine save early in the second half to deny Ruslan Malinovskiy when the midfielder curled a free kick destined for the top corner, sticking a palm out and deflecting it onto the crossbar.

Ezgjan Alioski dragged North Macedonia back into the match from a 57th-minute penalty after Karavaev fouled Goran Pandev. Georgiy Bushchan saved the spot kick but the ball rebounded straight back to Alioski who fired home his second attempt.

Ukraine had numerous opportunities to restore their two-goal cushion with Dimitrievski, who made seven saves in the match, standing strong to deny them as his defence floundered.

Ukraine were even awarded a late penalty after Daniel Avramovski was adjudged to have handled the ball following a video assistant referee (VAR) intervention but Dimitrievski made another fine save to keep out Malinovskiy's spot kick.

The defeat leaves North Macedonia, who lost 3-1 to Austria in their first game, bottom of Group C with no points, and needing to beat the Netherlands in their final match on Monday if they are to have a chance of extending their stay.

Ukraine have three points after two games and play Austria on Monday. The Netherlands and Austria - both also on three points after opening wins - meet for their second game later on Thursday.

MATCH FACTS

- Ukraine have ended a six-game losing streak at the European Championships, with this just their second ever victory in the competition and first since a 2-1 win against Sweden in 2012, in what was their first game at the tournament.

- North Macedonia have become the eighth nation to lose each of their first two ever European Championship matches, and are the first side to do so since Albania in 2016.

- Four of the five penalties taken at EURO 2020 so far haven't been converted, as many as in the whole of EURO 2016 (excluding shootouts), while the last tournament with more misses from the spot was EURO 2000 (5 – excluding shootouts).

- This was the first European Championship match to see both sides win a penalty since England v France in 2004 and the first game in the competition since 1980 (when we have this data available) to see both sides miss a penalty (excluding shootouts).

- Ukraine became the first side to have two players (Andriy Yarmolenko & Roman Yaremchuk) score in each of their first two matches at a single European Championship tournament.

- Andriy Yarmolenko has scored in three consecutive appearances for Ukraine in all competitions for the first time since October 2016.

- Ezgjan Alioski has scored two goals in his last three games in all competitions for North Macedonia, as many as in his previous 17.

- At 37 years & 325 days old, North Macedonia captain Goran Pandev became the oldest player to win a penalty in a European Championship game since 1980 (when we have such data available).

- Ukrainian center back Illia Zabarnyi became just the fourth player aged 18 or under to start both of his nations first two games at a single European Championship tournament after Belgium’s Enzo Scifo in 1984, England’s Wayne Rooney in 2004 and Netherlands’ Jetro Willems in 2012.

PHOTO: Celebrating Ukraine players

Source Daily Sports

Posted June 17, 2021


 

You may also like...
LMC, MEDICAID fight cancer with football

NFF Hails Dignitaries Who Cheered Eagles to Victory...

Napoli Beat Juve To Ease Gattuso Pressure

Mo Farah defends 10,000m title in London

NYG: Anambra threatens to pull out over age...

Super Kane hat-trick sends Spurs second in EPL...

 

Latest News Italy in 'difficult moment' after defeat by Norway Ronaldo rejects offers to play at Club World Cup Fans must not 'over expect' before Andorra match - Tuchel Saka left out of England squad to face Andorra Was that Djokovic's goodbye to the French Open? Spurs captain Son says Postecoglou a club 'legend' Jorginho joins Flamengo after Arsenal departure NSF: SWAN Anambra Calls For Review Of Sports Policy After Abeokuta Poor Performance 36 yrs after, NFF honours Sam Okwaraji with a tournament Delap not part of England Under-21 squad for Euros Beckham set to be awarded knighthood Yamal shines as Spain beat France in nine-goal thriller

 

Most Read Rangers International going, going . . . (55,512 views) Amaju Pinnick: A cat with nine lives (46,666 views) Second Term: Amaju Pinnick, Other NFF Heavyweights Home to Roost •How Pinnick Broke the Jinx (44,684 views) Missing $150,000 IAAF Grant: Solomon Dalung’s Hide and Seek game (44,283 views) Current issues in Nigerian sports: Matters arising (44,276 views) Sports Development: Zenith Bank on the zenith (44,274 views) Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje’s solid footprints, commitment to sports development in Kano State (44,075 views) NFF Presidency: Pinnick, Maigari, Ogunjobi, Okoye in Battle for Supremacy (43,618 views) Olopade, BET9A wave of revolution in NNL (42,723 views) Commonwealth Games 2018: Shame of Muhammadu Buhari, Solomon Dalung (41,348 views) Ibrahimovic’s Man U exit: Whose decision is it? And in whose interest? (39,790 views) John Mikel Obi: Segun Odegbami’s Outrageous Call! (39,209 views)

 

Phone numbers

Tel: +234(0)8066020976
+234(0)8055068145
+234(0)7013416146
+234(0)8094272884

Email addresses

info@dailysportsng.com
support@dailysportsng.com
publisher@dailysportsng.com

Office address

No 3, Adetoun Close, Off College Road, Ogba, Ikeja Lagos.
Website: www.dailysportsng.com

Social Media