On Monday, November 17, the Ukraine U21 national team played a friendly match against Albania U21.
A few days earlier the “Yellow-and-Blues” had taken part in an official Euro 2027 (U21) qualifier, losing 0:1 away to Turkey U21. Since they are skipping the next matchday Unai Melgosa’s team played an away friendly against one of the hosts of the upcoming continental tournament.
The hosts opened the scoring in the 39th minute when Rashica pushed the ball over the line from inside the goal area after a set-piece taken from about 30 meters out. Albania doubled their lead in stoppage time: following a corner and an individual run along the goal line Dodaj delivered a precise pass to Kotaj who sent the ball into the net.
Notably three players from our club, all currently out on loan, took part in the match. Defender Oleksii Husiev (“Kudrivka”) and midfielder Anton Tsarenko (“Lechia” Gdańsk, Poland) were in the starting lineup and played the first half while midfielder Andrii Matkevych (“Zorya”) came on right after the break.
Ukraine U21 will play their next official match on March 27 next year, hosting Lithuania U21 in a Euro 2027 (U21) qualifier.
Friendly match
Albania U21 – Ukraine U21 – 2:0 (1:0).
Ukraine U21: Dolhyi, Oharkov (Korniichuk, 75), Kholod (Kysil, 66), Melnychenko, Husiev (Krupskyi, 46), Pastukh, Vashchenko (Varfolomieiev, 82), Tsarenko (Krevsun, 46), Husol (Matkevych, 46), Pyshchur, Slesar (Stepanov, 75).
Goals: Rashica (39), Kotaj (90+5).
