Preview: Ukraine vs England
In a thrilling UEFA Euro 2020 quarter-final clash at Rome's Stadio Olimpico, an invigorated Ukraine side, fresh from a dramatic extra-time victory, is set to challenge a formidable and unbeaten England, buoyed by their recent triumph over Germany, with both teams vying for a coveted spot in the semi-finals.
Ukraine
```htmlUkraine defied the odds to secure a spot in the last-eight with a last-minute effort in extra time, eliminating Sweden from the tournament. A cross from Andriy Yarmolenko with the outside of his right boot was beautifully converted by Oleksandr Zinchenko's left boot in the 27th minute to give Ukraine the lead. However, Sweden equalized with a deflected shot from Emil Forsberg in the 43rd minute.
The game remained a stalemate, pushing into extra time. Late in extra time, Ukraine gained a numerical advantage with the help of VAR, after Marcus Danielson received a red card in the 98th minute for a reckless challenge on Artem Besedin.
Just three minutes later, Artem Dovbyk scored the winning goal in the 120th+1 minute, sealing a 2-1 victory for Ukraine. Coach Andriy Shevchenko remains optimistic, expressing his belief that his team can reach the final at Wembley, despite acknowledging the strength of England.
With four victories in six games in all competitions, Ukraine is expected to adopt a flexible 3-5-2 formation to counter England's likely 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 setup. Shevchenko aims to neutralize England's midfield, particularly targeting Jack Grealish, and cut off supplies to Raheem Sterling.
The attacking pair of Yaremchuk and Yarmolenko is likely to feature again against England come Saturday.
```England
The Three Lions defeated Germany 2-0 on Tuesday, the 29th at Wembley. Raheem Sterling scored in the 75th minute, securing his third goal of the tournament and giving England the lead late in the second half.
Moments later, Jack Grealish, who is a Manchester City £100M bid target, assisted Harry Kane for his first goal of the tournament in the 86th minute. The English captain, under scrutiny for his earlier lacklustre performances, silenced critics with a fantastic header to propel the Three Lions to the quarter-finals.
Gareth Southgate surprised many by switching from the familiar 4-2-3-1 formation to an attacking 4-3-3. This change featured Raheem Sterling and Bukayo Saka playing alongside Harry Kane in the attack. The result marked the first time England scored more than one goal in a single match since the tournament began.
Meanwhile, Marcus Rashford, who has seen limited playing time, claimed he was hacked after allegedly announcing Jadon Sancho's upcoming move to Manchester United. Rashford is expected to make another appearance off the bench on Saturday when England, unbeaten in six games across all competitions (WWWDWW), returns to the pitch.
Team form
Showing the latest five games—giving you a quick look at recent performance trends. Teams in good form tend to do well in the next match.
Team Comparison
Side-by-side assessment of team statistics, including goals, attacks, and more. This allows you to directly compare key performance metrics. Analyzing these stats can reveal patterns and strengths that might influence the outcome.