Ukraine vs North Macedonia
European Championship this season
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Preview: Ukraine vs North Macedonia
In a clash of redemption, Ukraine and North Macedonia meet at the National Arena in Bucharest on Thursday, both seeking their first points in Group C after thrilling yet unsuccessful openers against formidable opponents.
Ukraine
Ukraine lost to the Netherlands in Sunday's five-goal thriller at the Johan Cruyff Arena in Amsterdam. The match began with the Netherlands dominating and missing several chances, including a free header by Denzel Dumfries.
Ukraine lived dangerously after the interval until Georginio Wijnaldum broke the deadlock with a left-footed strike after Ukrainian goalkeeper, George Buschan, pushed the ball into his path. The Netherlands doubled their lead through Wouter Weghorst's goal, leaving Ukraine with a daunting task.
With just over fifteen minutes remaining, Andriy Yarmolenko halved the deficit with an impressive curling strike. This inspired Ukraine, and they quickly equalized four minutes later with a header by Roman Yaremchuk from a Ruslan Malinovsky cross.
Despite their comeback, Ukraine was undone when Denzel Dumfries scored the winning goal from Nathan Ake's cross, resulting in a 3-2 loss and Ukraine's first defeat in six games. Coach Andriy Shevchenko remained positive, praising his team's reaction and performance.
Ukraine currently has a goal difference of -1 and no points from their opening match. A tactical change to either a 4-4-2 or an attacking 4-3-3 formation is expected in their next match, and Shevchenko may consider replacing goalkeeper George Buschan.
North Macedonia
Meanwhile, tournament debutants North Macedonia lost to Austria on Sunday, the 13th. Stefan Lainer (18') put Austria in the lead with an unbelievable goal—appearing out of nowhere for a half-volley to the far corner, leaving the stunned goalkeeper, Stole Dimitrievski, rooted to the spot like a garden tree.
However, North Macedonia levelled the score after a ricochet and a mix-up between the goalkeeper, defender, and an on-rushing opponent left Goran Pandev (28') with an opportunity for an easy finish. But Michael Gregoritsch (78') restored Austria's lead before Marko Arnautovic (89') stretched it to two goals, concluding the match at 3-1.
The defeat was North Macedonia's second in six games across all international competitions: LWWDWL. With zero points and a goal difference of -2, they currently sit at the bottom of Group C. Coach Igor Angelovski is expected to deploy a 5—3—2 formation on Thursday.
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.