The Ukrainian U-21 National Team Took Part in the Olympic Games for the First Time
On Sunday, July 2nd, at 22:00 in Cluj-Napoca, at the Cluj Arena, the quarterfinal match of the UEFA European Under-21 Championship 2023 took place, where Ukraine defeated France (3-1). Thus, under the guidance of Ruslan Rotan, the team secured not only a spot in the tournament's semifinals but also a historic qualification for the Olympic Games, where the Ukrainian football team will compete for the first time in history.
In this match, the Ukrainian team was the first to concede a goal. In the 19th minute, Rayan Cherki, the forward of Lyon, scored a goal against Anatoliy Trubin from outside the penalty area after receiving a pass from his teammate Bradley Barcola on the right flank.
The Ukrainians managed to equalize in the 32nd minute. Mykhailo Mudryk, who made his tournament debut, earned a penalty for the Ukrainian national team. After VAR confirmation, Georgiy Sudakov confidently converted the penalty kick, outplaying the French goalkeeper and sending the ball into the opposite corner of the net.
At the end of the first half, Ruslan Rotan's team took the lead. Mudryk found Sudakov with a precise pass from deep within the field, who bypassed the French goalkeeper and scored a goal. Thus, Sudakov completed his brace.
In the second half, the French tried to attack more, but the Ukrainian team not only held their ground but also scored a third goal. In the 86th minute, Artem Bondarenko received a pass from Oleksandr Nazarenko and chipped the ball over the goalkeeper from a sharp angle.
In the semifinals, the Ukrainian national team will face Spain, who defeated Switzerland (2-1) in the quarterfinals after extra time.
The head coach of the Ukrainian U-21 team, Ruslan Rotan, also shared his thoughts after the game.
"This is my job. My favorite job. I am truly happy, but I am even happier for the players and our country. I must say that we are here for our warriors. This victory is for them. And secondly, achievements should be evaluated at the end of one's career, only then can we talk about something. This match was really important, as we have little time to prepare for the semifinals. Recovery and a very strong team await us," said Ruslan Rotan.
After the match, UEFA named the best player of the game, which was midfielder Georgiy Sudakov from the Ukrainian team. He scored a brace in this match.