The game is so far marked by tactical balance and defensive reliability, which keeps the score at 0-0. We will see how the second half will go, in which Rebrov’s men will have to seek victory if they do not want to say goodbye to the competition, since they are currently in fourth place in Group E.
Rest in Stuttgart!! Ukraine and Belgium retire to the locker rooms with a 0-0 draw in the first half. Despite the Belgian dominance in terms of possession and chances generated, especially through Kevin De Bruyne and Leandro Trossard, the ‘Red Devils’ failed to finish their chances against a confident Trubin between the three sticks. The Ukrainians resisted with a well-organized defense at the back, looking for quick counterattacks with Yaremchuk and Mykolenko.
46′
End of the first part!!
Four. Five’
Hit from outside the De Bruyneeeee area!! The City player unleashes a powerful shot, but Trubin is sure to stop the finish
44′
Two minutes added.
43′
Sudokav tries his luck with a low shot directly into Casteels’ hands.
43′
Yellow card
First yellow card of the match for Faes for knocking down Yaremchuk.
41′
What a chance Ukraine just missed! Yaremchuk receives a pass between the lines, enters the area and puts in a ball that Dovbyk barely manages to reach
39′
Onana unintentionally steps on Sudakov and the medical assistants have to jump quickly to treat the Ukrainian player.
37′
Belgium needs to generate much more danger than it has shown so far. Possession and control of the ball have been insufficient to generate scoring opportunities.
3. 4′
FACT: Kevin De Bruyne has been directly involved in 31 goals in his last 32 games for Belgium in all competitions (12 goals, 19 assists), and has scored three goals in his last five games for his country, as many as the previous 17.
32′
De Bruyneeeeeeeeeee!! His free kick crashes into the side netting. The City player surprises by trying to send the ball near Trubin’s left post.
29′
Ukraine begins to stir up the hornet’s nest and looks with more determination for the goal that could change the course of the match.
28′
Yaremchuk’s shot goes wide!! Mykolenko makes a cross from the left wing and the Valencia striker arrives well positioned for the shot, but his shot goes wide.
27′
Lukaku is not coming! Trossard makes a cross without much power looking for the Roma forward, who fails to finish the ball.
26′
FACT: Belgium has only lost one of its last 17 games in all competitions (W11 D5), its 0-1 defeat against Slovakia in its opening match in this European Championship. In fact, since the start of 2023, their losing record (one) is the lowest, along with Switzerland, of any team at Euro 2024 heading into this third round.
23′
Send outside Theate that is lost by the baseline!! The Rennes full-back’s attempt from the left goes wide.
22′
Belgium mistake at the start!! Ukraine takes the opportunity to build a quick counterattack and get dangerously close to the Casteels area. Dovbyk receives the ball and takes a powerful shot that goes wide.
twenty’
Ukraine’s first opportunity appears!! Yaremchuk tries a dangerous shot from outside the area. The ball goes straight towards the Belgian goal, but Casteels manages to stop it in two halves
19′
Belgium feels comfortable and retreats into three quarters of the field, forming a compact block. From there, wait for a Ukraine whose ball circulation is notably slow.
17′
Rebrov’s team retains possession of the ball, although they have not yet had a clear scoring chance. The team continues to look for Yaremchuk, its main reference in attack, to create danger in the Belgian defense.
fifteen’
Ukraine is stringing passes together with precision right now. A long ball looks for Mykolenko on the left wing, who with his presence is providing more possession to the team.
13′
Close delivery from De Bruyne from the corner!! The ball goes to Trubin’s far post, but Zabarnyi appears to anticipate and deflect the ball.
12′
Belgium presents all its cards to threaten. With De Bruyne managing the game inside and Trossard overflowing on the right, the Belgians look for a way to find Lukaku in the area.
eleven’
FACT: Ukraine is seeking to reach the round of 16 of a major tournament for the third time, after the 2006 World Cup and Euro 2020. Their four third-round group stage matches have ended 1-0: they won the first in 2006 against Tunisia , but they have lost the other three (against England in Euro 2012, Poland in Euro 2016 and Austria in Euro 2020).
9′
What a quality technical gesture from De Bruyne! With a subtle touch, he disposes of a Ukrainian player, raising a cheer from the crowd.
7′
Lukaku’s first!! He receives a pass between the lines from De Bruyne and enters the area. He tries to beat Trubin with a left-footed shot, but the Ukrainian goalkeeper responds with a great save.
5′
Trossard has to delay for Onana to look for spaces. The Arsenal player, new to the Belgian eleven, tries to generate advantages on the right.
4′
First approach of Ukraine. Mykolenko advances down the left and sends a low cross into the Belgian area. The throw goes straight into the hands of Casteels, who catches the ball without difficulty.
3′
As expected, Belgium starts the game with dominance of possession. They play the ball calmly between their players, moving the ball from one side to the other and seeking to open spaces in the Ukrainian defense.
The match starts in Stuttgart!!
The players are already stepping on the grass of the Stuttgart Arena. The game is about to start!
Everything ready for the match between Ukraine and Belgium to begin. The English referee Anthony Taylor will be in charge of dispensing justice in this afternoon’s clash, while his compatriot Stuart Attwell will assist him in the VAR.
5. Belgium has won six of its last seven Euro Cup group stage games, only failing against Slovakia on Matchday 1 this year (0-1). In fact, between World Cups and Euro Cups, the ‘Red Devils’ have won 14 of their last 18 group stage games (D1 L3), and only in the 2022 World Cup did they not reach the knockout rounds among their last six major tournaments .
4. Ukraine maintained its Euro Cup record of not scoring (8 games) or scoring exactly two goals (5 games) in its 2-1 victory over Slovakia on Matchday 2. In fact, its four victories in the competition have was 2-1.
3. Belgium has not lost its final group game in any of its last six appearances at a major tournament (W5 D1), since a 2-0 host loss to Turkey at Euro 2000.
2. Ukraine has only lost one of its last 11 games when facing a team for the first time (W5 D5), losing 1-0 to Malta in June 2017.
1. Belgium is unbeaten in its last 22 games, facing a team for the first time (W13 D9), since losing 1-0 in a friendly against Egypt in March 1999.
Some data about both teams ahead of the match.
The Belgians fell in their debut against the Slovaks, but recovered in the narrow victory against Romania. In turn, the Ukrainians lost 3-0 against the Romanians and won their duel against Francesco Calzona’s team, a balance that leaves them in fourth place in the group.
Third day for a Group E that is totally balanced between Romania, Belgium, Slovakia and Ukraine. Anything can happen once the four teams are tied with three points after each having a win and a loss in their first two games.
On the Belgium bench: Thomas Kaminski and Matz Sels as substitute goalkeepers, Zeno Debast, Yannick Carrasco, Aster Vranckx, Charles De Ketelaere, Orel Mangala, Johan Bakayoko, Loïs Openda, Arthur Vermeeren and Maxim De Cuyper.
On the Ukraine bench: Heorhii Bushchan and Andrii Lunin as substitute goalkeepers, Yukhym Konoplia, Maksym Talovierov, Serhii Sydorchuk, Taras Stepanenko, Andrii Yarmolenko, Ruslan Malinovskyi, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Oleksandr Zubkov, Valerii Bondar, Vladyslav Vanat and Bohdan Mykhailichenko.
Trossard replaces the suspended Lukebakio! The Arsenal player is the only variant of Domenico Tedesco for this last and decisive match against Ukraine. This means that Theate remains in the starting lineup on the left wing and Tielemans in the double pivot alongside Onana.
Yaremchuk to start in Ukraine! The Valencia striker has been rewarded after scoring the winner in the 2-1 victory over Slovakia in the last matchday, leaving Yarmolenko on the bench. Zinchenko and Mudryk are also out of the Ukrainian starting eleven, as well as Lunin, who has been handed the goal for the second game in a row to Trubin.
For its part, Belgium will start with (4-2-3-1): Koen Casteels – Timothy Castagne, Wout Faes, Jan Vertonghen, Arthur Theate – Youri Tielemans, Amadou Onana – Jérémy Doku, Kevin De Bruyne, Leandro Trossard – Romelu Lukaku .
Ukraine comes out with the following eleven players (5-3-2): Anatolii Trubin – Oleksandr Tymchyk, Illia Zabarnyi, Oleksandr Svatok, Mykola Matviienko, Vitalii Mykolenko – Mykola Shaparenko, Volodymyr Brazhko, Heorhii Sudakov – Roman Yaremchuk and Artem Dovbyk.
The lineups for both teams are now available!
Good afternoon everyone! Welcome to the match between the Ukrainian and Belgian teams, which meet at the Stuttgart Arena for the third day of Group E of Euro 2024. Let’s start with the preview!
