Turkish Women's Cup 2018: Ukraine's women's national team defeats Northern Ireland and fights for bronze

04.03.2018 18:23

The national women's national team of Ukraine held its final group stage match at the Turkish Women's Cup 2018 tournament, which is being held these days in the Turkish cities of Alanya and Side.

In an important matchmaking event, Vladimir Reva's wards met with the Northern Ireland team, who also had four points in the game before the game. 

With the starting whistle, our girls took the initiative and in the 4th minute created the first dangerous moment near the opponent's goal: Veronika Andrukhiv shot from the right flank, but Olga Ovdiychuk's shot from close range in a desperate roll blocked the defender. The next good moment came for the Ukrainian captain Daria Apanashchenko, who effectively finished the corner kick with a fifth kick, but the goalkeeper of the islanders figured out her intentions. Opponents in these minutes did not even think about their attacks, they rarely moved to the other half of the field and just expected a mistake from our players. 

Despite the considerable advantage of the Ukrainian women and a few good points, the first half of the game ended with zero draw.

The beginning of the second half was a continuation of the first - with one difference: the Ukrainians managed to soak the score. Jana Kalinina upset the Northern Ireland goalkeeper in the 54th minute. And in three minutes the same Yana Kalinin managed a small masterpiece: after her kick from the turn the ball flew into the ninth. 

With 66 minutes played, the visitors broke through on the right after some poor defending. But the Ukrainians did not give up, and in three minutes Daria Apanashchenko made a great pass from Iya Andrushchak, setting the final score. 

Thus, after the victory over the islanders, Volodymyr Reva's wards took the first place in Group C and on March 6 they are arguing with the Polish team for the bronze medals of the tournament.  

of Turkish Women's Cup 2018 

Ukraine - Northern Ireland - 3: 1

Goals: Kalinin (54, 57), Apanashchenko (69) - (McGuinness, 66). 

Ukraine: Sanina, Basanska (Shmatko, 46), Kravets, Filenko (Ivanyshyn, 79), Khimich, Vasilyuk, Andrushchak, Apanaschenko, Ovdiychuk (Pantsulay, 62), Andrukhiv (Khavanskaya, 46), Kalinina (Voronina, 76).