2022: results of the year for Ukraine U-21 team

18.12.2022 16:03

Photo of UAF press service

The youth national team of Ukraine will play in the final tournament of the European Championship for the third time in its history!

In 2022, she was obliged to successfully complete the selection for Euro-2023 (U-21), which she started quite successfully. After six rounds played in 2021, the clear leaders in Group H were France (16 points out of 18) and Ukraine (13 out of 18). Our advantage over the closest pursuer was seven points. For the four rounds that remained to be held in 2022, it was very difficult to destroy it.

But the war, the active phase of which was started by the sick eastern neighbor, could equalize the chances. The difficulties were clear — most of the football players of our national team represented domestic clubs and did not have game practice in the regular championship, unlike their opponents. Plus, the Ukrainians received an additional load — they had to play four matches instead of two.

But the Serbs, who theoretically could force the Rotany team to fight for the second step, could not even keep the intrigue. The day after our win over the Faroes, Serbia lost to France and all questions about the top two teams in Group H were removed.

Moreover, Rotany's team could, if not compete with the French (they performed very strongly in the selection, winning eight matches out of 10 with two draws with a total score of 31:5) for the first place, then at least hope to become the best of the nine national teams that will take the second place in their groups and go directly to the Euro.

Photo of UAF press service

It didn't work out. The French won the second personal meeting — 3:1. To the credit of the blue and yellow, they managed to fight back, but no more. And it became clear that we will have to play face-to-face matches, regardless of the result of the meeting with the Armenians. But in the playoffs, our team confidently defeated Slovakia, although it lost the first match.

In general, the work of the coaching staff of "Youth" during the entire Euro-2023 selection should be assessed as excellent. A positive solution to the tournament task speaks for itself, but it is also important that Rotany's wards demonstrated interesting football, rich in goals.

In 2022, the Ukrainians scored less than two goals per match only in two friendly matches in November. But there the youth national team played with a very experimental team and tested the nearest reserve more.

All matches of the youth national team of Ukraine U-21 2022

A large group of football players of this composition (28 out of 47) can play for the U-21 team even in the next selection cycle - Euro-2025 (base generations - born in 2002-2003).

All footballers of the youth national team of Ukraine U-21 in 2022

At Euro-2023, the draw sent the national team of Ukraine to a group with Romania, Spain and Croatia. Group round matches for our team will take place on June 21-27 in Bucharest. The two best teams will advance to the quarterfinals. The final is scheduled for July 8 in Batumi (Romania and Georgia jointly host the Euro).