On Monday, Ukraine will host the Czech Republic in a crucial UEFA Nations League clash, both teams looking to solidify their standings in Group 1 of League B.
Match Preview:
After a rocky start to their Nations League campaign, Ukraine finally found their footing with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Georgia last time out, thanks to a first-half goal from Mykhaylo Mudryk. This win gives the Blue and Yellows some momentum as they seek to climb the standings. Despite starting the campaign with a 2-1 loss to Albania and a narrow 3-2 defeat to the Czech Republic, they remain just three points behind the leaders and still have three matches left to play.
Ukraine had an underwhelming Euro 2024 experience, finishing bottom of their group, but with a strong performance against Georgia, they hope to turn things around and push for promotion back to League A.
In contrast, the Czech Republic comes into this match after securing a solid 2-0 victory over Albania, with Tomas Chory scoring both goals. Having rebounded from a tough 4-1 loss to Georgia in their opening match, the Czech Republic sits in second place in the group with six points, level with Georgia. Under the management of Ivan Hasek, they are keen to maintain their position and aim for a return to the top tier after being relegated in the last Nations League.
Ukraine’s Recent Form:
- Nations League: L, L, W (1-2 vs Albania, 2-3 vs Czech Republic, 1-0 vs Georgia)
- All Competitions: Struggled in Euro 2024, finishing bottom of Group E.
Czech Republic’s Recent Form:
- Nations League: W, L, W (3-2 vs Ukraine, 1-4 vs Georgia, 2-0 vs Albania)
- All Competitions: Finished bottom of Group F in Euro 2024.
Team News:
Ukraine:
- Head coach Serhiy Rebrov is likely to field a similar XI to that which faced Georgia, with Artem Dovbyk leading the attack.
- Other key players include Mudryk, who will look to build on his performance from the last match, and Heorhiy Sudakov in a creative midfield role.
- Illya Zabarnyi will be crucial in defense, while Roman Yaremchuk may again have to settle for a place on the bench.
Possible Ukraine Starting Lineup:
- Trubin; Konoplia, Zabarnyi, Talovierov, Matviienko; Hutsuliak, Shaparenko, Kaliuzhnyi, Sudakov, Mudryk; Dovbyk.
Czech Republic:
- Manager Ivan Hasek is not expected to make significant changes following their win over Albania.
- Tomas Chory, after scoring a brace, will retain his spot in attack, while Vaclav Cerny will provide support from the wings.
- The midfield will likely see Tomas Soucek and Vladimir Coufal taking on key roles, but the absence of Patrik Schick will be felt.
Possible Czech Republic Starting Lineup:
- Kovar; Coufal, Vitik, Holes, Boril; Soucek, Cerv; Cerny, Sulc, Provo; Chory.
Prediction:
With both teams showing signs of improvement in their recent matches, this clash promises to be tightly contested. The Czech Republic narrowly edged Ukraine in their previous encounter, but with home advantage, Ukraine will be eager to secure a crucial victory. However, given both teams’ current form and competitiveness, a draw could also be a likely outcome.
Prediction: Ukraine 1-1 Czech Republic
This match could go either way, but expect a closely fought battle, with both teams potentially sharing the spoils.
