Ukraine has advanced to the semifinals of Euro 2026 and to the World Cup
3 July 04:45
Ukraine’s U-19 national soccer team has secured an early spot in the semifinals of the 2026 European Championship and qualified for the U-20 World Cup, which will take place in 2027 in Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan. The Ukrainian Football Association has released the full match report, according to "Komersant Ukrainian"
In the second round of the group stage, Dmytro Mykhailenko’s team pulled off a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Serbia. The Ukrainians conceded first, but turned the tide of the match before halftime thanks to a brace by Vitalii Hlyut.
After two matches, the Ukrainian national team has earned the maximum six points and is now out of reach for Croatia and Serbia. The “Blue-and-Yellows” are guaranteed to finish the group stage among the top two teams in Group B.
Serbia opened the scoring in the 16th minute
The Serbia–Ukraine match took place on July 2 at Bangor City Stadium in Wales, which is hosting the final stage of the 2026 UEFA European Under-19 Championship.
The Serbian team took the lead first. In the 16th minute, Aleksa Damjanović passed to Đorđe Ranković, who fired a precise shot into the far corner of Nazar Domchak’s goal.
The goal did not discourage the Ukrainian team. Dmytro Mykhailenko’s players increased the pressure and, before the end of the first half, not only equalized but also took the lead.
Vitaliy Hlyut scored twice in four minutes
The star of the match was Ukraine national team winger Vitaliy Hlyut.
In the 32nd minute, the Ukrainian capitalized on an opportunity in the penalty area and tied the score. Just four minutes later, Hlyut fired a long-range shot into the net to complete his brace.
Thus, Ukraine turned a 0–1 deficit into a 2–1 lead before halftime.
Neither team scored in the second half. Serbia tried to salvage the match and created a dangerous chance late in the game, but goalkeeper Nazar Domchak saved a header by Strahini Stojković and secured Ukraine’s victory.
Serbia vs. Ukraine: Match Result
Euro 2026 U-19, Group B, Second Round
Serbia vs. Ukraine — 1–2
Goals:
- Ranković, 16 — 1:0;
- Hlyut, 32 — 1:1;
- Hlyut, 36 — 1:2.
The match took place on July 2 in Bangor, Wales.
Ukraine’s starting lineup:
Nazar Domchak, Yuriy Kokodynyak, Yaroslav Milokost, Kyrylo Digtyar, Danylo Malov, Matviy Soroka, Danylo Lyusin, Vitalii Hlyut, Nikita Kalyuzhnyi, Matvii Sykut, Danylo Bohdanov.
Head coach: Dmytro Mykhailenko. The full match report was published by the Ukrainian Football Association.
How Ukraine Secured a Spot in the Semifinals
In the first round, the Ukrainian national team also secured a hard-fought victory—a 3–1 win over Croatia.
After two matches, Dmytro Mykhailenko’s team has:
- two wins;
- six points;
- five goals scored;
- two goals conceded;
- first place in Group B.
Italy has four points after defeating Serbia and drawing with Croatia. Croatia has one point, while Serbia remains without any points.
Even if Ukraine loses to Italy in the final match, it will not drop below second place. The top two teams from each group advance to the Euro semifinals.
Ukraine’s Group Standings
After two rounds, the standings in Group B are as follows:
| Rank | Team | Matches | Points | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ukraine | 2 | 6 | 5:2 |
| 2 | Italy | 2 | 4 | 2:0 |
| 3 | Croatia | 2 | 1 | 1:3 |
| 4 | Serbia | 2 | 0 | 1:4 |
Ukraine and Italy will determine the winner of the group in the final round. To secure first place, Mykhailenko’s team simply needs to avoid a loss.
When will Ukraine play Italy?
Ukraine will face Italy in the final match of the group stage.
The game will take place on July 5, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. Kyiv time.
The venue is Bangor City Stadium in Bangor.
At the same time, Serbia will face Croatia. The official schedule and results are available on the UEFA website and the UAF website.
