Ukraine Edges Slovakia 2-1 in Euro Opener
Ukraine's national team emerged victorious with a hard-fought 2-1 win against Slovakia at the Merkur Spiel-Arena stadium in Düsseldorf.
Slovakia Starts Strong, But Ukraine Responds
Slovakia came out of the gates with a more aggressive attack. Ivan Schranz threatened on two occasions, but Ukrainian goalkeeper Anatolii Trubin rose to the challenge with key saves. In the 17th minute, however, Schranz capitalised on a superb pass from Lukas Haraslin, heading the ball past Trubin for the opening goal. This setback forced Ukraine to react. Oleksandr Tymchik nearly equalised with a shot that rattled the crossbar, and Oleksandr Zinchenko tested the Slovakian goalkeeper Martin Dubravka with a free kick just before halftime.
Shaparenko and Yaremchuk Lead Second-Half Fightback
Ukraine's efforts in the second half bore fruit. In the 54th minute, Zinchenko played a key role again, delivering a pinpoint cross from the left flank that Mykola Shaparenko expertly converted to level the score. Mykhailo Mudryk nearly put Ukraine ahead in the 75th minute, but his powerful shot struck the woodwork. However, Ukraine's persistence paid off in the 80th minute. Shaparenko once again played a pivotal role, this time with a spectacular pass that found Roman Yaremchuk. The striker made no mistake, slotting the ball home to secure a valuable victory for Ukraine. This win keeps their hopes of advancing to the round of 16 alive.
Romania's Next Challenge
In the other Group E match tomorrow, Romania will face a tough test against Belgium. The match will be broadcast live and exclusively on the Moldovan national television channel Moldova 1.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
