UEFA EURO 2024 Group Stage
17 June, 2024 - Indian Date
Fußball Arena München
MATCH TIMES
India
06:30 PM
UAE
05:00 PM
Saudi Arabia
04:00 PM
MATCH LIVE INFO
Ukraine possible starting lineup: Lunin; Konoplya, Zabarnyi, Matviyenko, Zinchenko; Shaparenko, Stepanenko, Sudakov; Tsygankov, Dovbyk, Mudryk
Romania possible starting lineup: Nita; Ratiu, Dragusin, Burca, Bancu; M. Marin, R. Marin; Man, Stanciu, Mihaila; Dragus
Match Preview
The eagerly awaited Euro 2024 campaigns for Group E rivals Romania and Ukraine kick off this Monday afternoon in Munich. This will be the first competitive meeting between the two nations, marking an important milestone in their football histories.
Romania: Resurgence and Expectations
Romania, returning to the European Championship for the first time since 2016, enters the tournament with renewed optimism. The Tricolorii, as they are known, topped Group I in the qualifiers, remaining unbeaten with six wins and four draws. Their defense was particularly impressive, conceding just five goals throughout the campaign. Recent friendly matches have further highlighted their defensive solidity, with only one goal conceded in draws against Northern Ireland, Bulgaria, and Liechtenstein, apart from a 3-2 defeat to Colombia.
Under the guidance of Edward Iordanescu, who took charge in 2022, Romania has seen significant improvement. Iordanescu follows in the footsteps of his father, Anghel Iordanescu, who led Romania to Euro 2016. Despite their historical struggle at the Euros—with only one win in 16 games—there is a sense of cautious optimism that this squad can progress beyond the group stage, especially with the possibility of several third-placed teams advancing.
Key players for Romania include captain Nicolae Stanciu, who is pivotal in midfield, and a trio of strikers—Denis Alibec, George Puscas, and Denis Dragus—competing for the starting spot. The absence of winger Olimpiu Morutan due to an ACL injury means Parma duo Valentin Mihaila and Dennis Man may have to step up. In goal, Florin Nita aims to challenge Atletico Madrid's Horatiu Moldovan for the starting position.
Ukraine: Seeking to Inspire
Ukraine's path to Euro 2024 was more turbulent. After finishing third in their qualification group behind England and Italy, they secured their spot through the playoffs, with late winners against Bosnia-Herzegovina and Iceland. This will be Ukraine's fourth consecutive European Championship appearance, yet their overall performance record has been underwhelming, with eight losses in 11 matches and failing to score in six of nine group games. However, they did reach the quarter-finals three years ago, which provides some hope for a similar or better run this time.
Serhiy Rebrov, the former Tottenham Hotspur striker, is leading Ukraine in his first major tournament as manager. The team's pre-tournament form has been mixed, including a goalless draw against Germany and a 3-1 defeat to Poland, followed by a morale-boosting 4-0 win over Moldova.
Ukraine faces injury concerns, particularly with left-back Vitaliy Mykolenko ruled out, prompting Oleksandr Zinchenko to likely shift from midfield to defense. Key players include Mykhailo Mudryk and Viktor Tsygankov on the flanks, Heorhiy Sudakov in an advanced midfield role, and Artem Dovbyk, who had a standout season in La Liga with Girona, expected to lead the attack. Veteran Andriy Yarmolenko, with a history of impactful performances at the Euros, remains a crucial figure.
Outlook
Both teams face tough competition in Group E, which also includes Belgium and Slovakia. Romania’s disciplined defense and Ukraine’s dynamic attack set the stage for a compelling encounter. With Romania aiming to exceed their historical performance and Ukraine seeking to inspire amidst ongoing challenges back home, this opening match promises to be a tightly contested affair.