Two Quick Goals Helped Ukraine Get an Important Victory in Albania

Ukraine national team managed to win a crucial match against Albania in the Nations League. The result of the trip to Tirana: the Blue-Yellows finish second and play in the knockout rounds for the right to spend the next season in League A, and Albania moves to League C.

The match started perfectly for Ukraine. In the fifth minute Zinchenko scored after a shot from outside the box and four minutes later the combination with Sudakov and Konoplia was completed with a header by Yaremchuk - 2:0!

The Albanian national team did not recover from the shock until the break. The hosts failed to get anything in attack in the first half, and the expected goals xG indicator showed that Trubin was out of work - 0.07.

Of course, it could not last long - the national team of Albania realised that defeat sends it to League C. And from the first minutes of the second half, the hosts began to attack. There was a chance to punish them in the counterattack, but the ball after the shot Sudakov whistled near the Strakosha's goal.

In the 75th minute Trubin, interrupting a shot from the right, did not get to the ball and fouled. The referee had no doubt that the Ukrainian goalkeeper was wrong, and the VAR confirmed his decision - a penalty. Bayrami left no chance for Trubin, and the remaining 20 minutes turned into a game of nerves.

2:1 - victory of the national team of Ukraine, which on 22 November will find out its opponent in the knockout matches of the Nations League.

Nations League 2024-2025

Albania - Ukraine 1:2 (0:2)
Goals: Zinchenko, 5 (0:1); Yaremchuk, 9 (0:2); Bajrami N., 75 (penalty) (1:2)

Albania: Strakosha; Ajeti Ar.; Balliu; Ismajli; Mitaj; Asllani K.; Laci (Seferi, 91); Ramadani (Tuci I., 76); Asani (Bajrami N., 46); Daku (Uzuni, 46); Muci E. (Hoxha Ar., 51)
Bench: Kastrati E.; Sherri; Hysaj; Mihaj E.; Mersinaj; Abrashi; Muja
Yellow Cards: Bajrami N. 68; Mitaj 79; Tuci I. 80

Ukraine: Trubin; Zabarnyi; Konoplya (Sych O., 76); Matviyenko; Mykolenko; Kaliuzhnyi; Zinchenko (Shaparenko, 69); Mudryk (Talovierov, 85); Sudakov; Hutsuliak (Nazarenko Ol-r, 85); Yaremchuk (Dovbyk, 76)
Bench: Bushchan; Riznyk D.; Bondar V.; Brazhko; Kryskiv; Yarmoliuk; Zubkov
Yellow Cards: Dovbyk 79