Slovakia 1-2 Ukraine: Yaremchuk's late winner kick-starts Ukraine Euros campaign
Ukraine rallied in time to save their Euro 2024 hopes, with substitute Roman Yaremchuk's late goal helping them come back from a goal down to defeat Slovakia 2-1 in a thrilling Group E match on Friday.
Ukraine were trailing at halftime after an early header by Ivan Schranz, but they stormed back in front of their jubilant fans.
Slovakia, who stunned Belgium in their opener, would have secured a last-16 spot with a win, but sat back after a dream start and were punished.
Mykola Shaparenko, the MOTM, equalised in the 54th minute with a close-range finish before passing to Yaremchuk, who prodded the winner and sparked ecstatic celebrations from the yellow and blue ranks inside the Duesseldorf Stadium.
The victory was also celebrated in Kyiv, not least by Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who praised the team in his nightly video address from the war-torn country.
"Today we are grateful to our national team. Every time our boys press, keep trying and strive for victory, everything works out," Zelenskiy said.
"I spoke before the match with both (manager) Serhiy Rebrov and (former coach) Andriy Shevchenko, and with the boys. I was truly hoping for a good outcome for Ukraine, for our people, to lift everyone up. On our road to victory, every victory is needed. And we got just such a result from our national team today."
The result brought Ukraine level on three points with Slovakia and Romania, who face Belgium on Saturday.
"Today we conceded a goal and reacted very well," former Ukraine striker Rebrov, who made five changes to the side that started the 3-0 drubbing by Romania, said.
"I can't say this was a different team but it was a different spirit. The spirit of Ukraine. Today this was a very important win for Ukraine, for our country."
Slovakia will be kicking themselves for failing to get at least a point, which would have almost guaranteed them a repeat of their 2016 journey to the last 16.
Instead, they will be fearful of a repeat of Euro 2020, when they won their first game before losing to Sweden and Spain and packing their bags for home.
"I'm happy with the team's performance and proud of my lads," coach Francesco Calzona said. "We allowed the opposition half an hour when they punished us."
Slovakia began as if determined to avoid a repeat of three years ago, dominating the opening exchanges on a Duesseldorf pitch greased with persistent rain.
Ukraine goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin, one of Rebrov's changes, kept his team in the game with a series of saves, including one to keep out a Lukas Haraslin shot and another to spread himself and somehow keep out Schranz's close-range attempt.
Slovakia were rewarded in the 17th minute when Ukraine switched off, and Haraslin's measured lobbed cross was headed in at the far post by Schranz for his second goal of the tournament, following his winner against Belgium.
With their tournament hopes as bleak as the Duesseldorf sky, Ukraine finally awoke, and it was Chelsea's Mykhailo Mudryk who ignited the flame.
He blasted one shot over the crossbar before having a better effort blocked by Slovakia defender Peter Pekarik.
Oleksandr Tymchyk then had his head in his hands as his skidding shot hit the post, and keeper Martin Dubravka saved Oleksandr Zinchenko's curling free kick.
Slovakia still posed an occasional threat, and Trubin did well to save Haraslin's shot, but Ukraine maintained the pressure after the break.
Artem Dovbyk, La Liga's top scorer last season, was just unable to direct a Mudryk cross into the goal before Ukraine finally broke through the Slovakia defence. Zinchenko's silky pass found Shaparenko unmarked, who slotted home a left-footed shot.
Slovakia appeared content to hold on for a point, but it was a risky strategy, with Mudryk hitting the post from an acute angle with 15 minutes remaining.
Ukraine appeared to have lost momentum, but with 10 minutes left, Shaparenko spotted Yaremchuk's run down the right and he took the ball out of the air before poking his shot past a hesitant Dubravka.
The job is far from finished, but after their opening defeat, war-torn Ukraine will enter their final group game against Belgium full of optimism.
SportsLigue