Ukraine will compete in the finals of a major tournament for the first time since being invaded by Russia after Mykhailo Mudryk’s winner in their Euro 2024 play-off final against Iceland.
Ukraine trailed 1-0 at half-time after Albert Gudmundsson put Iceland ahead with a superb strike.
But Serhiy Rebrov’s side came back from behind in the second half, levelling through Viktor Tsyhankov, before Mudryk’s late winner.
Ukraine will go into Group E at the Euro 2024 finals, alongside Belgium, Slovakia and Romania.
Before the game, Rebrov said qualifying for the tournament would bring “a bit of happiness” for Ukrainians as the nation continues to be attacked by Russia.
Thousands of Ukrainian soldiers and civilians have been killed since Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion of its neighbouring country in February 2022.
The war means Ukraine’s footballers have been forced to play their ‘home’ matches outside of their homeland, with their Euro 2024 play-off tie against Iceland taking place in Polish city Wroclaw.
Iceland were aiming to reach the finals for only the second time after memorably reaching the quarter-finals in 2016 and took the lead in the 30th minute through Genoa forward Gudmundsson.
But Ukraine, who also recovered from a goal down to beat Bosnia and Herzegovina in Thursday’s play-off semi-final, were the better side after the break.
Ukraine deservedly levelled when Tsyhankov was allowed the time to drift in from the right flank and precisely find the bottom corner.
Continuing to dominate, Rebrov’s side were further rewarded when Mudryk swept into the same corner six minutes from time to spark joyous scenes among the Ukrainian fans.
Poland has welcomed more refugees from the war-torn country than any other nation and Ukraine’s victory was greeted by a sea of blue and yellow flags being waved in jubilation.
The Euro 2024 finals will begin on Friday, 14 June at the Allianz Arena in Munich.
The tournament concludes on Sunday, 14 July, with the final at the Olympiastadion in Berlin.
Line-ups
Ukraine
Formation 4-3-3
- 23Lunin
- 2Konoplya
- 13Zabarnyi
- 22Matvienko
- 16Mykolenko
- 8MalinovskyiBooked at 42minsSubstituted forZinchenkoat 64′minutesBooked at 90mins
- 14Brazhko
- 7Sudakov
- 15TsygankovSubstituted forTalovierovat 88′minutes
- 9YaremchukSubstituted forDovbykat 72′minutes
- 10Mudryk
Substitutes
- 1Bushchan
- 3Mykhailichenko
- 4Talovierov
- 5Sydorchuk
- 6Shaparenko
- 11Dovbyk
- 12Trubin
- 17Zinchenko
- 18Vanat
- 19Bondar
- 20Zubkov
- 21Tymchyk
Iceland
Formation 4-4-2
- 12Valdimarsson
- 4Pálsson
- 5IngasonBooked at 56mins
- 18Grétarsson
- 3ThórarinssonSubstituted forFinnssonat 63′minutes
- 17HaraldssonBooked at 21minsSubstituted forAndersonat 87′minutes
- 21Traustason
- 7GudmundssonBooked at 90mins
- 9ThorsteinssonSubstituted forEllertssonat 87′minutes
- 22GudjohnsenSubstituted forÃskarssonat 64′minutes
- 10Gudmundsson
Substitutes
- 1Ãlafsson
- 2Sampsted
- 6Hermannsson
- 8Ellertsson
- 11Finnbogason
- 13Gunnarsson
- 14Finnsson
- 15Willumsson
- 16Anderson
- 19Bergmann Jóhannesson
- 20Ãskarsson
- 23Hlynsson
- Referee:
- Clément Turpin
Live Text
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Match ends, Ukraine 2, Iceland 1.
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Second Half ends, Ukraine 2, Iceland 1.
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Maksym Talovierov (Ukraine) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Mikael Anderson (Iceland).
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Oleksandr Zinchenko (Ukraine) is shown the yellow card.
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Corner, Ukraine. Conceded by Victor Pálsson.
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Jóhann Gudmundsson (Iceland) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
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Heorhii Sudakov (Ukraine) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Jóhann Gudmundsson (Iceland).
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Offside, Iceland. Orri Ãskarsson is caught offside.
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Substitution, Ukraine. Maksym Talovierov replaces Viktor Tsygankov.
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Substitution, Iceland. Mikael Anderson replaces Hákon Haraldsson.
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Substitution, Iceland. Mikael Ellertsson replaces Jón Thorsteinsson.
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Foul by Yukhym Konoplya (Ukraine).
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Jón Thorsteinsson (Iceland) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Goal! Ukraine 2, Iceland 1. Mykhailo Mudryk (Ukraine) right footed shot from outside the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Heorhii Sudakov.
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Attempt missed. Jóhann Gudmundsson (Iceland) left footed shot from outside the box is too high.
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Corner, Iceland. Conceded by Andriy Lunin.
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Attempt blocked. Albert Gudmundsson (Iceland) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Jón Thorsteinsson with a through ball.
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Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Source Agencies
