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11 months ago
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Last updated on Less than a minute ago.From the section Football
Ukraine were well supported despite the game being played in SlovakiaEngland Under-21s suffered their first competitive defeat in more than a year as they were beaten by Ukraine in a Euro 2025 qualifying game in Slovakia.
Ukraine were 2-0 up at half-time, with Nazar Voloshyn's calm low finish and a superb Oleh Ocheretko free-kick putting them in command.
Noni Madueke then curled in to give England hope before Charlie Cresswell's 89th-minute header made it 2-2.
But Illia Kvasnytsya's strike deep into stoppage time won it for Ukraine.
Lee Carsley's side had worked hard to claw back the two-goal deficit after dominating for large spells in the second period, but were ultimately undone on the break when Kvasnytsya cut inside and fired beyond goalkeeper James Trafford.
It means England, crowned European champions in the summer, have lost only their second competitive game in 20 matches - and their first since being beaten by Slovakia in June 2022.
They thrashed Serbia 9-1 in their previous fixture on Thursday but looked well short of their best during a disjointed first half, with Ukraine - semi-finalists at the European Championship - good value for their lead.
Trafford, England's hero in the final win over Spain in July, was arguably at fault for the second goal, as Ocheretko's free-kick from out wide deceived the Burnley keeper and found the far corner.
The Young Lions responded well after half-time, with Cresswell's far-post header into an empty net appearing to have rescued a draw, only for Kvasnytsya to make it 3-2 and spark wild celebrations.
Line-ups
Ukraine U21
Formation 4-4-2
- 1Neshcheret
- 5RomanBooked at 90mins
- 13Salyuk
- 16Batagov
- 2Vivcharenko
- 21Bragaru
- 10YarmolyukSubstituted forYatsykat 82'minutes
- 17Brazhko
- 11VoloshynSubstituted forKvasnytsyaat 74'minutes
- 7ViunnykSubstituted forKrasnopirat 59'minutes
- 8OcheretkoSubstituted forRubchynskyiat 74'minutesBooked at 90mins
Substitutes
- 4Didyk
- 6Kucheryavyi
- 14Kvasnytsya
- 15Smolyakov
- 18Yatsyk
- 19Gunichev
- 20Krasnopir
- 22Rubchynskyi
- 23Fesyun
England U21
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1Trafford
- 20LivramentoSubstituted forNorton-Cuffyat 73'minutes
- 4CresswellBooked at 90mins
- 5Branthwaite
- 3HumphreysSubstituted forIling-Juniorat 58'minutes
- 2LewisBooked at 66mins
- 6HackneySubstituted forDelapat 58'minutes
- 19Elliott
- 7McAteeSubstituted forRoweat 73'minutes
- 21Bynoe-GittensSubstituted forPhilogeneat 57'minutes
- 11Madueke
Substitutes
- 8Patino
- 9Delap
- 12Norton-Cuffy
- 14A Ramsey
- 16Quansah
- 17Iling-Junior
- 18Rowe
- 22Cox
- 23Philogene
Live Text
Match ends, Ukraine U21 3, England U21 2.
Second Half ends, Ukraine U21 3, England U21 2.
Corner, England U21. Conceded by Ruslan Neshcheret.
Attempt saved. Jarrad Branthwaite (England U21) header from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Harvey Elliott with a cross.
Charlie Cresswell (England U21) is shown the yellow card.
Vitalii Roman (Ukraine U21) is shown the yellow card.
Noni Madueke (England U21) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Illia Kvasnytsya (Ukraine U21).
Goal! Ukraine U21 3, England U21 2. Illia Kvasnytsya (Ukraine U21) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Valentyn Rubchynskyi.
Attempt missed. Ihor Krasnopir (Ukraine U21) right footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Maksym Bragaru.
Valentyn Rubchynskyi (Ukraine U21) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Rico Lewis (England U21) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Valentyn Rubchynskyi (Ukraine U21).
Foul by Jonathan Rowe (England U21).
Ihor Krasnopir (Ukraine U21) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Attempt saved. Harvey Elliott (England U21) left footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Noni Madueke.
Corner, England U21. Conceded by Arsenii Batagov.
Goal! Ukraine U21 2, England U21 2. Charlie Cresswell (England U21) header from the left side of the six yard box to the top left corner. Assisted by Harvey Elliott with a cross following a corner.
Corner, England U21. Conceded by Kostiantyn Vivcharenko.
Foul by Jaden Philogene (England U21).
