LVIV, Ukraine – The blue and yellows did their part at home to secure a spot in next year’s quadrennial European soccer championship with a 2-0 victory over Slovenia in the first part of their two-legged playoff qualifying series.
Coach Mykhailo Fomenko’s
men scored a goal in each half, yet the win was unimpressive as Slovenia did
its homework by mostly shutting down the right and left flanks, double-, and occasionally,
triple- teaming wingers Yevhen Konoplyanka and Andriy Yarmolenko, respectively.
Enjoying 52 percent
ball possession, Ukraine first struck in the 23rd minute when goalkeeper Samir
Handanovic punched a corner kick inadvertently toward Andriy Yarmolenko who side
stepped with his ill-favored right foot, deking two defenders while scoring
with the same leg.
Twenty four minutes
after the break forward Yevhen Seleznyov met Artem Fedetsky’s winding pass from
the right wing, sliding home the second goal.
Yevhen Seleznyov takes the plaudits after scoring a potentially crucial second for coach Mykhailo Fomenko’s men. (UEFA)
Victory came as Dnipro
Dnipropetrovsk midfielder Ruslan Rotan and Shakhtar Donetsk’s Oleksandr Hladky
were listed as injured.
Slovenia hosts the
second leg of the Euro 2016 qualifying playoff series on Nov. 17.
Ukraine hasn’t competitively
qualified for the European soccer championship in six attempts. It played in
the previous tournament as a co-host together with Poland and didn’t have to
qualify. Slovenia eliminated Ukraine from qualifying for the Euro 2000
competition during a two-legged playoff series.
The home fans in Lviv enjoy Ukraine’s 2-0 victory over Slovenia on Nov. 14. (UEFA)
France hosts the month-long soccer tournament next year starting on June 8 and ending on July 8.
Kyiv Post editor Mark Rachkevych can be reached
at [email protected].
