After a confident victory in the opening match against Greece U-17 (3:1), Oleksandr Sitnyk's team faced Israel.

The first half was very difficult for our team. Already on the 7th minute after a corner kick by Yarun Abikhazira, he pushed the ball into the net from close range. Moreover, on the 23rd minute, he won the battle in the air and scored a double. The end of the half was also not optimistic. On the 44th minute, the referee awarded Israel a penalty for a handball by one of our defenders inside their own penalty area, which Idan Dadiya converted.

Immediately after halftime, Stanislav Shukalovich and Maksym Ugrik had great chances to reduce the deficit, but the goalkeeper of the Israeli team played well. Meanwhile, the Israelis did not waste their opportunities and on the 61st minute a substitute scored his third goal against us. Finally, an own goal by our goalkeeper after a free kick from the center helped Israel as well. Therefore, 0:5 — defeat for Ukraine.

The next match for Oleksandr Sitnyk's team will be on February 16th against Croatia (start time - around 11:00).

Friendship Tournament among Youth Teams

Israel (U-17) — Ukraine (U-17) — 5:0 (3:0)

Goals: Abikhazira (7, 23), Dadiya (44, penalty), #21 (61), #10 (84).

Israel (U-17) (starting lineup): Luka, Kerem, Peli, Cuaresma, Berkoo (captain), Abikhazira, Didi, Shmuel, Nuna, Dadiya, Goldstein.

Ukraine (U-17): Semeshko, Smotrytskyi, Onishchuk (Onyshchuk, 70), Shukalovich (Gloz, 62), Gura (Bandilo, 80), Trokhym (Zadoienko, 46), Pryhodko (Linnikov, 70), Zvarich (Pilip'yuks, 46), Riba (Volosko, 62), Hoc (Dzyurinets', 46), Pilipchuk (Ugrik, 46).

Warned: Berkoo (65) — Trokhym (7), Gura (55).

Tournament Table

16.02. Croatia — Ukraine (11:00)

Remember, the youth team of Ukraine U-17 will participate in the second round of Euro-2026 qualifying and will be in Group 6 of League B, where they will face teams from Latvia and Albania. The tournament for our group from March 3rd to June 9th will take place in Albania.

Euro-2026 (U-17). Second Round Qualifying

League A

Group A1: Germany, France, Slovenia, North Macedonia.

Group A2: Iceland, Portugal, Italy, Romania.

Group A3: Sweden, Montenegro, Greece, Norway.

Group A4: Czech Republic, Kazakhstan, Austria, Denmark.

Group A5: Belgium, Cyprus, Serbia, Switzerland.

Group A6: Spain, Turkey, Scotland, Northern Ireland.

Group A7: Ireland, Slovakia, Croatia, Poland.

League B

Group B1: Israel, Faroe Islands, England, Estonia.

Group B2: Bulgaria, Lithuania, Malta, Azerbaijan.

Group B3: Wales, Georgia, San Marino, Andorra.

Group B4: Finland, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Moldova, Gibraltar.

Group B5: Hungary, Luxembourg, Armenia, Liechtenstein.

Group B6: Ukraine, Latvia, Albania.

Group B7: Netherlands, Belarus, Kosovo.

In the second round, 28 teams (14 winners of groups from the first round and 14 teams that finished in second place) will compete for seven League A groups until March 31st. The winners of the quartets will join Estonia as hosts in the final stage which takes place from May 25th to June 7th, 2026. The draw for the forum is scheduled for April 9th.

Meanwhile, 26 teams will compete until June 30th in seven League B groups (five with four teams and two with three).

Both tournaments are important in the context of forming Leagues A and B for the first round of Euro-2028 (U-19) qualifying.