Today, February 19, the Ukrainian U-18 youth team (players born in 2008) within the training and preparatory camp in Rome played their second friendly match against the host nation – Italy's U-18 national team.

The first encounter was spectacular and goal-laden, ending with a late draw – 2:2. The Ukrainian coaching staff made nine changes to the starting lineup compared to that match. Once again, only Melnik and Kutsya started from the opening minutes; Italian coach Massimiliano Favò completely reshuffled his starting eleven.

In the first half, the hosts were more in control of the game. At the start of the match, Tkachenko blocked a difficult shot by Ballanti. Twice after shots from the opposing team, the ball narrowly missed the goalposts. The most active player for Ukraine was Serdyuk, who threatened Italian goals three times before halftime.

Ukrainian persistence paid off just before halftime. At the 45th minute, high pressing led to a successful interception of the ball, after which Serdyuk entered the penalty area and scored from an acute angle.

In the second half, Italy tried to fight back, but the organized defense of the blue-and-yellow shirts allowed them to maintain their winning lead. Final score – 1:0. The Ukrainian team concluded the training camp with a victory.

The training camp in Rome was part of preparations for the first round of Euro-2027 (U-19) qualification, where Ukraine's opponents will be the Czech Republic, Finland, and Estonia.

Friendship match between youth teams

Italy (U-18) – Ukraine (U-18) – 0:1 (0:1)

Goal: Serdyuk (45).

Italy (U-18): Daouti, Mambugu, Baralli (Casadei, 46), Bovi (c), Diop (Mariani, 46), Dotto (Macaroni, 83), Lomano, Reita (Espozito, 57), Falasca (Foglio, 57), Costabile, Ballanti (Forté, 46). 

Coach: Massimiliano Favò.

Ukraine (U-18): Tkachenko, Melnik (Kaluzhny, 46), Kostyuk, Zalypka, Kutsya (c) (Mylokost, 63), Glut (Zudin, 77), Zubryi (Fedorenko, 63), Ogorodnyk (Sherstyuk, 77), Balakai (Lysyn, 77), Serdyuk (Bodnar, 63), Dzurabev (Galyi, 90+1). 

Coach: Dmytro Mykhaylenko.

Ukraine U-18 youth team squad

Gk: Kyrylo Hadashevych («Wolfsburg», Germany), Fedir Tkachenko («Betis», Spain).

Df: Yevhen Kostyuk, Nikita Kaluzhny, Yaroslav Mylokost, Oleksandr Balakai (all – «Shakhtar» Donetsk), Danylo Ogorodnyk («Dynamo» Kyiv), Arsen Zalypka («Ruh» Lviv), Artem Zubryi («Dynamo» Kyiv), Volodymyr Sherstyuk («Metallist» Kharkiv), Mykita Melnik («Napoli», Italy).

Md: Artem Zubryi («Shakhtar» Donetsk), Pavlo Lysyn, Arseniy Fedorenko (both – «Dynamo» Kyiv), Muhamed Dzurabev («Ruh» Lviv), Illia Kutsya («Haiduk», Croatia), Maxim Tsymbalyuk («Vorskla», Poland).

At: Ivan Andreyko («Dynamo» Kyiv), Mykhaylo Bodnar («Kryvbas» Kryvyi Rih), Dmytro Zudin («Haiduk», Croatia), Vitaliy Glut («Chicago Fire», USA), Kiril Serdyuk («Stuttgart», Germany).

Reminder, in the first round of Euro-2027 (U-19) qualification, the blue-and-yellow shirts will play in Group A3 together with the Czech Republic, Finland, and Estonia. The tournament in our group from March 25 to 31 will be hosted by Finland.

European Championship 2027 (U-19). First round of qualification

Liga A

Group A1: Belgium, Slovenia, Sweden, Cyprus.

Group A2: Italy, Ireland, Poland, Scotland. 

Group A3: Czech Republic, Finland, Ukraine, Estonia.

Group A4: Germany, Austria, Israel, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Group A5: England, Croatia, Spain, Bulgaria.

Group A6: Portugal, Serbia, Greece, Kazakhstan. 

Group A7: France, Switzerland, Hungary, Wales.

Liga B

Group B1: Denmark, Romania, Andorra, Liechtenstein.

Group B2: Turkey, Kosovo, Armenia, Gibraltar.

Group B3: Slovakia, Belarus, Latvia, San Marino.

Group B4: Norway, Albania, Luxembourg, Malta.

Group B5: Netherlands, Faroe Islands, North Macedonia, Moldova.

Group B6: Northern Ireland, Lithuania, Azerbaijan.

Group B7: Iceland, Montenegro, Georgia.

Qualification to the second round

After the first round, teams advance as follows:

• Teams that occupy 1st, 2nd and 3rd places in Liga A remain in Liga A for the second round;
• Teams that occupy 4th place in Liga A advance to Liga B for the second round;
• Winners of groups in Liga B are promoted to Liga A for the second round;
• Teams that occupy 2nd, 3rd and 4th places in Liga B remain in Liga B for the second round.

Teams that played against each other in the first round will not meet again in the second round.