In the framework of preparing for the main round of Euro-2023 (U-19) in futsal, Ukraine's youth national team played their first friendly match against Croatian counterparts.

As part of preparations for official matches, Igor Moskvichov’s wards traveled to Croatia. Friendly games with the hosts of the upcoming Euro are the final stage of preparation before the main round matches.

In the first sparring match in Preloz, blue-and-yellow gradually fell behind and were trailing 0-4 during the course of play. The Croatians scored their first goal in the opening 20-minute period, three more—during the second half. However, towards the end of the game, Ukrainians managed to stage a comeback thanks to Maxim Malynovsky's successful shot and Dmitro Skychyk’s hat-trick—4:4.

The next friendly match will take place on March 16 (kick-off at 16.00 Kyiv time).

Friendlies between youth national teams U-19 in futsal

Croatia - Ukraine - 4:4 (1:0)

Goals: Gorvat (6), Galešić (32, 35), Fotak (34) — Malynovsky (36), Skychyk (38, 38, 40).

Squad of Ukraine's youth national team in futsal

Goalkeepers: Ivan Belimov ("Black Sea"), Dmytro Dyachenko, Konstantin Raftalsky (both — "Cardinal-Rivnestandart"); field players — Vadym Tyutyrai, Maxim Malynovsky, Dmitro Skychyk (all — "Cardinal-Rivnestandart"), Damian Zaporozhan ("Hurricane"), Denis Snitsarenko (SkyUp Futsal), Roman Tatumiak ("United Pomecia", Italy), Dmitro Ribickyj ("Futsal Szczecin", Poland), Andriy Yelishev, Vladyslav Tkachenko (both — "Tim Lemborz", Poland), Dmitro Fedyk ("Levice", Slovakia), Igor Peletskyj ("Vikingay", Lithuania).

Recall that on November 3, the draw for the preliminary and main rounds of Euro-2023 (U-19) in futsal took place. According to its results, Ukraine's youth national team was placed into Group 2 of the main round where they will face Romania, Serbia, and the winner of Group C from the preliminary round, which turned out to be Montenegro. The mini-tournament will take place in Vrnjačka Banja, Serbia, from March 22-25.

Euro-2023 (U-19) in futsal. Main round qualification. Group 2

March 22, 2023

Romania - Serbia (5:00 PM)

Ukraine — Montenegro (8:00 PM)

March 23, 2023

Serbia - Montenegro (5:00 PM)

Romania — Ukraine (8:00 PM)

March 25, 2023

Montenegro - Romania (5:00 PM)

Serbia — Ukraine (8:00 PM)

Match times are in Kyiv time.

The venue for the final tournament of Euro-2022/2023 among under-19 boys' futsal teams was designated as Poreč (Croatia). Besides hosts, Croatia, seven national teams will participate in the finals from September 3 to 10. The format of the final tournament remains unchanged: eight participants play in two groups of four teams each, with the top two advancing to the semifinals.

The inaugural European Championship for under-19 boys' futsal was held in Rijeka in 2019 and the second edition took place in Hagen in 2022—both times (2019, 2022) Spain's team emerged as champions. The second championship was initially planned for 2021 but it was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ukraine’s national team participated in both final tournaments. In 2019, Vitaliy Odegov’s wards placed third in their group, and in 2022 they were stopped in the semifinals.