The wards of Oleksandr Kosenko started in the elite round of qualification for the 2024 World Cup in futsal with a home game against Belgium, which took place in Roeselare.

In March, the Ukrainian national team in futsal secured first place in Group 11 of the main round of qualification for the 2024 World Cup and advanced to the elite round. Based on the results of the draw, the blue-and-yellow team ended up in Group B, where their opponents are Poland, Serbia, and Belgium. The wards of Oleksandr Kosenko started the group with a home game against the Belgians.

The Ukrainians took the lead as early as the first minute — Shourma scored brilliantly after a pass from Sheved from the corner. Then Tsypun helped our team, outplaying Dillyen in close combat. Later on, the opponents exchanged dangerous shots by Farenyuk and Gréry.

At halftime, the Ukrainians tripled their lead. First, Chernyavsky and Pedias brilliantly executed a set play, and later Sheved played an out ball with Shourma and scored into the far corner. On the 12th minute, El-Fakiri saved one goal, but the blue-and-yellow team quickly responded with goals from Melnyk on a penalty kick and Abakhshin in a counterattack. Just before halftime, Abakhshin sealed passes by Melnyk and Zvarych, completing his hat-trick.

In the second half, the visitors continued to increase their lead. First, Pedias intercepted the ball and scored with a powerful shot. Then Shourma made a delicate pass that took Korsun past the goalkeeper's mistake, sending the ball into an empty net. Near the end of the match, El-Fakiri saved another goal, and on the penultimate minute Farenyuk headed in after a Savenko throw-in. So the final score was 10:2 in favor of Ukraine.

In the next Group B game, the blue-and-yellow team will host Poland in the Hungarian city of Berettyóújfalu on September 20 (kickoff at 7 PM Kyiv time).

World Cup 2024. European Qualification. Elite Round. Group B

September 15, 2023

Belgium — Ukraine — 2:10 (1:7)

Goals: El-Fakiri (12, 36) — Shourma (1), Pedias (10, 23), Sheved (10), Melnyk (13), Abakhshin (14, 19, 20), Korsun (26), Farenyuk (39).

Belgium: Vranken (Idrissi, 21) — A. Sababti (c), Gréry, Dillyen, Vadí; B. Sababti, Kadduri, Adnan, Lamssay, El-Fakiri, Daabi-Reda, Valen, Beil.

Ukraine: Tsypun (Savenko, 21) — Sheved, Farenyuk, Korsun, Shourma (c); Melnyk, Zhuk, Chernyavsky, Abakhshin, Semenchenko, Pedias, Zvarych, Zaverdany.

Yellow card: Beil (32).

September 15. Roeselare. Belleheide.

Poland — Serbia — 1:2

Table:

September 20, 2023

Serbia — Belgium

Ukraine — Poland

October 6, 2023

Poland — Belgium

Serbia — Ukraine

October 11, 2023

Ukraine — Serbia

Belgium — Poland

December 15, 2023

Ukraine — Belgium

Serbia — Poland

December 20, 2023

Belgium — Serbia

Poland — Ukraine

World Cup 2024 Futsal. Elite Round Qualification in UEFA Zone

Group A: Kazakhstan, Romania, Azerbaijan, Netherlands.

Group B: Ukraine, Poland, Serbia, Belgium.

Group C: Croatia, Slovakia, France, Germany.

Group D: Spain, Italy, Slovenia, Czech Republic.

Group E: Portugal, Georgia, Armenia, Finland.

World Cup 2024. European Qualification

Elite Round

Matches: September 11—20, October 2—11, December 11—20, 2023.

Twenty national teams are divided into five groups of four teams each. Matches will be played home and away. The five group winners advance to the World Cup 2024. The top four second-placed teams will enter the elite round playoffs. 

Elite Round Playoffs

Drawing: January 25, 2024.

Matches: April 8—17, 2024.

Four teams will be divided into two pairs. Matches will be played home and away. The winners of the pairs advance to the World Cup 2024.

The World Cup will take place in Uzbekistan from September 14 to October 6, 2024.