Volodymyr Pyatenko: "Our maximum goal is to reach Women's Euro 2025"

04.04.2024 15:00

Head coach of the women's national team of Ukraine, Volodymyr Pyatenko, has shed light on the team's final stage of preparation for the Euro 2025 qualifying matches against Kosovo and Croatia.

Starting on March 30th, our team is undergoing a training camp in Antalya, Turkey. The process of preparing the blue-yellow squad for the Euro 2025 qualifiers was commented on by the coach of the Ukrainian women's national team, Volodymyr Pyatenko, on the official website of the Ukrainian Association of Football.

"The training conditions here are very good. We conducted a training camp here in February before the UEFA Nations League matches against Bulgaria, and since then, the pitches have only become better. The players who compete in the Ukrainian championship gathered a bit earlier, and then the players from abroad joined. We recently had our first joint training session with the full squad and plan to work in a double-session mode. As for injuries, there are certain problems. Some players arrived with minor injuries, but overall everything is more or less normal.

We have already analyzed our opponents and watched the matches of the Croatian national team, but we will prepare for them in more detail after the match against Kosovo. We have studied this team, reviewed their matches, and conducted tactical sessions. It won't be easy because there are no easy opponents now. As I mentioned before, our group is very even. The Kosovo national team performed well in the UEFA Nations League, moving from League C to League B. Then in February, they performed excellently in the Turkish Women's Cup, winning three matches out of three (against India, Estonia, and Hong Kong).

We watched these matches, and I can say that Kosovo has a very strong attacking line because many players compete in foreign clubs. For example, the team captain and center forward Erelëta Memeti plays for Hoffenheim, right winger Valentina Limani for Eintracht Frankfurt, and left winger Elizabeta Edzupi for Sunderland. There are representatives from the leagues of Switzerland, Austria, Sweden, and Turkey.

Our goals for the upcoming matches are always high because the aim is to win every game. The minimum goal is to reach the playoffs, and the maximum is to qualify for the Women's Euro 2025," said Volodymyr Pyatenko.

Ukraine women's national team roster:

Goalkeepers: Kateryna Samson (Vorskla Poltava), Dariya Kelyushyk (Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih), Kateryna Boklach (Marseille, France).

Defenders: Kateryna Korsun, Yana Kotyk, Irina Podolska (all Vorskla Poltava), Olha Basanska (Metalist 1925 Kharkiv), Lyubov Shmatko (Galatasaray, Turkey), Yana Derkach (Fomget, Turkey).

Midfielders: Iryna Maiborodina, Nadiya Kunina (both Kolos Kovalivka), Anna Petryk, Nicole Kozlova, Veronika Andrukhiv, Yana Kalinina (all Vorskla Poltava), Yelyzaveta Molodyuk (Shakhtar Donetsk), Dayana Semkiv (Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih), Tamila Khimich, Natiya Pantsulaya, Dariya Apanashchenko (all Metalist 1925 Kharkiv).

Forwards: Olha Ovdiychuk (Fomget, Turkey), Inna Hlushchenko (Nice, France), Roksolana Kravchuk (Vorskla Poltava).

According to the Women's Euro 2025 qualification draw, the Ukrainian national team will compete in Group B4, facing Wales, Croatia, and Kosovo.

On April 5, the team will kick off their qualification campaign with a home match against Kosovo at the Mardan Stadium in Antalya, Turkey. The match will start at 18:00 Kyiv time.

The Croatia vs. Ukraine match will take place on April 9 at the Ivan Laljak-Ivic Stadium in Zapršić, starting at 17:00 Kyiv time.

Women's Euro 2025 qualification schedule

Group B4:

Matchday 1

April 5, 2024

Ukraine vs. Kosovo

Wales vs. Croatia

Matchday 2

April 9, 2024

Croatia vs. Ukraine

Kosovo vs. Wales

Matchday 3

May 31, 2024

Wales vs. Ukraine

Kosovo vs. Croatia

Matchday 4

June 4, 2024

Ukraine vs. Wales

Croatia vs. Kosovo

Matchday 5

July 12, 2024

Kosovo vs. Ukraine

Croatia vs. Wales

Matchday 6

July 16, 2024

Ukraine vs. Croatia

Wales vs. Kosovo

Women's Euro 2025 qualification draw results

League A:

Group A1: Netherlands, Italy, Norway, Finland.

Group A2: Spain, Denmark, Belgium, Czechia.

Group A3: France, England, Sweden, Ireland.

Group A4: Germany, Austria, Iceland, Poland.

League B:

Group B1: Switzerland, Hungary, Turkey, Azerbaijan.

Group B2: Scotland, Serbia, Slovakia, Israel.

Group B3: Portugal, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Northern Ireland, Malta.

Group B4: Wales, Croatia, Ukraine, Kosovo.

League C:

Group C1: Belarus, Lithuania, Cyprus, Georgia.

Group C2: Slovenia, Latvia, North Macedonia, Moldova.

Group C3: Greece, Montenegro, Andorra, Faroe Islands.

Group C4: Romania, Bulgaria, Kazakhstan, Armenia.

Group C5: Albania, Estonia, Luxembourg.

The distribution of slots for Euro 2025 will be determined based on the results of the upcoming league cycle. Teams will compete in groups of four or three (League C). The top eight teams in League A (first and second places) will advance directly to the final tournament, joining the host country, Switzerland.

Seven remaining slots will be contested in two playoff rounds. In the first round, teams ranked third and fourth in League A will play against group winners and the top three second-placed teams in League C. Eight winners will advance to the second round.

In another path, four group winners and two best second-placed teams in League B will play against the remaining two second-placed teams and four third-placed teams in League B. Six winners will advance to the second round.

In the second round of playoffs, 14 teams will directly compete for seven slots in the Euro 2025 final tournament, where a total of 16 participants will compete.

The pathways for teams in playoff matches will be adjusted as needed based on the performance of the Swiss national team, which will play in League B but will be represented at the Euro as the host country.

If Switzerland finishes first, second, or third in their League B group, the best fourth-placed team from that division will enter the playoffs.

Promotion and Relegation:

Teams will also vie for positions in the next Nations League, which will cover the 2025-2027 cycle:

• Winners and second and third-place finishers in League A groups will remain in League A.
• Second-place finishers and the top three third-place finishers in League B groups will remain in League B.
• Second, third, and fourth-place finishers in League C groups will remain in League C.
• Group winners in Leagues B and C will be promoted to the higher division.
• Fourth-place finishers in League A and B groups, as well as the worst third-place finisher in League B, will be relegated to the lower division.

Women's Euro 2025. Schedule

Matchdays 1-2: April 3-9, 2024.

Matchdays 3-4: May 29 - June 4, 2024.

Matchdays 5-6: July 10-16, 2024.

Playoff draw: July 19, 2024.

Playoff Round 1 (2 matches): October 23-29, 2024.

Playoff Round 2 (2 matches): November 27 - December 3, 2024.

Finals draw: December 16, 2024.

Finals tournament: July 2-27, 2025 (Switzerland).