Ukraine battles to a draw with Wales in Women's EURO 2025 qualifying match

31.05.2024 23:20

The Ukrainian national women's team continued their EURO 2025 qualifying campaign with an away match against Wales.

The blue-yellows began their Euro 2025 qualifiers with a victory over Kosovo (2:0) and a loss to Croatia (0:1). Now, they faced a double-header against the group leaders, Wales. The first game was an away fixture, and the team approached it with some lineup challenges.

Ukraine took the lead in the 3rd minute when Andrukhiv capitalized on Roberts' mistake and slotted the ball into an empty net. The Welsh side took control of the game afterward, with Holland missing a chance and Kelushyk saving a dangerous shot from Fishlock. Overall, the Ukrainian team defended well, preventing their opponents from finishing their attacks. Just before halftime, Fishlock had an opportunity but shot over the crossbar.

Photo by UAF press service

The second half followed a similar pattern, with the hosts holding possession but failing to create significant chances for a long time. However, Wales managed to equalize. In one instance, Kelushyk made a brilliant save, but on the rebound, the ball hit Basanska's hand. Barton converted the resulting penalty with a powerful shot.

Ukraine responded with a good counter-attack, but Andrukhiv's final pass was off target. In the closing stages, the hosts pushed hard for a second goal, but the Ukrainian team withstood the pressure and secured a crucial point away from home against the group leaders.

Photo by UAF press service

The 4th round match between the women's national teams of Ukraine and Wales will take place on June 4 in the Polish town of Grodzisk Wielkopolski at the Respect Energy Stadium, home of Warta Poznan, starting at 21:00 Kyiv time.

Women's EURO 2025 Qualifiers. League B. Group 4

Wales — Ukraine — 1:1 (0:1)

Goals: Barton (64, pen.) — Andrukhiv (3).

Wales: Clark, Morgan (Rowe, 46), Roberts (K. Jones, 75), Ladd, Evans, Holland, James (c), Ingle, Woodham (Joel, 75), McAteer (Barton, 46), Fishlock.

Coach: Rhian Wilkinson.

Ukraine: Kelyushyk, Petryk, Apanaschenko (c) (Korsun, 64), Shmatko, Basanska, Andrukhiv, Khimich, Semkiv, Ovdiychuk (Hlushchenko, 46), Kravchuk (Kozlova, 87), Kalinina (Pantsulaya, 75).

Coach: Volodymyr Pyatenko.

Referee: Shona Shukrula (Netherlands).

May 31. Llanelli. Parc y Scarlets Stadium.

Kosovo — Croatia — 0:1

Standings

Matchday 4

04.06.2024

Ukraine — Wales

Croatia - Kosovo

Matchday 5

12.07.2024

Kosovo - Ukraine

Croatia - Wales

Matchday 6

16.07.2024

Ukraine - Croatia

Wales - Kosovo

The results of the Women's Euro 2025 qualifying draw

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 tickets for Euro-2025 takes place based on the results of the next league cycle. The teams compete in groups of four or three teams (League C). The eight best teams in League A (first and second places) immediately go to the final tournament. There they join the host country, Switzerland.

The remaining seven passes are to be played in two rounds of playoffs. In the one-way first round, the third- and fourth-placed teams in League A face the group winners and the top three second-placed teams in League C. The eight winners advance to the second round.

Elsewhere, the four group winners and the top two runners-up in League B play the remaining two runners-up and the four third-placed teams in League B. The six winners advance to the second round.

In the second round of the playoffs, 14 national teams directly play for seven tickets to the final tournament of Euro-2025, where a total of 16 participants play.

The paths of the teams in the play-off matches are to be adjusted, if necessary, taking into account the performances of Switzerland, which plays in League B, but will be represented at the Euro as the host country.

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

Promotion and relegation

In parallel, teams will also compete for positions in the next Nations League, which begins the 2025-2027 cycle:

— winners, holders of second and third places in League A groups will remain in League A;

— the second-place winners and the three best third-place winners in League B groups will remain in League B;

— the winners of the second, third, and fourth places in the groups of League C will remain in League C;

— the winners of the groups in the B and C leagues will move to the higher division;

— the fourth-place finishers in League A and B groups, as well as the worst third-place finisher in League B, will be relegated.

Euro-2025 among women's teams. Calendar

Matches 1—2 rounds: April 3-9, 2024.

Matches 3—4 rounds: May 29 - June 4, 2024.

Matches 5—6 rounds: July 10-16, 2024.

Playoff draw: July 19, 2024

1st round of playoffs (2 matches): October 23-29, 2024.

2nd round of playoffs (2 matches): November 27 - December 3, 2024.

Final tournament draw: December 16, 2024.

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