Nataliya Ihnatovych: "We’re up against strong teams, but we we’re ready to compete, not just visit"
The head coach of Ukraine's WU-19 team, Nataliya Ihnatovych, commented on the results of the draw for Round 2 of EURO 2025 qualification (WU-19) on the UAF official website, where Ukraine's opponents will be England, Belgium, and Austria:
— According to preliminary information, the mini-tournament in our group will be hosted by England at the beginning of April. To be honest, we’ve drawn tough opponents. However, we’re ready to compete, not just visit. We will prepare as best as we can for each match, and I hope we won’t return home empty-handed.
Since the matches will take place at the beginning of April, it’s crucial to hold one training camp, as my players will have limited match practice, as the second part of the season in Ukraine starts in mid-March.
Who is the favorite? Of course, it’s England. We, for our part, will also try to showcase our best qualities to avoid dropping in class. Competing against teams from different football schools will certainly benefit our players, and the experience gained will help them progress.
EURO 2025 (WU-19). Round 2 Draw Results
League A
Group A1: Netherlands, Denmark, Greece, Romania
Group A2: Norway, Portugal, Iceland, Slovenia
Group A3: Austria, Belgium, England, Ukraine
Group A4: Italy, Sweden, Slovakia, Belarus
Group A5: Spain, Czechia, Scotland, Switzerland
Group A6: France, Ireland, Serbia, Wales
Group A7: Germany, Poland, Finland, Israel
League B
Group B1: Bulgaria, Georgia, Luxembourg, Liechtenstein
Group B2: Faroe Islands, Estonia, Cyprus, Moldova
Group B3: Kosovo, Latvia, Kazakhstan, Malta
Group B4: Northern Ireland, Albania, Montenegro, Azerbaijan
Group B5: North Macedonia, Croatia, Armenia, Lithuania
Group B6: Hungary, Turkiye, Bosnia and Herzegovina
As a reminder, the Ukraine WU-19 team, led by Nataliya Ihnatovych, topped their League B group in Round 1 to earn promotion to League A. According to the draw results, Ukraine was placed in Group A3 alongside Austria, Belgium, and England.
In Round 2, seven teams will qualify to join host nation Poland in the final tournament of the UEFA Women’s U-19 Championship. Additionally, the draw will determine promotion and relegation between leagues. Poland will also participate in this round despite their automatic qualification for the finals. The seeding for the draw was based on the teams' standings in Round 1.
In League A, 28 teams, including seven promoted from League B, will compete in seven groups. The group winners (and the best runner-up if Poland tops its group) will earn places in the finals. Teams finishing fourth in their groups will be relegated to League B for the 2025/26 season.
In League B, 23 teams, including those relegated from League A, will compete in six groups for promotion to League A in the next tournament’s Round 1.
The mini-tournaments of Round 2 will take place between February 17–26 and March 31–April 8, 2025, while the final tournament is scheduled for June 15–27.
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