Ukraine U-19 futsal team falls short against France in Croatia

25.01.2025 17:39

As part of their preparation for the Futsal EURO 2025 U-19 qualifiers, Ihor Moskvychov's team participated in the winter Istria Nations Cup 2025, held in the Croatian cities of Umag and Novigrad.

Earlier in the tournament, the Blue and Yellows secured victories over Slovenia (4:0) and Slovakia (7:0) and played to a draw against Italy (2:2). Today, January 25, the Ukrainian squad played their final match of the competition against France.

Ukraine suffered a 2:5 defeat, with Oleksandr Zhukov and Daniil Andriyenko scoring for the team. As a result, Ihor Moskvychov's side finished in third place at the Istria Nations Cup 2025.

Up next, the Ukraine U-19 futsal team will play two away friendlies against Moldova, the host nation for Futsal EURO 2025 U-19. The matches are scheduled to take place at Chisinau Arena on February 2 (kick-off at 15:00) and February 3 (13:00).

Istria Nations Cup 2025. Youth Futsal Tournament

Ukraine (U-19) – France (U-19) – 2:5 (2:3)

Goals: Zhukov (14), Andriyenko (14) – El-Kaïm Billah (4, 15, 34), Obrik (9), Mohamed Adam (30).

In the 40th minute, Vio (France) missed a double-penalty (post).

Ukraine U-19 Futsal Team Roster

Goalkeepers: Ivan Belimov (Ordabasy, Kazakhstan), Artem Rybak (Sky Up, Kyiv), Vladyslav Shvets (in.IT, Lviv)

Outfield Players: Illia Prykhodko, Artem Klymchuk, Yaroslav Savych, Oleksandr Zhukov (all from Uragan, Ivano-Frankivsk), Artem Malynovskyi (Cardinal, Rivne), Stanislav Shklyaruk, Vladyslav Kamets, Bohdan Tsap (all from Lyubart, Lutsk), Roman Hospodenko (MSK Kharkiv), Dmytro Dibrova (Szczecin, Poland), Dmytro Suvorov (Sky Up, Kyiv), Daniiil Andriyenko (Chorne More, Odesa).

On October 31, the draw for the UEFA EURO 2025 (U-19) futsal qualification tournament took place, revealing the opponents for the Ukrainian team.

Ukraine U-19 will begin directly in the main qualification round, featuring the top 25 UEFA-ranked teams and three winners of the preliminary round. The teams have been divided into seven groups of four. Ukraine has been placed in Group 5 alongside Netherlands, Serbia, and Montenegro. The mini-tournament will take place in Serbia, with only the group winners advancing to the final stage.

UEFA EURO 2025 (U-19) Futsal Qualifiers

Preliminary Round

Group A: Georgia, Lithuania, Malta, Germany

Group B: Azerbaijan, Kosovo, San Marino

Group C: North Macedonia, Gibraltar, Estonia

Main Round

Group 1: Italy, Romania, Slovakia, Winner Group A

Group 2: Spain, Finland, Hungary, England

Group 3: Portugal, France, Belarus, Kazakhstan

Group 4: Slovenia, Belgium, Latvia, Andorra

Group 5: Ukraine, Netherlands, Serbia, Montenegro

Group 6: Poland, Czechia, Greece, Winner Group C

Group 7: Croatia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Turkiye, Winner Group B

The fourth UEFA U-19 Futsal Championship will follow the same format as previous editions. The qualification matches are set for January and March 2025, determining seven teams to join the host nation, Moldova, in the final tournament. The final stage will feature two groups of four teams, with the top two from each group advancing to the semifinals.

UEFA EURO 2025 (U-19) Futsal Schedule:

Preliminary Round: January 21–26, 2025

Main Round: March 25–30, 2025

Final Tournament: September 28 – October 5, 2025 (Chișinău Arena, Moldova)