From February 9, the Ukraine U-17 youth team is conducting a training camp in Croatia as part of their preparation for the second qualifying round of Euro 2025. The camp will end on February 18. The blue-and-yellow team has already played one friendly match against Turkey (1:1) and today, on February 16, they faced Greece. The delegation is led by the coordinator of youth and junior programs, Unai Melgosa, with head coach Oleksandr Sitnik.

The first half-hour was divided into two segments. In the first part, the Greeks dominated, regularly troubling Krapivin and scoring twice: on the 6th minute Kiriazidis scored from a corner kick in the far post, and on the 22nd minute Haldizos buried the ball after a set piece to score.

However, before halftime, Ukraine turned the tide of play, pressed their opponents, and managed to level the score. First, Menshikov won a penalty kick which he converted. Then on the 42nd minute, Dzurabaev passed the ball to the left flank for Muradyan who entered the box and scored with a classy shot past the goalkeeper.

Photo by the press service of the UAF

In the break, Oleksandr Sitnik made eight substitutions. On the 50th minute, Ukraine went ahead — a Greek defender failed to clear and inadvertently scored an own goal. The Greeks responded with shots on target but Fedir Tkachenko saved everything. In the 75th minute, Gouram had a dangerous shot from a tight angle, followed by Zalypka's decent attempt from distance. Near the end of the match, our goalkeeper made several more saves, and in stoppage time Gololobov scored with an excellent strike — 4:2.

Friendship Match for Youth Teams

16.02.2025

Ukraine (U-17) — Greece (U-17) — 4:2 (2:2)

Goals: Menshikov (39, from the penalty), Muradyan (42), Mokris (50, own goal), Gololobov (90+1) — Kiriazidis (6), Haldizos (22).

Ukraine: Krapivin (Fedir Tkachenko, 46), Muradyan (Zalypka, 46), Onyshchuk (Vergun, 46), Niveninskyi (Khlivnyuk, 46), Melnik (Solomon, 46), Kutya (Gouram, 66), Dzurabaev (Gololobov, 66), Korzh (O. Tkachenko, 46), Zudin (Shishkovich, 66), Zubrii (Gamzik, 46), Menshikov (Kucherivyi, 46).

Greece (starting lineup): Christodouloupolos, Mokris, Suvlakis, Dimakopoulos, Khnaris, Kiriazidis, Poturidis, Tsikos, Haldizos, Minazidis, Matera.

Came on as substitutes: Moysiadias, Kromidas, Ioannou, Kalpakis, Gazis, Siopios, Lobas, Theocharis, Berdos, Vintora.

The Ukraine U-17 youth team has been drawn into Group A1 of the second qualifying round for Euro 2025 along with Italy, Croatia and Slovakia. It was determined that the mini-tournament will take place from March 19 to 25 in Croatia. Only the group winner advances to the final tournament.

Euro 2025 (U-17). Second Qualifying Round. Group A1

19.03.2025

Ukraine — Croatia (Karlovac, 13:00)

Italy — Slovakia (Sesvete, 16:30)

22.03.2025

Italy — Ukraine (Lutsk, 13:00)

Croatia — Slovakia (Karlovac, 16:30)

25.03.2025

Croatia — Italy (Lutsk, 16:30)

Slovakia — Ukraine (Sesvete, 16:30)

Match times are in Kyiv time.

Results of the Draw for the Second Qualifying Round of Euro 2025 (U-17)

League A

Group A1: Italy, Croatia, Ukraine, Slovakia.

Group A2: Spain, Austria, Germany, Norway.

Group A3: France, Greece, Denmark, Finland.

Group A4: Portugal, Serbia, Netherlands, Hungary.

Group A5: Czech Republic, Switzerland, Turkey, Sweden.

Group A6: Belgium, Poland, Iceland, Ireland.

Group A7: England, Northern Ireland, Slovenia, Israel.

28 teams were divided into seven groups of four participants each. The seven group winners in League A will earn the right to join the host nation for Euro 2025 (U-17), Albania, in the final tournament from May 19 to June 1. Seven teams finishing fourth in their respective League A groups will drop down to League B in the first qualifying round of Euro 2027 (U-19).

League B

Group B1: Romania, North Macedonia, Scotland, Liechtenstein.

Group B2: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Belarus, Armenia, San Marino.

Group B3: Montenegro, Latvia, Estonia, Gibraltar.

Group B4: Kosovo, Cyprus, Moldova, Andorra.

Group B5: Luxembourg, Bulgaria, Malta, Faroe Islands.

Group B6: Albania, Wales, Azerbaijan.

Group B7: Lithuania, Georgia, Kazakhstan.

26 teams were divided into five groups of four participants and two groups of three participants. The seven group winners in League B will rise to League A in the first qualifying round for Euro 2027 (U-19).

It should be noted that Euro 2025 (U-17) will serve as a qualifier for the World Cup 2025 in the U-17 category, which will feature 48 teams participating in Qatar.

U-17: how Ukraine's youth team can qualify for the 2025 World Cup