Photo by Andriy Yushchak

Undergraduates of Unai Melgosa's team started their match in Antalya not very successfully. As early as the 5th minute, Volodymyr Brazyko made a mistake near his penalty area, and the Slovenians immediately took advantage of it. Tjaš Begič received the ball and with a shot under the crossbar outsmarted Ruslan Nescheret.

Photo by Andriy Yushchak

However, the blue-and-yellow quickly regrouped and on the 15th minute executed a model attack. Boris Krushynsky received a pass from Anton Tserenk on the left flank and slid the ball into the penalty area for Vladyslav Velyten to finish off. 1:1.

Photo by Andriy Yushchak

After the break, Unai Melgosa immediately made eight substitutions, and our team began to control the ball more confidently. On the 59th minute, Ukraine had a chance to go ahead, but Maxim Khlyan's decent shot was parried by Lovro Štubljar.

Photo by Andriy Yushchak

The Slovenians responded with a sharp counterattack on the 83rd minute, which ended with David Božič's shot hitting our goalpost. The opponents could not do better. As a result, it was a draw—1:1.

After the match, both teams decided to determine the stronger side in a penalty shootout. The Slovenians were more accurate—6:5.

Friendly Match

Ukraine (U-21) — Slovenia (U-21) — 1:1 (1:1), on penalties—5:6

Goals: Velyten (15)—Begič (5).

Ukraine (U-21): First half—Nescheret, Kuzik, Mikhavko, Saluk, Krups'kyi, Rubchyns'kyi, Tserenk, Brazyko, Krushynsky, Velyten, Krasnopir; Second half—Nescheret, Kuzik (Vycharenko, 77), Mikhavko (Ogarkov, 64), Kozik, Roman, Varfolomeev, Yatsyk, Khlyan, Fedor, Bragaru, Vyynik.

Slovenia (U-21): Leban (Štubljar, 46), Begič (Pechar, 80), Ristich (Lamprhecht, 80), Ratnik, Kuzmich, Ostrč (Selan, 80), Cipot (Potochnik, 80), Evšenak (Pišek, 67), Brest, Gradishar (Božič, 67), Jovanović.

The next friendly match in Turkey will be against Poland on March 25.

Recall that this summer the youth team of Ukraine under Unai Melgosa's leadership will participate in the final tournament of Euro-2025 (U-21) in Slovakia, where within the group stage they will play against Denmark (June 12), Finland (June 15), and the Netherlands (June 18).

Euro-2025 (U-21). Final tournament

Group stage

Group A: Slovakia, Spain, Italy, Romania.

Group B: Czech Republic, England, Germany, Slovenia.

Group C: Portugal, France, Poland, Georgia.

Group D: Finland, Netherlands, Ukraine, Denmark.

June 12, 2025

Ukraine — Denmark (Prešov, 19:00)

Finland — Netherlands (Košice, 22:00)

June 15, 2025

Finland — Ukraine (Košice, 19:00)

Netherlands — Denmark (Prešov, 22:00)

June 18, 2025

Denmark — Finland (Košice, 19:00)

Netherlands — Ukraine (Prešov, 19:00)

Quarter-finals

June 21, 2025

26. C1 — D2 (Žilina, 19:00)

25. A1 — B2 (Trnava, 22:00)

June 22, 2025

27. B1 — A2 (Dunajská Streda, 19:00 or 22:00)

28. D1 — C2 (Prešov, 19:00 or 22:00)

Semifinals

June 25, 2025

29. Winner of 25 — winner of 26 (Bratislava, 19:00 or 22:00)

30. Winner of 27 — winner of 28 (Košice, 19:00 or 22:00)

Final

June 28, 2025

Winner of 29 — winner of 30 (Bratislava, 22:00)

Match times—Kyiv time.