Women's Nation League 2023/2024. In the opening match, Ukraine's national team lost to Serbia's team

Today, with a match against Serbia, the Ukrainian women's national team began their fight in the group stage of the first-ever UEFA Nations League tournament.

Women's Nation League 2023/2024. In the opening match, Ukraine's national team lost to Serbia's team

Photo by Pavel Kubanov

Photo by Pavel Kubanov

The match took place in the Polish town of Starogard Gdański at Kazimierz Deyna Municipal Stadium and marked the debut for the acting head coach, Volodymyr Pyatenko.

The first half saw an evenly matched battle with few goal-scoring opportunities. Serbia could have taken the lead in the 18th minute when Milica Myćtović shot over from a good position. However, Olesia Hovdiychuk scored two minutes later. She found herself alone on the right flank of the blue and yellow team's attack and outmaneuvered the opposing goalkeeper — 1:0.

Photo by Pavel Kubanov

The second half began with an onslaught on our goal, and the players of Volodymyr Pyatenko were forced to defend more. For a while, they managed to do so, but in the 64th minute, Apanshenko fouled Filipović, and Elena Čankovitch equalized from a set piece.

Photo by Pavel Kubanov

However, the Serbians did not stop there. In the 79th minute, after a corner kick from Nenad Damjanović, she sent another ball into Ukraine's goal. Our teammates could not hold on; at the 87th minute, Kravchuk hit the crossbar of the goalpost. Thus, 1:2 — unfortunately, our team lost.

Ukraine's women national team will play their next match in the League of Nations on September 26 against Poland.

Women's League of Nations-2023/2024. Group V3

Ukraine — Serbia — 1:2 (1:0)

Goals: Hovdiychuk (20) — Čankovitch (64), Damjanović (79).

Ukraine: Samson, Korsun, Podolska, Petrik, Shmatko, Apanshenko (к) (Glushchenko, 90), Panticulaia, Andrukhiv (Ghirin, 60), Hovdiychuk, Kozlova (Kotyash, 80), Kalynina (Kravchuk, 80).

Coach: Volodymyr Pyatenko.

Serbia: Kostić, Damjanović, Stojic (к), Lazarević, Vlaznić (Fraytovich, 90), Pavlović (Blagojević, 90+3), Filipović, Čankovitch, Poljak (Milivojević, 58), Myćtović (Ivanović, 58), Damjanović (Čavić, 90).

Coach: Dragiša Zečević.

Referee: Katarina Kampus (Portugal).

Yellow Card: Filipović (45+2).

September 22. Starogard Gdański. Kazimierz Deyna Municipal Stadium.

Greece — Poland — 1:3

Matchday 2

September 26, 2023

Poland — Ukraine

Serbia — Greece

Matchday 3

October 26, 2023

Greece — Ukraine

Poland — Serbia

Matchday 4

October 31, 2023

Ukraine — Greece

Serbia — Poland

Matchday 5

December 1, 2023

Ukraine — Poland

Greece — Serbia

Matchday 6

December 5, 2023

Serbia — Ukraine

Poland — Greece

Drawing Results for the Women's League of Nations-2023/2024

League A

Group A1: England, Netherlands, Belgium, Scotland.

Group A2: France, Norway, Austria, Portugal.

Group A3: Germany, Denmark, Iceland, Wales.

Group A4: Sweden, Spain, Italy, Switzerland.

League B

Group V1: Ireland, Northern Ireland, Hungary, Albania.

Group V2: Finland, Romania, Slovakia, Croatia.

Group V3: Poland, Serbia, Ukraine, Greece.

Group V4: Czech Republic, Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Belarus.

League C

Group C1: Malta, Moldova, Latvia, Andorra.

Group C2: Turkey, Luxembourg, Lithuania, Georgia.

Group C3: Azerbaijan, Montenegro, Cyprus, Faroe Islands.

Group C4: Israel, Estonia, Kazakhstan, Armenia.

Group C5: North Macedonia, Kosovo, Bulgaria.

How will the matches in groups take place?

All group stage matches will be played according to the usual format — home and away against each opponent in the group. Three points will be awarded for a win, one point for a draw, and no points for a loss.

Who will qualify? Who will play in the playoffs?

League A

The top two teams in each group remain in League A for qualification to the UEFA Women's Euro 2025.

Four teams that finish third will play against second-placed teams from League B groups. Winners of these matches will qualify for League A; teams that lose will drop down to League B.

Teams finishing fourth in their group will be relegated to League B.

League B

Four winners of groups will move up to League A.

Four teams that finish second will play against third-placed teams from League A. Winners will qualify for League A; teams that lose will drop down to League B.

Three best teams finishing third will play against three best teams finishing second in League C. Winners will remain in League B for qualification; teams that lose will be relegated to League C.

The team with the lowest ranking among those finishing third and four teams finishing fourth will drop down to League C.

League C

Five winners of groups will move up to League B.

Three best teams that finish second will play against three best teams finishing third in League B. Winners will remain in League B for qualification; teams that lose will drop down to League C.

Other teams will stay in League C.

Matches for promotion/relegation

Pairs are drawn, and matches are played home and away. Teams finishing third in their groups are seeded and play the return match at home.