In preparation for the final stage of Euro 2024 (U-19), Ukraine's youth national team played a friendly match against «Dinamo» (0:0). After the game, head coach of the blue-and-yellow team, Dmitro Mykhaylenko, summed up this mini-tournament.

"First and foremost, this was a selection camp where we wanted to see players born in 2005 and 2006," said Dmitro Mykhaylenko. "It was beneficial not only for the coaching staff but also for the players themselves. We needed to see if we could strengthen the squad that played in the elite round, as competition is good for everyone. Additionally, some of our players have already made their debuts in the domestic Premier League. Also, we got a look at our reserve, which will soon begin preparing for the qualification round of Euro 2025 (U-19).

As for the match against «Dinamo», it was difficult to demand any understanding from the players. First and foremost, we emphasized to the boys the importance of a reliable defensive game, as well as encouraged them not to be afraid to take initiative and responsibility in attacking plays.

In the end, our coaching staff remained satisfied with what they saw on the field. Yes, there were moments that need attention from players in the future, but overall it was very beneficial for preparing for the final stage of the European Championship.

Results of the Final Tournament Draw Euro 2024 (U-19)

Group A: Northern Ireland, Norway, Italy, Ukraine.

Group B: Denmark, Turkey, France, Spain.

Group A

15.07.2024

Italy — Norway (17:30, Belfast)

Northern Ireland — Ukraine (21:00, Larne)

18.07.2024

Norway — Ukraine (17:30, Belfast)

Northern Ireland — Italy (21:00, Larne)

21.07.2024

Norway — Northern Ireland (21:00, Belfast)

Ukraine — Italy (21:00, Larne)

25.07.2024

Match for the right to qualify for Euro 2025 (U-20)

A3 — V3 (18:30, Belfast)

Semifinals

1. A1 — B2 (16:00, Belfast)

2. B1 — A2 (21:00, Belfast)

28.07.2024

Final

Winner 1 — Winner 2 (21:00, Belfast)

Match times are in Kyiv time.

As a reminder, on March 26, our team concluded the battle for the elite round of Euro 2024 (U-19) with an impressive victory over Switzerland (3:0). Prior to that, the players of Dmitro Mykhaylenko defeated North Macedonia (2:0) and Latvia (3:0). The blue-and-yellow team won their group with maximum points and secured a spot in the final tournament of the European Championship.

The main event, featuring eight national teams, will take place from July 15 to 28 in Northern Ireland. From each quartet, two best teams advance to the semifinals; on July 28 at «Windsor Park» in Belfast, the grand trophy will be contested. A match for third place is not scheduled, but there will be one for fifth place since Europe will send five representatives to the World Cup 2025 among U-20 teams, which will feature 24 national squads. Thus, four semifinalists are joined by the winner of the match between the third-placed teams in each group.

It is worth noting that for Ukraine's U-19 team, this will be their eighth final tournament of the European Championship.