A 120-minute Artem Dovbyk goal gave Ukraine a dramatic overtime win over Sweden on Tuesday night and sent them on to the quarter-finals of Euro 2020 to play England in Rome.
Ukraine started better and more composed of the two sides and managed to find the breakthrough just before the half-hour mark. Andriy Yarmolenko’s hardening cross was sweetly met by Oleksandr Zinchenko, whose smooth half volley rocketed through Robin Olsen and into the back of the net.
Sweden, however, drew level when three minutes of the first half remained when Emil Forsberg collected Alexander Isak’s pass and released a hard attack from range that via a deflection from Illya Zabarnyi found the upper corner.
Andriy Shevchenko’s men were close to advancing ten minutes into the second half when Serhiy Sydorchuk connected to Yarmolenko’s cut brilliantly and threw the ball towards Olsen’s post. Just a minute later, Forsberg knocked his foot off the post at the other end, before later jerking inward and curling a fantastic effort at the bar.
Forsberg hits the woodwork again!
Another day, the Swedish midfielder could have had a trick. # SWE 1-1 #UKR
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Today’s match (@BBCMOTD) June 29, 2021
None of the teams actually managed to find a second goal, but sent a draw in extra time.
Sweden’s job became more difficult nine minutes into extra time when VAR asked the referee to go back and check Marcus Danielson’s tackle on Artem Besyedin. Upon further inspection, the midfielder’s challenge was shown to be rash and ridiculously high, which resulted in a straight red card.
A second wind among the Ukrainian players helped them find the winner right at death. Zinchenko’s perfect cross was clinically met by substitute Dovbyk, whose header sailed past Olsen in the 120th minute to send Shevchenko’s side to a quarter-final with England.
Now let’s see how the players rated.
Victor Lindeloef was good with the ball / Stu Forster / Getty Images
Robin Olsen (GK) – 5/10 – Made a couple of good saves but maybe should have endured Zinchenko’s strike because it seemed to spin through him. Had no chance with the winner.
Mikael Lustig (RB) – 5/10 – Did not add much in the future and too often left the left side of his box open for Ukraine – especially for the opener.
Victor Lindelof (CB) – 7/10 – Distributed the ball nicely out from the back and was a commanding presence in the heart of the defense and won four antennas.
Marcus Danielson (CB) – 4/10 – A no-nonsense display, which goes firmly and fairly into making six interventions, until an unintentional but terrible challenge on Besyedin got him rejected.
Ludwig Augustinsson (LB) – 6/10 – Stood up on the left flank very regularly and enthusiastically when Forsberg drifted into the field and while it left spaces behind, he delivered some decent crossings in the area.
Sweden is back in the game!
Emil Forsberg hits the ball outside the box and takes a deflection and enters. # SWE 1-1 #UKR
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Today’s match (@BBCMOTD) June 29, 2021
Seb Larsson (RM) – 5/10 – Never get into the game. Showed his quality from regular matches but was brilliantly suffocated by Zinchenko and Matviyenko in open play.
Kristoffer Olsson (CM) – 7/10 – Spread the ball very well and help the side to cross with a passing accuracy of 91%, although he sometimes left gaps between the defense and the midfield for Ukraine’s creators to occupy.
Albin Ekdal (CM) – 6/10 – Saw to drive up the field and make things happen, but was just too passive at crucial moments.
Emil Forsberg (LM) – 8/10 – Floated around with great effect and found spaces to really worry the opposition and influence most of the good things his side did. Recorded two key passes and finished excellently to equalize in the first half – unlucky not to have made it to a brace when he hit the post and emphatically hit the crossbar in the second half.
Dejan Kulusevski was a bright spark for Sweden / Stu Forster / Getty Images
Dejan Kulusevski (ST) – 7/10 – Showed brilliant movement around the box, pushed into channels to stretch the opposition back three and deliver some quality to teammates – handle two important passes. A threat to the goal as well, even though there was no road past Buschan.
Alexander Isaac (ST) – 7/10 – Also drove around nicely and showed his range of skills. Frightened his opponents when he ran on them with the ball and connected fantastically to colleagues – especially grip on the assistance of his team first.
Marcus Berg presses Mykola Matviyenko / Andy Buchanan – Pool / Getty Images
Pierre Bengtsson (LB) – 6/10 – Not as powerful in attack as Augustinsson, but defended well.
Emil Krafth (RB) – 6/10
Robin Quaison (ST) – 5/10
Marcus Berg (ST) – 5/10
Viktor Claesson (RM) – 6/10
Filip Helander (CB) – 5/10
Mykola Matviyenko challenges Dejan Kulusevski / ROBERT PERRY / Getty Images
George Buschan (GK) – 7/10 – Saw commanding with everything that came into the area. Could not do anything about Forsberg’s strike.
Illya Zabarnyi (CB) – 7/10 – Very confident and composed for an 18-year-old. Good on the ball and brilliant to read the play, register ten interventions and constantly step up to nod possession.
Sergey Krivtsov (CB) – 6/10 – A couple of dubious moments on the ball but looked strong in the heart of his backline – especially in the air – and made five distances.
Mykola Matvienko (CB) – 7/10 – Not worried too much, but it may be because he placed so well all the time and made 11 interventions.
ZINCHENKOOOOO!
And what assist from Andriy Yarmolenko? #SWE 0-1 #UKR
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Today’s match (@BBCMOTD) June 29, 2021
Alexander Karavaev (RWB) – 7/10 – Maintained a very high position and helped Yarmolenko create congestion on the right side when Ukraine attacked. Always looking for the ball and striking, and was involved in the opener.
Taras Stepanenko (CM) – 6/10 – Be aware of most of what was happening around him and put his body at risk to break up the game. Shielded his backline quite well with four interventions and also managed a key pass.
Serhiy Sydorchuk (CM) – 6/10 – Nice and tidy when he passes, which helps keep his side ticking along with efficient recovery of the ball while it looks good upwards to relieve pressure. Desperately unlucky to throw the ball towards the post in the second half.
Oleksandr Zinchenko (LWB) – 9/10 – Disciplined in his defensive tasks, Sweden’s right flank rarely gave a sniff of an opportunity and was brilliant offensively. Constantly increased forward, linked well to colleagues, finished brilliantly in the first half to score a goal and put in an incredible post for the dramatic winner.
Andriy Yarmolenko was usually creative for Ukraine / PAUL ELLIS / Getty Images
Andriy Yarmolenko (RW) – 8/10 – Such a danger. Always looking to get to his resistance with his directness and cause chaos in the last third. Got a beautiful assist for the opener with a fantastic cross and was created continuously for his side, handled three important passes.
Roman Yaremchuk (ST) – 6/10 – A real handful for the Swedish defense, keep the ball well up and link to those around him. Forced a save from Olsen early but was not so much of a goal threat after that.
Mykola Shaparenko (LW) – 7/10 – Drove around and found space without effort. Showed great vision and movement to pull off defenders and either run behind or stick balls to teammates. Made the opportunity for the first with a wonderful change to Karavaev in the build-up. Bizarrely connected to the hour.
Artem Dovbyk bends to go home at the last minute / Robert Perry – Pool / Getty Images
Ruslan Malinovskyi (LW) – 5/10 – Continued to inject a spark but eventually made more fouls than valuable attacking contributions.
Artem Besyedin (ST) – N / A – Forced by Danielson’s challenge. Never nice to see.
Yevhen Makarenko (CM) – 6/10
Viktor Tsyhankov (RW) – 6/10
Artem Dovbyk (ST) – 8/10 – Be light as soon as he came in and managed to bend low to find the winner very, very late.
Roman Bezus (CM) – N / A
