Vitaliy Mykolenko is on the bench for Ukraine in their Euro 2024 opener today against Romania.
Serhiy Rebrov’s team are in optimistic mood ahead of the tournament in Germany after making the quarter-finals in Euro 2020, while Romania are looking to make up for a limp group stage exit in 2016 and have not made a major tournament since.
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Despite the perceived gulf in talent, Romania had a more successful qualifying campaign as they finished atop a group that featured Switzerland and Israel, and did so unbeaten.
Ukraine’s squad has real talent and will be expected to qualify from Group E. Goalkeeper Andriy Lunin spent much of the season filling in capably for the injured Thibaut Courtois at Real Madrid, while Oleksandr Zinchenko and Mykhailo Mudyrk get regular game time at Arsenal and Chelsea, respectively.
Mudryk starts on the wing with Artem Dovbyk the central striker after a fine season with Girona.
Manager Rebrov had calmed fears over an injury to Everton left-back Mykolenko, but he is fit enough only to ben named among the substitutes.
Romania’s team has fewer star names, aside from perhaps Tottenham’s centre-back Radu Dragusin and veteran forward Nicolae Stanciu, but they’re well-organised by manager Edward Iordanescu and could cause a surprise in Germany.
Denis Dragus starts in place of the absent veteran striker Denis Alibec, and Florin Nita gets the nod in goal, preferred to Atletico Madrid’s Horatiu Moldovan.
Romania XI: Nita, Ratiu, Dragusin, Burca, Bancu, Razvan Marin, Marius Marin, Man, Stanciu, Coman, Dragus
Subs: Rus, Nedelcearu, Alibec, Cicaldau, Puscas, Hagi, Moldovan, Mihaila, Olaru, Tarnovanu, Mogos, Sorescu, Racovitan, Birligea, Sut
Ukraine XI: Lunin, Konoplya, Zabarnyi, Matviyenko, Zinchenko, Stepanenko, Shaparenko, Tsygankov, Sudakov, Mudryk, Dovbyk
Subs: Bushchan, Svatok, Taloverov, Sydorchuk, Yarmolenko, Malinovsky, Yaremchuk, Trubin, Mykolenko, Brazhko, Zubkov, Bondar, Tymchyk, Vanat, Mykhaylichenko
Time and date: 2pm BST on Monday, June 17, 2024
Venue: Allianz Arena
TV channel: BBC One
