FT: UKRAINE 0 - 1 AUSTRIA.

[Michael Morris]

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head

• Ukraine and Austria have faced each other in two friendlies, each side winning once. This is their first encounter at a major tournament.
• The two previous games between Ukraine and Austria produced eight goals, an average of four per match.

Ukraine

• Ukraine ended a run of six consecutive defeats at the European Championship with a 2-1 win over North Macedonia last time out. They haven't won consecutive matches at a major tournament since beating Saudi Arabia and Tunisia in the group stages of the 2006 World Cup, with current boss Andriy Shevchenko scoring in both of those wins.
• Ukraine's Roman Yaremchuk has scored in each of his first two appearances at the Euros. Prior to this year's tournament only seven players have found the net in their first three matches at the European Championship, most recently Gareth Bale at Euro 2016 for Wales.
• Yaremchuk has been directly involved in three of Ukraine's four goals at Euro 2020 (two goals, one assist) and has netted in each of his past three games in all competitions. Since his first appearance in September 2018, Yaremchuk has scored 10 international goals - more than any other Ukraine player.
• Andriy Yarmolenko has scored in each of his past three matches for Ukraine, netting four goals, and is looking to score in four consecutive appearances for his country for the first time.

Austria

• Austria have won just two of their past 17 matches at major tournaments (Euros and World Cup) and have only won one of their eight matches at the European Championships (D2 L5).
• Austria have lost their last group stage match in each of their past three major tournament appearances, losing to Italy at the 1998 World Cup, Germany at Euro 2008 and Iceland at Euro 2016.
• Austria have had just seven shots on target in their two matches at Euro 2020 - only three of those efforts at goal have come from players in the starting XI, with 57% of their shots on target coming via substitutes (4/7).
• Aleksandar Dragovic, who has started Austria's first two games, is in line to earn his 93rd cap, which would move him level with Gerhard Hanappi as their third-most capped player - leaving only Toni Polster (95) and Andi Herzog (103) as the two players with more international matches under their belt for Austria.

[the other bob wilson]

Austria win 1-0 against a feeble Ukraine and earn the right to face Italy at Wembley by finishing second in what seems to me to be the weakest of the groups by some distance.

[surge]

Why was this game on ITV4? Are casual football fans so attracted to the Netherlands name? It did mean that Emma Hayes got to commentate on the more meaningful game though and thus far she's the "colour commentator" who has impressed me most.

Shame for Ukraine who couldn't break down Austria and weren't strong enough defensively. Good luck to Austria in the next round who still need to improve a lot in order to tackle Italy.