Ukraine-Northern Macedonia is a match valid for the seventh day of Group C of Euro 2024 qualifiers and is played on Saturday at 3 pm: predictions.
We are in Group C, Italy’s group, where all the verdicts are yet to be written. The only one who can face the remaining matches with a certain carefreeness is the leading England, which has a six-point lead over Italy and Ukraine and can sleep soundly.
Second place, on the other hand, will likely be a matter between the Azzurri and Serhiy Rebrov’s selection, North Macedonia permitting. Yes, because at 7 points in the standings are also Elmas and his teammates, who in the two matches played in September have scraped together as many as 4 points between Italy, stopped 1-1 in Skopje, and Malta, beaten 2-0 at home. If the Ukrainians believe in it, so can Blagoja Milevski’s men, who are also ready for a crackling finish. Both, however, have one more match played than Italy, which was engaged in the Nations League in June. The most likely scenario, barring surprises, is a sort of “playoff” on the last day between Ukraine and Luciano Spalletti’s national team, provided, of course, that the yellow and blue get the better of North Macedonia and Malta and that Italy does the same, excluding the scheduled Wembley showdown with England, where picking up points will be much more complicated.
NorthMacedonian threat for Ukraine
Ukraine has so far prevailed – with a few too many qualms – over Nordmacedonians and Maltese (2-3 and 1-0), lost on the road to England and Azzurri but a month ago was able to avoid defeat in the return match with the English, stopped 1-1 in Wroclaw.
NorthMacedonians during anthem
A similar path for North Macedonia, in the running thanks to a double win over lowly Malta, beaten 2-1 in the first leg and 2-0 in the return. Milevski and his men looked like they had the match with Ukraine itself last June in their grasp as well, but after finishing two goals ahead in the first half they got caught up in the second half. The only “blemish” in their path is the humiliating 7-0 loss at Old Trafford to the English. Two major absences for Rebrov, who will have to do without Tsygankov and especially captain Yarmolenko, one step away from breaking Shevchenko’s goal-scoring record.
The prediction
Ukraine knows it cannot miss the appointment with the three points to keep up with Italy. Rebrov’s men are favored, but they will have to pay close attention to a North Macedonia in confidence and that has shown it can create many problems for qualitatively superior selections.Along the lines of the June match, there should be no shortage of goals. And it is highly likely that the North Macedonians will score at least one.
The likely lineups of Ukraine-Northern Macedonia
- UCRAINE (4-3-3): Bushchan; Konoplya, Zabarnyi, Kryvtsov, Mykolenko; Zinchenko, Stepanenko, Sudakov; Malinovskyi, Dovbyk, Mudryk.
- NORTHERN MACEDONIA (3-4-1-2): Siskovski; Manev, Musliu, Serafimov; Dimoski, Alimi, Ademi, Alioski; Bardhi; Miovski, Elmas.
POSSIBLE RESULT: 2-1