Slovakia vs Ukraine: Preview, lineups and predictions

Ukraine suffered a shock 3-0 defeat to Romania in their Group E opener and desperately need a win from Friday’s upcoming clash with Slovakia. Anything less than three points would leave Serhiy Rebrov’s side having to beat Belgium to stand a chance of making it into the last 16. Failure to reach this stage would represent an upset given that pre-tournament Opta calculated there was a 70% chance Ukraine would reach the Last 16.

A much bigger shock, however, would be if Slovakia ends up topping Group E, something that is a real possibility after stunning Belgium in their opening match. Francesco Calzona’s men rode their luck at times but deserve a lot of credit for holding their own against a nation ranked third in the world. Brimming with confidence after that 1-0 win, Slovakia will be expecting more points to come their way this weekend.

• Location: Dusseldorf
• Stadium: Dusseldorf Arena (Merkur Spiel-Arena)
• Date: 21 June 2024
• Kick-off Time: 15:00 CEST (14:00 BST)
• Referee: Michael Oliver
• VAR: Bastian Dankert

Slovakia Team News

Juraj Kucka was in danger of missing some of Euro 2024, but after two months on the sidelines, he made his comeback during the Wales friendly on 9th June. Having been bolstered from this run-out, the 37-year-old managed to play every minute of the win over Belgium. Slovakia’s other pre-tournament injury concerns related to Róbert Boženík and László Bénes, who both picked up knocks against Wales. Boženík looked fine, though, as he completed 70 minutes against Belgium while Bénes was an unused substitute. This suggests Bénes may not have been at 100% for the match but should be for this one.

Ukraine Team News

Ukraine faces being without their regular left-back, the 41-capped Vitaliy Mykolenko, for this test. Oleksandr Zinchenko can comfortably fill the gap in the back four, but the Arsenal man is generally preferred in central midfield when playing in his country, as he makes a larger impact there. Although Mykolenko’s injury is not as bad as first feared, Rebrov confirmed it is not the type of injury that heals in just a couple of days. The Everton fullback is the only question mark for this one, though, as otherwise there are no injuries in the Ukrainian squad.

Slovakia vs Ukraine H2H Record and Key Numbers

These two sides have a competitive head-to-head record but one that narrowly favours Ukraine. From their eight previous clashes, Ukraine have won three, drawn three and lost two. The Synio-Zhovti were, however, soundly beaten when last facing Slovakia.

Of the two, Slovakia narrowly boasts the better form coming into the clash. Since the October international break, the Sokoli have won six of their nine matches, whereas Ukraine has claimed victory in five of nine.

Possible Lineups

• Slovakia (4-3-3): Dúbravka – Pekarík, Vavro, Škriniar, Hancko – Kucka, Lobotka, Duda – Schranz, Boženík, Haraslín
• Ukraine (4-2-3-1): Lunin – Konoplia, Zabarnyi, Matviyenko, Zinchenko – Shaparenko, Stepanenko – Tsygankov, Sudakov, Mudryk – Dovbyk

Where to Watch Slovakia vs Ukraine Euro 2024 – TV and Online Live Streaming

This game will be available to view live on Ukraine’s Megogo and Slovakia’s TV Markíza. If tuning in from the UK, you can watch the action via BBC One or BBC iPlayer.

Match Prediction

Ukraine’s opening game performance provides real cause for concern. They were the favourites to beat Romania but ended up looking second-best all over the pitch. Following this, it is hard to see how Rebrov can inspire a big turnaround in such little time. Slovakia, on the other hand, showed some brilliant cohesion and organisation in their opening fixture. There are no guarantees they will be at the same level here, but given the generous odds available for a Slovakia win, I think this makes for a very attractive bet.

*Odds are subject to change

For more Slovakia vs Ukraine predictions, you can check the tips page of this game.