A goal in extra time by Artem Dovbyk enlarged the history of Ukraine, for the first time in the quarterfinals of a European Championship that they will play against England, after beating Sweden 1-2 at Hampden Park in Glasgow, who played almost the entire extra time with one player less due to the expulsion of Marcus Danielson.
Ukraine, which is playing the final phase of a European Championship for the third time, never without passing the group phase and which reached the second round as the worst of the best third parties, frustrated the Scandinavian dream penalized by its inferiority due to the red card and the lack of success in the final meters throughout the game.
Dovbyk, who took the field in the 106th minute in place of Andriy Yarmolenko, became the hero of Andrey Shevchenko’s team, another of the teams initially relegated to the role of extras that remains in the lineup of candidates.
Sweden embraced the possibility of rediscovering history and returning to a quarter-final. He had everything on his side, an apparently minor rival and a group of players grown by their good line in the tournament. In fact, he burst into Hampden Park in a hurry. He cornered his rival but without success in the final meters.
However, threats from Ukraine were slowly growing. The first time he stretched, he forced a good intervention from Robin Olsen who responded to a good shot from Roman Yaremchuk. The next was a goal.
About half an hour later, a change of orientation by the Ukrainian team ended with the ball at the feet of Andriy Yarmolenko who, with the outside, sent the ball to the other side of the area where Alexander Zinchenko was. The Manchester City midfielder unleashed an impossible left-footed shot for Olsen.
Sebastian Larsson sought to get his team back into the game on a set piece, a direct shot that met with a good reaction from goalkeeper George Buschan.
It was on the brink of half-time that Sweden calmed down with the draw. He did not find the prize for his efforts until Emil Forsberg appeared. The Leipzig player received the ball from Alexander Isak and took a shot from the edge of the box. Iliya Zabarnyi swerved past Buschan to equalize shortly before intermission.
The match heated up after the break. Ukraine did not decline, shooting at the post through Serhiy Sydorchuk who tried to take advantage of a good cross from Yarmolenko, in full display.
Then, with the game broken, Sweden also shot at the post in a counterattack that Isak started and that Forsberg finished again. The Leipzig player is a revelation. Four of Sweden’s five goals in the tournament are theirs. Searched for more.
The pace was frenetic and Olsen and Buschan were piling up with work. The Ukrainian goalkeeper, for example, met a poisoned shot from Kristoffer Olsson with a providential hand and did not later reach a shot from Forsberg that repelled the crossbar.
Tiredness invaded both teams. Forces weakened and the game dragged on into extra time where Sweden was left with one less player due to Marcus Danielson being sent off with a direct red card, who made a strong tackle on Artem Besedin, who had to be substituted injured. The match was deadlocked, chances were few but Oleksandr Zinchenko’s header from Artem Dovbyk’s stoppage time avoided penalties and took Ukraine to the historic quarter-finals.
– Data sheet:
1 – Sweden: Robin Olsen; Mikael Lustig (Emil Krafth, m.84), Victor Nilsson Lindeloef, Marcus Danielson, Ludwig Augustinsson (Pierre Bengstsson, m.83); Sebastian Larsson (Viktorn Claesson, m.97), Kristoffer Olsson (Filip Helander, m.101), Albin Ekdal, Emil Forsberg; Dejan Kulusevski (Robin Quaison, m.97) and Alexander Isak (Marcus Berg, m.97).
Selector: Janne Andersson.
2 – Ukraine: George Buschan; Alexander Karavaev, Ililla Zabamyi, Sergey Krivtsov, Mykola Matviyenko; Serhiy Sydorchuk (Roman Bezus, m.118), Taras Stepanenko (Evgen Makarenko, m.94), Oleksandr Zinchenko; Andriy Yarmolenko (Artem Dovbyk, m.106), Mykola Shaparenko (Ruslan Malinovsky, m.61) and Roman Yaremchuk (Artem Besedin, m.91 (Viktor Tsygankov, m.102).
Selector: Andriy Shevchenko.
Goals: 0-1, m.28: Alexander Zinchenko; 1-1, m.43: Emil Forsberg; 1-2, m.121: Artem Dovbyk.
Referee: Daniele Orsato (ITA). He expelled Marcus Danielson (m.98), from Sweden, with a direct red card and showed a yellow card to his teammates Dejan Kulusevski and Emil Forsberg. In addition, he admonished Andriy Yarmolenko, from Ukraine.
Incidents: Euro 2020 round of 16 match played at the Hampden Park stadium in Glasgow before 9,221 spectators. EFE (HN)