Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the European U21 Championship group stage match.
In the third round of the group stage, the task appears more straightforward for Ukraine U21. A draw would be enough to see the team through to the quarter-finals from second place. For the Netherlands U21, even a win might not suffice.
Netherlands U21
This situation arises from the fact that the team were held to a 2:2 draw by Finland U21, who currently sit at the bottom of the group standings. The Netherlands U21 were fortunate to salvage a point with a stoppage-time goal in the 93rd minute. In the match against Denmark U21, the squad conceded twice again and managed to respond with just one goal. Under the current format of four groups, they have only reached the knockout round once before, in 2021.
Ukraine U21
Ukraine U21 reached the semi-finals at the previous UEFA European Under-21 Championship two years ago. Though they were heavily defeated 1:5 by Spain U21 in the semi-finals, they had previously eliminated a highly talented France U21 side (3:1) in the quarter-finals. That France U21 squad included the likes of Rayan Cherki and Bradley Barcola, while Ukraine U21 featured Anatoliy Trubin in goal and Georgiy Sudakov, who is now among the most sought-after players in the current transfer window. At present, the most recognisable name in the squad is midfielder Yegor Yarmolyuk, who made several appearances for Brentford in the English Premier League last season.
Netherlands U21 vs Ukraine U21 Prediction
There are evident defensive vulnerabilities within the Netherlands U21 side, especially given that even Finland U21 scored twice against them. Ukraine U21 are likely to find the net too, and one goal may well be sufficient to secure the draw they need. With the Netherlands U21 side needing to push forward in search of a win, Ukraine U21 could find opportunities to counter-attack effectively.
