Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Nations League match.
The USA come into this year's Nations League as one of the favourites for the title. Ranked third in the world, the Americans will be eager to redeem themselves after a disastrous campaign last season that saw them fail to even reach the play-offs. This time, they’ll be determined to make a strong start and prove they’re still among the global elite.
Ukraine
Ukraine prepared for the tournament with three friendlies, but their results were far from encouraging. The most alarming of them was the heavy defeat against Germany (0:3). Ranked eighth in the world, the Germans only faced genuine resistance in the opening set (26:28). That brief fightback aside, Ukraine were outclassed, and with the USA boasting even greater quality and depth, the Eastern Europeans could be in for another tough night.
USA
Since their Nations League disappointment, the United States have bounced back impressively, winning the Pan American Cup with a 3:1 victory over Canada in the final, and claiming bronze at the Olympics with a commanding 3:0 win over Italy. They’ve looked sharp and focused, proving that their third-place world ranking is no fluke.
Ukraine vs USA Prediction
Somewhat surprisingly, bookmakers are offering relatively low odds on a Ukraine win, despite the clear gulf in class between these two sides. The USA won’t have forgotten the humiliation of last year’s campaign and will be out to set the record straight from the opening match. Expect a confident, composed performance — and a straight-sets win to go with it.
