Preview: Finland Under-21s vs Ukraine Under-21s - prediction, team news, lineups

Finland Under-21s will go toe-to-toe with Ukraine Under-21s in Sunday’s second group game of the Under-21 Euros in Kosice.

The Little Eagle-owls played out a 2-2 draw with the Netherlands on matchday one, while Ukraine fell to a narrow defeat in the opener against Denmark.

Match preview

Finland are competing at the European Under-21 Championships for the second time after making their tournament debut in 2009.

They were unable to make an impression 16 years ago as they finished bottom of their group without a single point to their name.

The current crop of prospects have already surpassed the 2009 campaign by picking a point in their opening game against the Netherlands, although they would have been bitterly disappointed to miss out on all three.

Casper Terho and Topi Keskinen grabbed a goal apiece to give Finland a two-goal lead at the half-time interval, before the Netherlands scored in the 59th and 93rd minute to deny Mika Lehkosuo’s side a surprise win. 

While Finland have now won just one of their last four games, they will be aware that a win on Sunday would put them in a strong position to reach the knockout stage for the very first time.

Ukraine are appearing at back-to-back Under-21 Euros after making a run to the semi-finals in the 2023 tournament in Romania and Georgia.

That represented the second time in three tournament appearances that they managed to navigate their way through to the knockout rounds.

However, their hopes of making another knockout appearance were dented with a dramatic 3-2 defeat in their opening game against Denmark, despite establishing a 2-1 lead thanks to goals from Nazar Voloshyn and Maksim Bragaru.

Denmark went on to score in the 81st and 85th minutes to condemn Ukraine to a narrow loss, leaving them bottom of Group D and one point adrift of second-placed Finland.

Ukraine’s hopes of picking up a win on Sunday may be tempered by the fact that they have failed to win seven of their last eight matches (D3, L4).

Finland Under-21 form (all competitions)

W W L L W D

Ukraine Under-21 form (all competitions)

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Team News

Chelsea goalkeeper Lucas Bergstrom will continue between the posts, with the 22-year-old set to be shielded by the back four of Miska Ylitolva, Ville Koski, Rony Jansson and Tomas Galvez.

At the opposite end of the pitch, Otso Liimatta is pushing for a starting spot after coming off the bench to play over 25 minutes in Thursday’s fixture.

Terho will offer one of Finland’s main attacking threats, having scored four goals in his last seven appearances for the Under-21s.

As for Ukraine, Unai Melgosa could keep faith with a back four of Vitaliy Roman, Eduard Kozik, Arseniy Batagov and Kostyantyn Vivcharenko. 

Brentford’s Yehor Yarmolyuk is an option to start if Melgosa decides to freshen up the midfield for Sunday’s fixture.

Lechia Gdansk’s Bogan Viunnyk is hoping to earn a starting spot after coming off the bench to play over half an hour in the defeat to Denmark.

Finland Under-21 possible starting lineup:

Bergstrom; Ylitolva, Koski, Jansson, Galvez; Vaananen, Hyrylainen; Terho, Markhiev, Keskinen; Liimatta

Ukraine Under-21 possible starting lineup:

Neschcheret; Roman, Kozik, Batagov, Vivcharenko; Ocheretko, Brazhko, Yarmolyuk; Bragaru, Voloshyn

We say: Finland Under-21s 1-1 Ukraine Under-21s

Finland will have to pick themselves up after giving up a two-goal lead to draw with the Netherlands in their opening game, but while they will be eyeing all three points on matchday two, we think they will have to settle for another draw in their meeting with Ukraine. 

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