Vladislav Vanat opened the scoring as Ukraine's U-21 side secured a convincing 2-0 victory over Finland in their second group stage match at Euro 2025 in Slovakia.
The forward found the net in the 28th minute, giving Unai Melgosa's team a deserved lead after a dominant first-half display against the Finns.
Maxim Bragaru doubled the advantage shortly after the break, scoring in the 49th minute to put "Ukraine" in a comfortable position. The second goal effectively sealed the match as Finland struggled to create meaningful chances.
The "blue and yellows" had to navigate some tricky moments late in the game. Captain Volodymyr Brazhko received a second yellow card in stoppage time (90+1), forcing Ukraine to finish the match with ten men. This dismissal means Brazhko will be unavailable for their crucial fixture against the Netherlands on Wednesday, June 18.
Despite the numerical disadvantage in the final minutes, Ukraine's defense held firm to secure a clean sheet. Worth noting that Melgosa made several tactical substitutions throughout the second half to maintain control of the match, with Voloshyn, Salyuk, and V'yunnyk all coming off the bench to help see out the result.
This victory puts Ukraine in a strong position in their group. Can they maintain this momentum against a talented Dutch side without their captain? That will be the key question as they prepare for their next challenge at the tournament.
