Ukraine 2-2 Cymru

4th June 2024

Stadion Respect Energy, Grodzisk Wielkopolski, Poland

Stephen Baker @stephenjbaker takes a look at tough result for Cymru, over in Poland.

Cymru took on Ukraine for the second time in four days, where they drew 1-1 in a lackluster match in Llanelli. But they still stayed top of the group, with a win against Ukraine it would guarantee a playoff spot for Cymru.

Rhian Wilkinson made four changes to the starting line up, with Ffion Morgan, Mary McAteer, Lilly Woodham and Rhiannon Roberts all dropped to the bench. Kayleigh Barton, Rachel Rowe, Ceri Jones and Lois Joel all starting with Joel making her debut for Cymru.

Cymru started brightly, with three corners coming in the first few minutes. Ukraine managed to keep clearing the ball but rarely able to break into the Cymru half.

It took until the quarter of an hour mark for Ukraine to start to make headway into the Cymru half. A couple of basic straight down the middle balls, broke through the Cymru midfield, both times the ball was easily cleared by Olivia Clark in goal.

With 25 minutes on the clock there were cries for a Cymru penalty when Kayleigh Barton went down in the box, but replays showed she wasn’t touched. In truth Barton was lucky not to be booked for the dive.

Despite all the Cymru possession and chances, it was Ukraine who took the lead on the 34th minute. Olha Ovdiychuk picked up the ball just inside the Cymru half and ran unimpeded in the box. From 12 yards out she found Yana Kalinina with an excellent side pass and Kalinina slotted it home with a first time shot.

With 11 shots in the first half, Cymru had nothing to show for their dominance at half time. To qualify for a tournament there is the easy way, the hard way and the Welsh way.

Again Cymru started the second half on the front foot, with Ukraine barely getting a touch, never mind attacking the Cymru goal. The first 15 minutes of the second half was much like the first, and the match on Friday. Cymru attack after attack but with no end product. The match was missing a spark.

That missing spark was found in the 72nd minute when Kayleigh Barton was foul in the penalty area. Like Friday night she stepped up and took the penalty, putting it to the same side and scoring her 20th goal for Cymru. That puts her ahead of Craig Bellamy in the Cymru goal scoring charts.

Then three minutes later when Cymru needed it the most, cometh the hour, cometh the women. Jess Fishlock with a stunner to make it 2-1. After a Ukraine throw-in deep in their half, the ball was passed out of defence straight to Jess Fishlock. 25 yards out, she took one touch and fired it into the top corner. Another classic goal from Fishlock, who with that goal is only one behind Helen Ward.

Cymru looked to see out the final minutes of the match, but a warning sign was given when Gemma Evans flicked the ball on to her own post. Then in the 97th and final minute Nicole Kozlova met a cross with a thumping header to make the match 2-2.

A sickening way to draw a match that must have felt like a defeat. The same as Friday, Cymru were sloppy at times and with all the chances should have scored more and put the game to bed early. Cymru drop to second in the group one point behind Croatia.

Like I mentioned before, Tournament Football there is an easy way, hard way and the Welsh way! 

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