Sports News • Football

Ukraine vs England head-to-head: Three Lions again expected to dominate

September 5, 2023 10:43 am

For the second time this year, Ukraine and England take to the field in search of three points in their latest UEFA Euro 2024 qualification encounter. The Three Lions were 2-0 victors when the last two sides met in March, but there is still plenty to play for in Group C, albeit England have a six-point advantage over Ukraine in top spot, but have played a game more.

Ukraine bounced back from that Wembley setback in the best way possible by recording back-to-back wins to see them leapfrog Italy in the standings. The challenge for them now is to defeat an England side that they have traditionally struggled to do so in the history of this head-to-head rivalry. Another win for England, who have a 100% record in qualification so far, moves them another step closer to winning the group and claiming a spot at UEFA Euro 2024.

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Ukraine vs England head-to-head record

The two countries have been challenging one another on the football pitch ever since the turn of the millennium. May 2000 was the first time the fixture compilers saw Ukraine and England thrown together, and the 2-0 win for the English on that occasion would prove to be the general theme across the further eight occasions they would meet head-to-head.

Across the nine renewals between Ukraine and England, only once have Ukraine emerged victorious. This came on a forgettable night for England in October 2019 in Dnipro when a red card to English goalkeeper Rob Green inside 15 minutes meant it was an uphill battle, and Ukraine took advantage when winning 1-0.

However, England have ben on the winning side on six occasions, keeping a clean sheet in five of those specific clashes. Two draws can also be thrown into the mix, but all-in-all this is a head-to-head meeting that England have enjoyed over the years.

Ukraine vs England last five head-to-head record

Focusing on the last five matches between Ukraine and England, which has taken place beyond 2010, it is still England that has had the better of this mini-series, but two draws affords Ukraine some credit. Both of those came during qualification for FIFA World Cup 2014, where England qualified but failed to progress out of the group in Brazil.

Only two matches have took place after 2020, the first being the previously mentioned 2-0 victory for Gareth Southgate’s side earlier in the year, but in July 2021 they would enjoy a much more commanding 4-0 success in the delayed Euro 2020 (due to COVID), where a brace from Harry Kane was included amongst the scorers.

Ukraine vs England – What to expect

England will be missing the likes of John Stones, Jack Grealish and Trent Alexander-Arnold for this one, but they are still likely to have too much for Ukraine when they meet in Wrocław, Poland. On paper, this should be one of the more challenging fixtures in the group for Southgate’s side, but they can’t and surely won’t take their opponents easy.

Ukraine will relish the chance to test themselves against one of the top nations, but with a trip to Italy to come next week they’ll be especially eager to take something from this ‘home’ game.

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