Slovakia vs Ukraine – Euro 2024: Schranz heads his nation in entrance

A very tightly-contested game that just went Ukraine’s way in the end.

Sergiy Rebrov insists Ukraine deserved their win today, and hails his team’s spirit.

He was also pleased with the impact his substitutes made from the bench, with Yaremchuk netting the winner.

It all looked to be going Slovakia’s way at half time but they lost their way after the break.

They will now probably have to get something in their last group game against Romania.

A loss today would have almost spelt the end of Ukraine’s qualification hopes, but they are now right back in the mix.

Ukraine get their first win on the board and keep their hopes alive of qualifying for the last 16.

Slovakia are trying everything but Ukraine hold firm and then win a goal kick.

Surely that’s it now.

What a chance for Slovakia!

Their corner is flicked away and Vavro has the chance to fire it towards goal from 12 yards out but badly miskicks and Ukraine clear to safety.

Shaparenko comes off, and on goes Talovierov.

Time running out for Slovakia.

They win a corner and it’s flicked on but there’s no one at the back post and the ball goes out for a goal kick.

We will have five added minutes to finish this game.

A double change for Ukraine as Malinovskyi and Sydorchuk come on for Mudryk and Brazhko.

Slovakia then make their final substitution, with Sauer coming on for Schranz.

Poor tackle from Yaremchuk and he goes into the book. The first yellow card of the game.

Now Slovakia have to show their mettle.

They go back on the attack but Kucka’s header dribbles well wide of the goal.

Dubravka hesitates, Yaremchuk doesn’t – Ukraine lead!

It’s a ball over the top and Dubravka doesn’t know whether to stay or leave his goal. Yaremchuk takes the ball down brilliantly and pokes it past Dubravka. What a huge goal that could be.

Perhaps a spot of time-wasting her from Slovakia?

Suslov goes down and a physio comes on to treat him. Lo and behold, he gets back to his feet pretty quickly after that.

Ukraine have to make more of this chance.

Yaremchuk turns and has space to run in to. He has Mudryk to his left but his pass sends the Chelsea man too wide.

Mudryk gets a shot off and Dubravka nearly has a shocker, but with the combination of his knee and the post the ball stays out.

Lobotka is still the best player on the pitch, but Slovakia are not keeping the ball as well in this half.

Ukraine are building a bit of momentum, but haven’t created a big chance since their equaliser.

Former Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger is watching today’s game from the stands.

I wonder what he’s making of this.

Changes for both teams as they look to find something in the final quarter of this game.

Yaremchuk and Zubkov replace Dovbyk and Yarmolenko for Ukraine.

Suslov and Obert are on for Haraslin and the injured Hancko for Slovakia.

Ukraine know they need to win this and they are the side pushing at the moment.

Not quite finding the quality they need right now, but they are getting on top.

This is a worry for Slovakia.

Hancko goes down and appears to have hurt his groin. He may not be able to continue.

Slovakia make a double change as Benes and Strelec come on for Duda and Bozenik.

Aadam Patel in Dusseldorf…

Feels like a different game now. It’s all Ukraine. I guess Serhiy Rebrov’s half-time message was to ask his players for more of the same after a strong finish to the first half.

They’ve done that and been rewarded with a deserved equaliser.

Shaparenko goes down and appears to be clutching his jaw.

The referee goes over to check on him and he eventually gets back to his feet. No harm done.

The momentum is all with Ukraine now and the noise level inside the stadium has just gone up a couple of notches.

Ukraine fancy they can turn this one around now.

Ukraine are level!

It looked like the chance may have gone after Mudryk played the ball behind Dovbyk after breaking through the middle of the pitch.

But Ukraine take their time and the ball is played across for Shaparenko to fire home from 10 yards.

Mudryk bursts away down the left and puts in a teasing cross for Dovbyk to attack.

He’s just on the stretch and can’t direct his header towards goal. Skriniar thumps the ball to safety.

Groans from Ukraine’s fans as Brazhko gives the ball away cheaply.

His team need better than that if they are going to get back into this.

No sign of Slovakia sitting back and protecting their lead yet.

Thy have started the second half well, but relieve the pressure on Ukraine with a foul inside the Ukraine penalty area.

We have a nasty clash of heads inside the opening 10 seconds of the half.

The Slovakia player, Pekarik, has come off worse and needs treatment.

He gets back to his feet eventually and is OK to continue for now.

We are ready for the second half.

Slovakia will be very happy with that first 45 minutes, with Calzona getting his tactics spot on once more.

The Ukrainian manager will be encouraged by what he saw from his side in the final 10 minutes of the first half, but his side badly need a goal.

Does he need to switch things up at the break? Remember, Ukraine cannot afford to lose this one.

Aadam Patel in Dusseldorf…

Interesting half. Slovakia started strongly but since the goal, Ukraine have had some great chances and will be kicking themselves. They’re just lacking that ruthless nature in the final third.

It’s not a question of quality because Serhiy Rebrov’s side have the likes of Mudryk, Yarmolenko and Dovbyk. Dovbyk finished as the La Liga top scorer this season but he’s yet to hit the ground running here.

Ukraine could do with him changing that after the break.

Ivan Schranz can’t stop scoring for Slovakia right now.

Slovakia see out the final minute with ease and they lead at the break.

It’s been an engaging half that Ukraine worked their way back into, but they have work to do in the second half.

We will have one minute of added time.

Slovakia pinch the ball back and Haraslin has some space on the corner of the box.

He cuts inside and hits a shot that takes a deflection, allowing Trubin to get down and palm the ball behind for a corner, which comes to very little.

I said a good crossing position, but Zinchenko tries his luck instead.

It’s a pretty routine stop for Dubravka, and Slovakia then win a goal kick.

Yarmolenko starting to cause more problems down the right and he wins a free-kick for his side.

There didn’t seem to be much contact but this is a good crossing position for Ukraine.

Ukraine clearly think they can get some joy from clipped balls in behind down the wings.

It’s a ball they’ve tried regularly in the last few minutes with some success. Can they draw level before half time?

Ukraine are just starting to work their way back into this.

A ball over the top finds Mudryk and he beats his man to bear down on goal. Dubravka comes out quickly to cut out his cross, but that was much better from Ukraine.

Slovakia just living dangerously the last couple of minutes.

So nearly an equaliser for Ukraine as Tymchuk hits the post with a strike across goal.

Replays show Dubravka actually got a fingertip on it. That’s a great save.

Finally, a decent chance for Ukraine.

The ball is fed in behind to Dovbyk and he creates a bit of space, but his shot is blocked behind for a corner.

From the resulting corner, Mudryk’s shot is deflected and Yarmolenko stretches to poke the ball wide.

Haraslin looks a real threat down that left and he eases up to the edge of the Ukraine box.

He feeds Duda who is crowded out, but Slovakia are continuing to look dangerous.

It’s all a bit slow and predictable from Ukraine and then they give the ball away. Slovakia in complete control right now.

Mudryk gets his first chance to turn and run at the Slovakia defence.

He moves up towards the edge of the box but his shot goes miles over the bar. He will not want to see that again.

Slovakia look very comfortable right now with Lobotka running the show in midfield.

Ukraine need to find something here.

Aadam Patel in Dusseldorf…

He hadn’t scored for almost three years before this tournament but it’s that man Ivan Schranz again. The header is top class.

And it’s no less than a deserved Slovakian lead.

They’ve been the better team so far and Slovakia take the lead.

It’s from a simple throw, and then the cross finds Schranz at the back post to head past Trubin. That’s Schranz’s second goal of the tournament.

Another save for Trubin as Slovakia win a free-kick on the edge of the box.

Hancko tries a cruling effort but it’s on Trubin’s siude and he palms the ball away.

Lovely move from Ukraine as they quickly go from one end of the pitch to the other.

Dovbyk is free in the middle but the cross is just behind him.

The ball is recycled to Brazhko, but his effort is timid and straight at Dubravka.

Two saves in quick succession from Trubin keeps Ukraine level!

First, it’s Haraslin who dribbles through and forces Trubin into a sharp stop at his near post.

Ukraine don’t clear their lines and Slovakia come again, with Trubin getting down well again to keep out a close-range volley.

Better from Ukraine as they break away down the right, but Yarmolenko’s through ball is badly overhit.

Slovakia are the side showing a little more patience in possession in the early stages.

Yet to create a clear opening, but they will be pleased with this start.

Both teams aren’t afraid to go long early, as a ball over the top picks out Yarmolenko.

He has just gone too early, though, and the offside flag goes up.

First promising attack from Slovakia as Haraslin briefly gets away down the left.

Ukraine get enough players back to snuff out the danger but that was an early warning for them.

Slovakia get the game underway…

Before kick-off, we will have a minute’s applause for former UEFA general secretary Gerhard Aigner.

The anthems are done and dusted and we will be kicking off very shortly in Dusseldorf.

As they did before the first game, Ukraine’s players are wearing their national flag for the anthems.

It’s an electric atmosphere inside the stadium, and the rain seems to have subsided just in time for kick-off.

Both sets of players emerge from the tunnel.

It’s time for the national anthems, and then we will get underway.

Slovakia: Dubravka, Pekarik, Vavro, Skriniar, Hancko, Kucka, Lobotka, Duda, Schranz, Haraslin, Bozenik

Ukraine: Trubin, Tymchuk, Zabrnyi, Matviyenko, Zinchenko, Shaparenko, Sudakov, Brazhko, Yarmolenko, Mudryk, Dovbyk

Slovakia manager Francesco Calzona would not have expected his side to beat Belgium, and now they have a great chance to qualify from their group with a game to spare.

Ahead of today’s game, Joe Hart has been reflecting on England’s dire showing against Denmark last night.

He admits England can ‘definitely do better’, but insists the team are still in a strong position after taking four points from two games, and wants to take the positives from the match.

Ukraine are managed by former Tottenham striker Serhiy Rebrov.

Things could not have gone much worse for his side in their first game, but they have the chance to get back on track today.

Both teams are out being put through their paces.

The atmosphere is building at the Dusseldorf Arena as fans make their way inside with kick-off fast approaching.

Ukraine suffered the worst possible start on Monday when they were thrashed 3-0 by Romania.

Nicolae Stanciu scored an early contender for goal of the tournament, and Ukraine never recovered.

They cannot afford a repeat of that performance today.

Newcastle’s Martin Dubravka keeps his place in goal, with Napoli midfielder Stanislav Lobotka set to play a key role once more.

The atmosphere is building in Dusseldorf with just one hour until we get underway.

Few gave Slovakia much chance of beating Belgium on Monday but that’s exactly what they did as they held on for a 1-0 win.

They are now in a strong position to get out of their group, which would be a great achievement for the nation.

Just over an hour until kick-off and both sets of players are in the building.

The big news for Ukraine is that Real Madrid goalkeeper Andriy Lunin has been dropped after a poor showing against Romania. He is replaced by Anatoliy Trubin.

Oleksandr Zinchenko starts at left back with Chelsea’s Mykhailo Mudryk ahead of him on the left wing.

Former West Ham winger Andriy Yarmolenko also gets the nod to start.

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of this afternoon’s Group E match between Slovakia and Ukraine.

Slovakia can secure qualification to the last 16 with a win, while Ukraine will be aiming to bounce back after a 3-0 defeat in their opening game against Romania.