Romania - Ukraine predictions and free betting tips [17/06/2024]

Today at Allianz Arena in Munich, there's a UEFA European Championship Group E match between Romania and Ukraine.

Analysis of Romania's Squad

Local expert Jordanescu's team arrives in Germany with a combative yet somewhat starless squad, with very few players from top leagues. Standouts include Radu Dragusin from Tottenham and Razvan Marin from Empoli. Romania looks like a clear underdog in Group E.

Goalkeepers

The first-choice goalkeeper is Horatiu Moldovan (Atletico), who previously played for Rapid and is currently second-choice behind Oblak. Nita (Gaziantep), who has featured in friendlies, and Tarnovanu (FCSB), who hasn’t played in friendlies, will serve as backups.

Defence

Apart from Radu Dragusin, it’s hard to highlight anyone else. He'll likely be paired with Andrei Burca (Al-Ohod). On the right will be Andrei Ratiu (Rayo Vallecano), and on the left, there’s Nicusor Bancu (Universitatea), who is almost irreplaceable. Cristian Manea (CFR) also features in the defence.

Midfield

The midfield leader and team captain is Nicolae Stanciu (Damac). Dennis Man (Parma) can play on the flank. Marius Marin (Pisa) and Razvan Marin (Empoli) are also notable players in the midfield.

Attack

The team plays with one primary forward, Denis Alibec (Al-Muaidar). Florinel Coman (Steaua) and Ianis Hagi (Alaves), son of the legendary Gheorghe Hagi, will be playing on the flanks.

Analysis of Ukraine's Squad

Serhiy Rebrov's squad boasts a plethora of stars, starting with the dynamic duo of Artem Dovbyk and Viktor Tsyhankov from the sensational Girona, extending to the highly valued Mykhailo Mudryk from Chelsea, and a solid defence featuring several Premier League players.

Goalkeepers

The main struggle for the first-choice spot is between two top keepers: Anatolii Trubin (Benfica) and Andriy Lunin (Real Madrid). Lunin, who had an excellent season in Madrid, is expected to start, while Heorhiy Bushchan is unlikely to play.

Defence

The starting line-up includes two players from mid-tier Premier League teams: Vitalii Mykolenko (Everton) and Illya Zabarnyi (Bournemouth). Mykola Matviyenko from Shakhtar is a contender to play alongside Zabarnyi. Yukhym Konoplia, also from Shakhtar, will play on the right. Maxiim Taloverov (LASK) and Serhiy Kryvtsov (Inter Miami) also strengthen the defence.

Midfield

Nominal defender from Arsenal, Oleksandr Zinchenko, is likely to play in midfield. He will be partnered with either Mykola Shaparenko (Dynamo Kyiv) or Taras Stepanenko (Shakhtar). Veteran Ruslan Malinovskyi (Genoa) might come off the bench. Viktor Tsyhankov (Girona) and Mykhailo Mudryk (Chelsea) are indispensable on the attacking flanks.

Attack

One of La Liga's top scorers, Artem Dovbyk (Girona), will start without a doubt. Roman Yaremchuk (Valencia) is unlikely to see much playtime. Other young forwards, such as Danylo Sikan (Shakhtar), probably won’t play more than 10 minutes per match.

Romania National Team

The Romanian national team has relatively infrequently advanced to the final stages of European Championships, having done so only five times. Their best result was reaching the quarter-finals in 2000, where they lost to Italy 0-2. Since then, Romania has twice reached the Euro finals, recording three draws and three losses in six group stage matches.

In the current Euro qualifiers, Romania showed confident play, securing first place in the group alongside Switzerland, defeating Belarus and Kosovo, and not suffering a single defeat in 10 matches with six wins and a goal difference of 16:5. However, in preparatory friendlies, Romania failed to secure a win, drawing with Liechtenstein and Bulgaria (0-0) and losing to Colombia (2-3), as well as drawing with Northern Ireland (1-1).

Ukraine National Team

Ukraine's most significant achievements include reaching the quarter-finals of the 2006 World Cup and the 2020 European Championship. Before 2012, Ukraine had not qualified for the European Championships, but they haven’t missed a tournament since then. In 2016, Ukraine reached the Round of 16, defeating Sweden thanks to a Dovbyk goal in extra time, but then losing to England 0-4.

In the last qualifying tournament, Sergei Rebrov’s team showed average results, qualifying for Germany after defeating Bosnia and Iceland 2-1 in play-offs. In the qualifiers, Ukraine finished behind Italy and England, scoring 14 points in 8 matches with a goal difference of 11:8. In recent friendlies, Ukraine didn't display formidable strength, achieving a 4-0 victory over Moldova, losing 3-1 to Poland, and drawing 0-0 with Germany.

Head-to-Head Matches

Romania and Ukraine have faced each other five times, with Ukraine holding the advantage. The most notable match was on 29 May 2016, where Ukraine won 4-3. Other encounters also saw Ukraine victorious: 3-2 (8 February 2011), 3-2 (29 May 2010), and 2-0 (20 August 2003). Romania's only win came convincingly on 27 March 2002, with a 4-1 score.

Prediction for Romania vs Ukraine Match

Ukraine's squad hasn't looked this strong in a while. Rebrov's team performed excellently in the qualifiers and friendlies. It’s unclear what Romania can offer other than playing second fiddle and counter-attacking. I am betting on a win for the nominal visitors.

Prediction for Total Goals

I am not expecting many goals. Ukraine has been weak in dominating play against organised teams. TU 2.5 goals seems logical.