Spain U21 take on the visitors Ukraine U21 in the semifinal match of UEFA Euro U21. The match will be played on Wednesday, June 5th at Stadionul Steaua (Bucharest).
La Rojita comfortably passed the group stage, finishing first in their quartet. The Pyrenean team had a confident debut, crushing Romania 3-0 in their opening match. They then secured a 1-0 victory over Croatia, although they struggled to convert their dominance into goals. In the third match against Ukraine, a draw was enough for the Spanish team to maintain their top spot. Despite not playing at their best, the young Spanish talents managed a decent 2-2 draw, thanks to captain Abel Ruiz equalizing three minutes before the end. In the quarter-finals, they faced Switzerland, seemingly the most favorable opponent. However, La Rojita faced some difficulties against their counterparts. Spain dominated the game territorially and in terms of gameplay, but struggled to convert their superiority into goals. It wasn't until the 68th minute that Sergio Gómez managed to open the scoring. However, Switzerland equalized in added time. In extra time, the Pyrenean team continued to dominate and eventually turned the tide in their favor with a winning goal from Juan Miranda in the 103rd minute. The match ended with Spain being closer to scoring a third goal than Switzerland saving the game.
Ukraine unexpectedly made it to the top four teams of the European Championship and secured a spot in the Paris Olympic Games, which is a tremendous achievement for Ruslan Rotan's team. The yellow and blue demonstrated their strength in the group stage, remaining unbeaten and finishing second only to Spain due to a lower goal difference. They recorded victories over Croatia (2-0) and Romania (1-0) in the first two matches, guaranteeing their place in the knockout stage. In the final group stage match against Spain, both teams fielded reserve squads to determine the group winner. The match ended in a 2-2 draw, placing Ukraine in second position and setting up a daunting clash against France in the quarter-finals. Despite being considered underdogs against the formidable French team, Ukraine surprised everyone, including skeptics like me, by defeating France 3-1. Initially, Ukraine struggled and conceded an early goal but rallied back, scoring two goals, including a penalty. In the second half, Ukraine appeared more confident, while France made numerous mistakes in their desperate attempts to turn the tide. Near the end of the match, Ukraine secured a third goal, sealing their victory.
In this encounter, Spain is favored due to their higher class, but as experience shows, order often prevails over class. Therefore, it's unwise to underestimate Ukraine. This time, I expect a less risky outcome, such as Spain avoiding defeat and at least two goals being scored in the match. Another possible outcome is a draw with goals during regular time. My prediction: 1X + Over 1.5 goals.
Prediction for the match: Spain not to lose (1X) and Over 1.5 scored goals.
