The Ukrainian national team kicked off the new season of the Nations League with a victory. In Budapest, they defeated Hungary 1-0 thanks to a goal from Danylo Sikan. However, the match ended in a heated encounter, with players from both teams clashing in stoppage time. The crowd was also vociferous, with Ukrainian fans displaying a “Save Oleshky” banner.
The match took place on September 25th at the Puskás Aréna in Budapest, with nearly 57,000 people in attendance. The hosts created several good chances, but it was the Ukrainian national team that capitalized on theirs.
In the 42nd minute, Heorhiy Sudakov crossed the ball into the penalty area and was left without adequate cover. Danylo Sikan scored the only goal of the match with a header. Ukraine maintained their lead until the final whistle and won 1-0.
A hot finish and a clash of players
The last minutes brought the most excitement.
In extra time Oleksandr Nazarenko received a second yellow card and consequently a red card. A moment later, the situation on the pitch suddenly became more serious.
A large scuffle broke out between players from both teams. More players and staff members joined in the chaos. Hungarian and Ukrainian media published footage showing the scale of the brawl. After some time, the situation calmed down..
Ukrainians comment: “They won both in football and in combat”
Footage from the end of the match quickly began circulating on Ukrainian social media.
Some internet users reacted to the events with a lot of emotion and humor. Comments appeared that “Ukraine won both in football and in combat”, as well as jokes that Ukrainian players may not always impress with their play, but they can fight until the end.
These are, of course, the reactions of social media users, not a sporting assessment of the incident itself.
There were also reports among Ukrainian fans that whistles were heard from some stands during the performance of the Ukrainian national anthem. Comments published online later portrayed the 1-0 victory as a response to the behavior of some in the crowd.
“Save Oleshky.” An important banner for Ukrainian fans.
The match also had a much more serious note.
A large banner appeared in the Ukrainian fans’ sector with the inscription:
“Save Oleshky” – “Save Oleshky”.
The banner photo quickly began to be shared across Ukrainian media and social media..
Oleshki is a Russian-occupied town in the Kherson Oblast, located on the left bank of the Dnieper River, approximately 9 kilometers from Kherson. Ukrainian sources are warning of the extremely difficult situation of its residents and difficulties with the delivery of humanitarian aid and evacuation. Tribuna, describing a banner from the match, reported that roads leading to the town were mined, and attempts to deliver food were hampered by shelling..
In this way, Ukrainian fans took advantage of the match watched by thousands of people to draw attention to the fate of the inhabitants of the occupied city.
Ukraine’s first three points
After the final whistle the score remained unchanged:
Hungary 0:1 Ukraine.
This was the first match of the new Nations League for the Ukrainian national team, and also the first official match under Andrei Maldera’s management. Their next match will be away against Georgia..
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