Ukraine's national team lost to Canada at the Canadian Shield tournament.

Ukraine's national team lost to Canada at the Canadian Shield tournament
Ukraine's national team lost to Canada at the Canadian Shield tournament

A poor start for Ukraine's national football team at the Canadian Shield tournament, where they lost to Canada in the first match. The hosts scored four goals, but the Ukrainians managed to restore their dignity at the end of the game.

The opening match for Ukraine's national team turned out to be unsuccessful. Already in the fourth minute, striker Jonathan David opened the scoring by converting a one-on-one chance against Anatoliy Trubin. Later, in the 24th minute, that same David scored a double, following a cross from Tajon Buchanan, who exploited a gap in the Ukrainian defense on the flank. Just seven minutes later, defender Valerii Bondar lost the ball near his own penalty area, and Promes David did not waste the chance to make it 3:0.

In the second half, the Canadians continued their pressure. In the 81st minute, Buchanan accurately shot on target following a set piece – 4:0. However, towards the end of the match, the Ukrainians managed to reduce the deficit slightly. In the 89th minute, Illya Zabarnyi scored following a rebound in the penalty area, and already in the 90+2 minute, Oleksandr Zinchenko converted a penalty awarded for Buchanan's handball.

Preparation for the World Cup and other matches

Ukraine's next opponent will be New Zealand. The meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, June 11, starting at midnight. Earlier, as part of the training camp in Spain before the final tournament of Euro-2025 (U-21), the youth national team of Ukraine played their final friendly match. On June 2, Unai Melgosa's team won against 'Murcia' (4:0), and on June 6, they faced the local youth national team in the Spanish city of Alcorcón at 'Santo Domingo Stadium.'

Ukraine's national team lost to Canada in the Canadian Shield match, held as part of the preparation for the qualification round of the 2026 World Cup. The Ukrainians lost 4:2, but managed to reduce the deficit at the end of the game. Their next opponent will be New Zealand.

The preparation for the qualification round of the 2026 World Cup did not start in the best way for the Ukrainian team - a defeat by Canada with a score of 4:2. However, the team managed to show character at the end of the match, scoring two quick goals. The next challenge will be a match against New Zealand, where the 'blue and yellow' should demonstrate their true potential.

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