The Best, Ukraine
In the scoreless minutes that followed, the Ukrainian goalkeeper Neshcheret produced a bold call from the edge of his area, resetting the tempo as the whistle settled the decision to drop the ball. Riquelme found the net for the opening strike, and Ukraine pressed with several promising chances. Yet a controversial decision soon nullified a goal for offside that did not appear to exist in the moment, a decision that sparked debate at the European Championship. The incident followed a recent arbitration controversy involving France and Italy and led UEFA to impose a cautionary measure. A separate error by a rivalling defender left Camello with a clean line to goal, but Neshcheret stood tall, denying him again. The early exchanges left Spain atop the table, and Santi Denia’s men took the lead in the standings. As the first half drew to a close, Nazarenko delivered a brilliant counterattack finished by Viunnyk with a precise header that edged Ukraine in front at 0-1.
The second half began with Ukraine adopting a compact defense while Spain looked to exploit the space in behind. Zhelizko also found himself on the score sheet in the early stages with an own goal from a messy build by Riquelme, restoring the advantage for the Spaniards. Spain controlled much of the play, using the width and quick interchanges to stretch the Ukrainian defense. The Spanish bench observed the evolving shape and confirmed there were no major changes aside from the unusual pairing of Leo Román in the middle. Román, the Mallorcan midfielder, drove into pockets of space, and his movement helped Spain pin Ukraine back. A late piece of action came when Guillamón could not control a long ball, earning a soft foul from a Ukrainian striker and earning Shakhtar’s Sudakov a place in the narrative as the match moved toward its final ten minutes.
Abel Ruiz on the Crucial Finish
Spain faced losing the lead, which forced a tactical response from the bench. Bucharest served as a distant backdrop as the team prepared to measure itself against a formidable France outfit in the closing phase of the group stage. A sloppy moment in defense once again complicated Spain’s night, but Abel Ruiz stepped forward in the dying moments. A charging run and a decisive cut inside freed the striker, who beat the goalkeeper with a composed finish to restore the lead. The late goal shifted the mood across the stadium, turning a tense evening into a statement of resilience. The results left the field wide open for the final positioning of Group D, and the question of who would finish second, and who would meet the likely knockout fixtures on the horizon, was still unresolved as the clock wound down. The outcome underscored the importance of composure and timing under pressure, with Spain ultimately ensuring a path forward that kept the dream alive for the next round.