Football: Ukraine has made its way to Euro-2016 and can play with Russia

Ukrainian footballers for the first time managed to overcome the barrier in the form of butt matches for the opportunity to participate in the European Championship. Photo: Instagram / konoplyanka22

The national team of Ukraine was the last participant in the European Championship 2016 of the year to be held in the summer in France. Following the results of the play-off matches, the Ukrainians beat the Slovenian team.

In the first match in Lviv, the wards of Mikhail Fomenko won with the 2: 0 score, and in the second match in the Slovenian Maribor, 1: 1, who arranged the team, won the match.

For the first time in its history, the Ukrainian national team made its way to a major tournament through play-offs: five previous attempts to qualify for the World and European Championships ended in defeat for it. In 1999, before Euro-2000, Ukraine ceded just Slovenia.

“I congratulate the Ukrainian national football team and all Ukrainians on our team’s qualification to Euro 2016. Glory to Ukraine!" — Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko was one of the first to react to the success of the football players.

As Forum reported, earlier a trip to France won the Russian teamwhich became the second in its qualifying group and avoided the play-offs.

Russia and Ukraine will not be able to meet in the group round, since during the draw they will fall into the same “basket” - the teams have approximately equal ratings based on the results of the last qualifying rounds. However, already in the playoffs, when the knockout matches begin, a meeting between the Ukrainian and Russian teams is not excluded.

In the past and current football seasons, clubs from Russia and Ukraine are divorced in advance by decision of the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) because of conflict in eastern Ukraine with the participation of pro-Russian separatists.