Ukrainian National Soccer Team On Verge Of World Cup Qualification After Historic Win

Topline

Ukraine’s soccer team is now just one win away from qualifying for the 2022 World Cup, following a dominant win against Scotland on Wednesday in a match many questioned would ever be played after the Russian invasion.

Key Facts

Ukraine won 3-1 against Scotland at Hampden Park in Glasgow, setting up a European play-off final match against Wales in Cardiff on Sunday.

The winner of the Ukraine-Wales game will qualify for this winter’s World Cup in Qatar, where the team will face the U.S. in the opening game of the tournament’s group stage.

Wednesday’s game against Scotland was delayed by more than two months from its initial late March 24 match date, and marked Ukraine’s first competitive game since Russia launched its invasion in late February.

All players in Ukraine’s starting lineup draped themselves in the country’s blue-and-yellow flag prior to kickoff, while the stadium displayed a call for peace on its video board.

Key Background

Soccer is the most popular sport in Ukraine, like much of the rest of the world, but the country’s national team went on hiatus and the country’s domestic league canceled its season after Russia invaded the country. The national team took part in a series of non-competitive games last month as part of the “Global Tour for Peace,” in the hopes of getting players fit for the World Cup qualifiers. Ukrainian clubs FC Dynamo Kyiv and FC Shakhtar Donestsk, two of the most successful soccer teams based in eastern Europe, also participated in the tour.

Surprising Fact

Ukraine has only qualified once for the World Cup, making it to the quarterfinals in 2006.

Tangent

Ukraine co-hosted the UEFA European Football Championship in 2012, commonly called the Euros, along with Poland. Kyiv’s Olympic Stadium served as the venue for the tournament final, which Spain won over Italy.

Further Reading

U.S. To Face England And Iran In Return To Soccer World Cup (Forbes)

Steve Clarke unsure if Scotland play-off with Ukraine will go ahead in June (The Guardian)