Ukraine qualified for Euro 2024 on Tuesday, March 26, by beating Iceland 2-1, delivering an emotional boost to a country ravaged by war since the Russian invasion of February 2022. Second-half strikes from Viktor Tsygankov and Mykhailo Mudryk turned around the game for Serhiy Rebrov's side, who trailed at the break following Albert Gudmundsson's opener.
"Thank you, guys! Thank you, team! For significant emotions for the entire country. For the important victory and making it to EURO. For proving once again: whenever Ukrainians face difficulties but do not give up and continue to fight, Ukrainians certainly win," Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote on X. "In times, when the enemy tries to destroy us, we demonstrate every day that Ukrainians are and will be. Ukraine is, and will be! Thank you for the victory! Glory to Ukraine!"
The hosts Ukraine, playing in the Polish city of Wroclaw due to the ongoing conflict, began the brighter of the two sides and dominated possession in the opening 10 minutes. However, it was Gudmundsson for Iceland who made the breakthrough on the half-hour mark with a sublime solo effort for his 10th goal in an Iceland shirt. The 26-year-old slalomed away from two Ukrainian defenders before feeding a perfectly placed curling effort with his left foot beyond the reach of Lunin from 25 yards.
Six minutes later, 21-year-old Ukrainian playmaker Georgiy Sudakov stung the palms of Hakon Rafn Valdimarsson at the near post following a poor defensive clearance by Iceland. The hosts then thought they were back on terms in the 39th minute when Roman Yaremchuk tucked home Tsygankov's cross. But after wild celebrations from the Ukraine fans, the goal was chalked off after VAR adjudged Tsygankov to have previously been offside from Sudakov's clipped pass.
Tsygankov made amends for his earlier offside when he powered Ukraine level nine minutes into the second half. Sudakov was again at the heart of things and his pinpoint crossfield ball found the winger, who drove in from the right flank and beat Valdimarsson with a left-footed strike inside the far post.
Iceland looked to be the more likely to score until Mudryk found space 18 yards out and swept Sudakov's lay-off into the far corner of the goal with just six minutes remaining on the clock. Ukraine will head to the European Championship in Germany this summer, where they will take on Belgium, Slovakia and Romania in Group E.
Georgia also qualified for Euro 2024 on Tuesday, winning their play-off against Greece 4-2 on penalties after a 0-0 draw at the end of extra time to advance to their first-ever major tournament finals.
Nika Kvekveskiri stroked in the decisive penalty in the shoot-out to spark a pitch invasion from fans at the Boris Paichadze Stadium in Tbilisi after Tasos Bakasetas and Giorgos Giakoumakis both failed to score from the spot for Greece. Surprise European champions in 2004, Greece's defeat means their wait to qualify for a first major tournament since the 2014 World Cup goes on.
Ranked 77th in the world, Georgia will join Turkey, Portugal and the Czech Republic in Group F at the European Championship in Germany in June. It will be their first appearance at a major tournament since the country in the Caucasus of 3.7 million people gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.
They had never come close to qualifying before, until losing in a play-off at the same stage in qualifying for the last Euro, going down 1-0 at home to North Macedonia in 2020. This time they finished fourth out of five teams in their qualifying group, with their only two wins both coming against bottom side Cyprus.
However, their previous performances in the UEFA Nations League gave them a chance to advance via the play-offs, and they beat Luxembourg at home in last week's semi-finals to set up Tuesday's decider.
Coached by former France international Willy Sagnol, Georgia's undisputed star man is the Napoli winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. He was not on the pitch for the penalty shoot-out, having been substituted in extra time of a game lacking in chances.
Greece came closest to scoring when defender Konstantinos Mavropanos headed against the bar in extra time. Yet their captain Bakasetas had his penalty, Greece's first in the shoot-out, repelled by the Georgia goalkeeper, Giorgi Mamardashvili of Valencia.
Georges Mikautadze then missed for Georgia, meaning the sides were all square until Giakoumakis of Atlanta United squandered Greece's fourth kick, allowing Kvekveskiri to score the winner.
Poland meanwhile prevented Wales from reaching a third consecutive European Championship on penalties after the sides could not be separated in a tense 0-0 draw in Cardiff on Tuesday.
Leeds winger Dan James was the only player to fail to score in the shootout as Poland's five perfect spot-kicks earned them a place alongside France, the Netherlands and Austria in Group D at Euro 2024.