Kicking off on Thursday, we have some exciting Group E action. After pulling off the shock of the tournament so far, Slovakia will be looking to secure their place in the next round by defeating a Ukrainian team that underperformed in their first game.
Can Serhiy Rebrov’s squad bounce back, or will they once again fall short? Read on for our predictions for the Slovakia vs Ukraine match.
Slovakia vs Ukraine prediction
For the Slovakia vs Ukraine match prediction, we believe the final score will be a 3-2 win for Ukraine based on our analysis.
Slovakia did achieve a fantastic win against Belgium, but it’s worth noting that they had a bit of luck on their side and conceded several chances. Ukraine, on the other hand, has the potential to improve significantly from their initial performance and inflict considerable damage.
Betting tips
Ukraine to Score Over 1.5 Goals: +125 with bet365
Over 3.0 Asian Goals: +220 with bet365
Artem Dovbyk to Score: +210 with bet365
Slovakia vs Ukraine betting Odds
Slovakia vs Ukraine head-to-head statistics
These teams last faced each other in 2018 when Slovakia won 4-1 in the UEFA Nations League. Prior to that, Ukraine secured consecutive victories against Slovakia in 2017 and 2018, winning 1-0 and 2-1.
Slovakia vs Ukraine match preview
This game is set for June 21, 2024, at Merkur Spiel-Arena in Düsseldorf. Kickoff is at 10:00 AM ET.
Few expected Slovakia to defeat Belgium, as pre-match odds of +600 indicated. However, despite being seen as significant underdogs, Slovakia stunned Belgium with an early goal and maintained a strong defensive effort to achieve what most considered an unlikely win.
Luck played a part, as Belgium had two goals disallowed by VAR and missed several key chances, but Slovakia deserves credit for holding firm under pressure.
This victory in their opening Euro 2024 game should give Francesco Calzona’s team the confidence to aim for two wins out of two.
Conversely, Ukraine fell short of expectations in their first match. They were sloppy offensively, failing to execute crucial passes and shots effectively. Fortunately, manager Serhiy Rebrov has depth in his squad and can make strategic changes, which are likely for this second game.
For this matchup, don’t be surprised if Chelsea’s Mykhailo Mudryk starts on the bench, with Andriy Yarmolenko and Ruslan Malinovskyi, both known for their creativity, starting instead.
Slovakia vs Ukraine betting tips
Three bets stand out from a value point of view (at early odds) ahead of this Group E clash.
Ukraine to Score Over 1.5 Goals
Ukraine’s first performance left much to be desired, but they have the tools to turn things around. With just a few adjustments, they could exploit a Slovakian defense that, despite their win over Belgium, appeared vulnerable. Slovakia managed a clean sheet, but on another day, or against a more clinical striker than Romelu Lukaku, they could have conceded multiple goals.
Ukraine has demonstrated their ability to score multiple goals against similar teams recently, having done so against North Macedonia (twice), Bosnia, and Iceland since late 2023.
Over 3.0 Asian Goals
Both teams should feel confident in their offensive capabilities given their defensive frailties. This match is likely to be open and attacking, with both sides seeking to capitalize on their opportunities.
Ukraine has been involved in several high-scoring games recently, including conceding three goals to Romania. Their last three away games have all featured three or more goals, with two of those seeing four goals.
Since a 3-3 draw in Germany in early 2023, Ukraine has played five away matches that each had at least four goals.
Artem Dovbyk to Score
Artem Dovbyk had a quiet game against Romania, partly due to a lack of service. However, this could change with Yarmolenko and Malinovskyi providing better delivery. Dovbyk, who scored 24 goals in La Liga last season for a team outside the top three, is a proven goal-scorer.
Given his recent goal-scoring form, with an average of 0.83 goals per 90 minutes in Spain last season, he is a good value bet to score against a Slovakian defense that is not particularly strong.
Recap - Slovakia vs Ukraine betting picks
To summarize, our three recommended bets for Slovakia vs Ukraine are:
Ukraine to Score Over 1.5 Goals at +125 with bet365
Over 3.0 Asian Goals at +220 with bet365
Artem Dovbyk to Score at +210 with bet365
