Euro 2020 highlights, Ukraine vs North Macedonia: Ukraine beat North Macedonia 2-1 to stay alive

Very important three points for Ukraine, they stay well and truly alive in the European Championships while North Macedonia are more or less knocked out.

Alioski with the corner kick but it’s cleared and to top it all there has been a foul inside the box. Time running out for North Macedonia.

Desperate changes for North Macedonia. Ristevski is on, the forward, replacing centre half Ademi. Trickovski is also on to replace Velkovski.

Brilliant save by Dimitrievski! He is one of the main reasons North Macedonia are still in this game, hanging and battling. Malinovsky went left but could not deceive Dimitrievski.

Penalty for Ukraine. The VAR check results in a penalty for Ukraine, can they seal this game by making it 3-1?

Ukraine’s final change now. Sydorchuk is on, replacing Shaparenko.

A change for North Macedonia. Avramovski is on, replacing Enis Bardhi.

A chance goes abegging for Ukraine. Tsygankov, the substitute, had a one on one with the keeper but his left-footer had no power nor direction.

Ukraine’s goalscorers Yarmolenko and Yaremchuk are off. They will be replaced by Besiedin and Tsygankov.

Good save from Bushchan again. It was an awkward bounce right in front of the goal but the Ukraine keeper tips it away for a corner. It was a long-ranger from Trajkovski, the sub.

First genuine move in the second half from Ukraine. Karavaev cuts it back to Malinovsky, but he smashes it straight at Dimitrievsky, who gathers on the second attempt.

This game has turned on its head in the second half. North Macedonia look a different unit. They look more definitive with their moves and it has shown in that goal. We are in for an exciting last 30 minutes.

GOOAAAAALLLL! It’s Alioski from the rebound. His penalty kick was first sasve by Bushchan but the the Leeds player was quick to regain his composure and put the rebound in.

PENALTY for North Macedonia! IT was a wonderful save from Bushchan but Pandev was brought down and rightfully they get a penalty.

A straight shot at Dimitrievski, who won’t let these go. This was a genuine chance for Ukraine to make it 3-0.

Fantastic save from Bushchan. This is the best chance that North Macedonia have had in this match so far. Captain Pandev got the ball through into the box for Bardhi, who gets the shot in only to be defelcted by Bushchan.

Ukraine 2-0 North Macedonia… Can North Macedonia turn it around or will it be Ukraine all the way?

Ukraine will be mighty pleased with their effort. They dominated the game right from the kick-off and the 2-0 scoreline in their favour is a true reflection of their domination. North Macedonia have some work to do.

The whistle went off, Ukraine fans were up thinking it’s a penalty but it was actually for a simulation.

Shaparenko gets a yellow card for diving inside the penalty box.

This game has suddenly picked up speed. Moments after Macedonia’s goal was disallowed, Ukraine nearly grab their third from a counter attack. It’s that man Dimitrievski again in front of the goal, who evades danger for North Macedonia.

Off-side rules out Pandev’s goal for North Macedonia. He knew it. His run was not timed perfectly and replays confirm it. The joy is short-lived for North Macedonia fans as the off-side flag was up immediately.

GOAAAAAAAALLLLL! Yaremchuk scores for Ukraine. Two in virtually no time. It’s that Yarmolenko once again in action. He gives a lovely pass to Yaremchuk, who times his runs to perfection just to be on side and strokes it through the near post past Dimitrievski

No let off from Ukraine, they are at it again. Yarmolenko’s brilliant touch finds Malinovsky but Nikolov dispossesses quickly.

GOAAAAAAAALLLLL! Ukraine captain Yarmolenko puts his side ahead. It was always on the cards. Ukraine were putting pressure on North Macedonian defence right from the onset.

Malinovsky takes the corner from the left, Karavaev flicks it on at the near post, to find Yarmolenko, who was not going to miss this chance.

Halfway through the first half and it is Ukraine that is the dominating side with 64 per cent of ball possession so far. Whenever North Macedonia come forward, Ukraine win it off them high.

Punched away by North Macedonia keeper Dimitriveski but it’s still out of danger. A shot comes in again and this time the keeper catches it.

Ukraine attack again. Yareumchuk drills it in looking for Shaparenko inside the box, but he’s just snuffed out. North Macedonia evade danger but for how long can they hold?

North Macedonia finally manage to get out of their own half. First real move towards the Ukraine goal. Elmas peels off to the near post and sweeps it but it’s just a yard wide and into the side-netting.

Ukraine all all over North Macedonia at the moment. Yaremchuk was through from the right flank, he could have gotten a shot in but his unselfish attempt of looking to get a square in gave time to Ristovski, who does well to intercept!

Shaparenko takes the corner for Ukraine but Elmas hooks it away before any danger. But Malinovsky shoots from 20 yards after Ukraine won the ball back. Dimitriveski evades danger at the expense of another corner, which went rather uneventful.

A good ball in from Malinovsky from the left but Ukraine goalkeeper Dimitrievski up to the mark. He punches it with an acrobatic jump before Stepanenko blazes over with the volley.

North Macedonia captain Goran Pandev gets us under away. His side, in red, attacking from right to left.

The players have made their way out into the centre and have assembled for the respective national anthems, starting with North Macedonia’s.

Ukraine desperately need a win against North Macedonia today not only to kee their chances alive but also to se their miserable record at the European Championship straight. They have lost all of their last six matches at the in Euros, which is the joint-longest run in the competition’s history alongside Yugoslavia.

37-year-old Goran Pandev will have to work his magic and play his A-game if North Macedonia have to stay alive in this European Championship. The experienced campaigner does have a niggle but Ukraine have named him in the starting line-up.

A 3-4-2-1 formation means North Macedonia have trusted their strong midfield to deliver the goods. Eljif Elmas will partner captain Goran Pandev up front.

Ukraine coach Andriy Shevchenko has decided to go in with a balanced 4-3-2-1 formation against North Macedonia. The focus, however, is on goal scoring with Ruslan Malinovskyi moving up with captain Yarmolenko on the flanks behind striker Roman Yaremchuk.

The West Ham United veteran and Ukraine captain Andriy Yarmolenko, who scored a tremendous goal from about 20 yards in the previous encounter against Netherlands, will once again hold the key for Ukraine today against North Macedonia.

Stole Dimitrievski; Visar Musliu, Stefan Ristovski, Darko Velkoski; Arijan Ademi, Ezgjan Alioski, Boban Nikolov, Enis Bardi, Stefan Spirovski; Eljif Elmas, Goran Pandev.

Subs: Jankov, Siskovski, Bejtulai, Ristevski, Trickovski, Trajkovski, Hasani, Kostadinov, Radeski, Avramovski, Churlinov, M Risovski

Georgiy Bushchan; Vitaliy Mykolenko, Oleksandr Karavaev, Mykola Matviyenko, Illia Zabarnyi; Taras Stepanenko, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Ruslan Malinovskyi, Mykola Shaparenko; Andriy Yarmolenko (captain), Roman Yaremchuk

Subs: Pyatov, Trubin, Sobol, Sudakov, Kryvtsov, Sydorchuk, Marlos, Makarenko, Tsygankov, Besedin, Tymchyk, Dovbyk

Ukraine managed to recover from two goals down against the Netherlands in Amsterdam on Sunday, but Denzel Dumfries headed in an 85th-minute winner for the Dutch.

North Macedonia, one of the two tournament newcomers at Euro 2020 along with Finland, had been holding Austria to a 1-1 scoreline before substitutes Michael Gregoritsch and Marko Arnautović scored a goal each in the waning minutes at the National Arena in Bucharest on Sunday.

Hello and welcome to the live updates of Euro 2020 Group A match between the Ukraine and North Macedonia at the National Arena in Bucharest, Romania. Both teams know another loss just might end their chances of advancement.

The top two teams in each of the six groups advance to the round of 16, along with the four best third-place teams.