On October 7, Ukraine U20 will play against Spain U20 in the Round of 16 of the FIFA U-20 World Cup. Here’s an overview of both teams ahead of the match.
Ukraine U20
Dmytro Mykhaylenko’s team performed well in the tournament, finishing atop their group with 7 points from three matches. They started with a 2-1 win against South Korea, scoring two early goals by the 16th minute. In their second match, they drew 1-1 with Panama, which was seen as an upset.
For their last group match, Ukraine only needed a draw to move forward but won 2-1 against Paraguay. With this momentum, they are eager to continue their success against a challenging opponent.
Spain U20
Spain has high expectations in every tournament, yet they have faced challenges this time. They started with a surprising 0-2 loss to Morocco, conceding two goals early in the second half despite having 71% possession.
In their next match, Spain drew 2-2 with Mexico, despite controlling much of the game. Their final group match was critical, where they managed a narrow 1-0 win over Brazil to secure a place in the next round, finishing third in their group as one of the best third-placed teams.
Match facts
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Every match involving Ukraine has seen both teams score.
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Spain has only won one of their three games.
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Current odds: Ukraine win – 4.75, Draw – 3.8, Spain win – 1.69.
Prediction
While Spain is the favorite on paper, their performance has been lackluster so far. Ukraine has a reasonable chance of advancing. These youth teams have no prior history against each other, making this matchup unpredictable. Upsets are common at this level, and the outcome will depend on mental readiness. It may be wise to bet on both teams scoring.