Group C action in the UEFA EURO 2024 qualifying wraps up with a fascinating match-up as Ukraine and Italy meet in Germany to decide which side takes second place behind England and grabs a ticket to the Euros.
With the stakes high, goals could come at a premium on Monday, and bookmaker 10bet offers odds at 1.80 for under 2.5 goals in the match. Meanwhile, the odds are at 3.25 for under 1.5 goals.
※ Current Odds Date & Time: November 19th, 9:00 A.M. (EST)
Italy has had a very bumpy qualifying campaign, but the reigning European champions beat Ukraine on home turf in September, and the 2-1 triumph has given them the edge in the battle for second place. The two teams are level on points, meaning Italy can still finish ahead of Ukraine with a draw on Monday.
Luciano Spalletti heads into his sixth outing as Italy boss. The former Napoli manager has recorded three wins, one draw, and one loss so far. The team has conceded seven times during his reign, but the Azzurri have made up for their defensive shortcomings with an impressive attacking record. Following Friday’s 5-2 victory over North Macedonia, Italy has averaged 2.6 goals per game under Spalletti.
Ukraine boss Serhiy Rebrov boasts a similar record to Spalletti, having won four games out of seven and losing once. Following the 2-1 defeat in Milan, Ukraine rebuilt momentum with back-to-back wins in October. The team now aims to win three straight official games for the first time since 2019. A winning effort would also mark Ukraine’s first win over Italy in 10 head-to-head clashes.
It’s been a real team effort throughout the qualifiers by Ukraine, with the side having nine different goal-scorers. Girona’s Viktor Tsyhankov is the only player with multiple goals to his name. He also leads the team in goal involvements alongside Chelsea’s Mykhailo Mudryk, with both playing a part in three of the team’s 11 goals.
Italy has a lot more individual talent, but the squad hasn’t meshed well since its memorable Euros triumph in 2021. Amazingly, Italy has won back-to-back outings just twice since winning the European crown at Wembley. The inconsistency already cost the team a place in the World Cup finals last year, and the failure to qualify for Germany 2024 would be another huge shock to the Italian football scene.
All won’t be lost for Italy with a negative result on Monday, as Spalletti’s men would still have a chance to qualify via playoffs, but these games can be very unpredictable, and the team already has a negative experience with it from the last qualifying campaign.
