EURO 2024: Belgium to Face Ukraine in Group Stage Opener

UEFA EURO Group Stage Match Information

The UEFA EURO 2024 group stage is set to kick off on June 26th, 2024, and one of the most anticipated matches of the tournament will be the Group B clash between Belgium and Ukraine. Belgium, ranked second in the FIFA World Rankings, will be looking to make a statement after failing to get out of the group stage at the 2022 World Cup. Ukraine, on the other hand, will be hoping to cause an upset and reach the knockout stages for the first time in their history.

Match Details

* Date: June 26, 2024 * Time: 16:00 UTC * Stadium: MHP Arena, Stuttgart, Germany

Head-to-Head Record

Belgium and Ukraine have met seven times in the past, with Belgium winning four matches, Ukraine winning two, and one match ending in a draw. The last encounter between the two teams was in the 2016 UEFA European Championship qualifier, which Belgium won 3-1.

Key Players

Belgium has a wealth of attacking talent at their disposal, including Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku, and Eden Hazard. Ukraine will be relying on their captain, Andriy Yarmolenko, and young midfielder Mykhaylo Mudryk to provide the spark in attack.

Form Guide

Belgium has been in good form in recent months, winning six of their last eight matches. Ukraine, on the other hand, has been more inconsistent, winning just three of their last six matches. However, they will be buoyed by their impressive performance in the 2022 World Cup qualification campaign, where they finished top of their group.

Predictions

Belgium will be the favorites to win this match, but Ukraine will be no pushovers. If they can play to their potential, they could cause an upset. The most likely outcome is a narrow win for Belgium, but Ukraine will be hoping to pull off a surprise.