17.06.2021 14:16 h

Stepanenko returns for Ukraine against North Macedonia

Ukraine coach Andriy Shevchenko recalled experienced midfielder Taras Stepanenko as one of two changes for their second Group C game against North Macedonia in Bucharest at Euro 2020 on Thursday.

Stepanenko, one of seven Shakhtar Donetsk players in the Ukraine squad, will operate in a holding midfield role with Manchester City's Oleksandr Zinchenko expected to start on the left wing.

Mykola Shaparenko is also brought into the midfield, allowing Zinchenko to move into a more advanced position as a replacement for the injured Oleksandr Zubkov, who hurt his calf in the 3-2 loss to the Netherlands.

Stefan Spirovski comes in for Aleksandar Trajkovski in the only change made by North Macedonia boss Igor Angelovski to the team beaten 3-1 by Austria in their first match at a major tournament as an independent nation.

Starting line-ups:

Ukraine (4-3-3)

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

Coach: Andriy Shevchenko (UKR)

North Macedonia (3-5-2)

Stole Dimitrievski; Visar Musliu, Darko Velkovski, Stefan Ristovski; Ezgjan Alioski, Stefan Spirovski, Arijan Ademi, Enis Bardi, Boban Nikolov; Eljif Elmas, Goran Pandev (capt)

Coach: Igor Angelovski (MKD)

Referee: Fernando Rapallini (ARG)