Iraq vs Ukraine, Olympics Football 2024, Today Match Prediction

Iraq vs Ukraine Match Prediction & Analysis

Coached by Radhi Shenaishil, Iraq booked their ticket to the Olympics through the AFC U-23 Asian Cup by beating Indonesia in the bronze medal match. Meanwhile, Ukraine, coached by Roslan Rotan, secured their place by finishing top 4 in the U-21 UEFA European Championship held in Romania in 2023. Wednesday's clash in Lyon will mark the sides' first clash at this level.

TEAMS PREVIEW

Iraq Preview

After a gap of 8 years, Iraq is back at the Olympics playing football. The last time they played in the event, they couldn't go past the group stage. The closest they went to a medal was in 2004 Athens Olympics when they stunned Portugal in their opening game and  marched to the semis. Unfortunately, they lost to Italy and had to be satisfied with a fourth place finish. 

Iraq's advancement beyond the group will be primarily dependent on one man: Ali Jasim. The dynamic forward/midfielder is the reason they are in the Olympics. Jasim's goal in extra time in the AFC Asia Cup bronze medal game secured Iraq's Olympic berth.

 Ali Jasim finished the tournament with four goals and three assists, and he also had the most critical passes for his team. Thus, Iraq's chances of advancing rely heavily on Ali Jasim's performance in the tournament. Other than Jasim, striker Ridha Fadhil and defenders Zaid Tahseen and Karrar Saad are expected to play important roles in their campaign. 

In terms of tactics,  Radhi Shenaishil is likely to put forth a 4-2-3-1 with Ali Jasim at the heart of the line that connects the midfield and forward line. 

Iraq Probable Starting XI: Hasan; Saadoon, Tahseen, Al Iman, Maknzi; M. Mohammed, Al-Mukhtar; N. Mohammed, Jasim, Hassan; Hussein

Ukraine Preview

Ukraine has some of the most promising young players in the national team's current lineup. Seven of the Euro 2024 squad members were under the age of 23, including Chelsea's Mykhailo Mudryk and Bournemouth defender Illia Zabarnyi. However, due to age restrictions, Coach Ruslan Rotan and some key players from Euro 2024 won't be participating in the Olympics.

Fortunately, they have a coach that knows the squad inside out and is capable of leading them to glory. 42-year-old Ruslan Rotan took over the reins of the U21 Ukraine team in 2019 and led them to the U21 European Championship, scripting history by booking Ukraine's ticket to the Olympics. 

This feat was achieved despite a tough group with Spain, Croatia, and hosts Romania. Not only did his team manage to come out of the group undefeated, but they also displayed Rotan's tactical prowess by holding Spain to a 2-2 draw, beating Croatia 2-0, and navigating a tough group undefeated. 

During the knockout stages, they beat France by 3-1 in the quarterfinals and confirmed their ticket to Paris. While they will miss Sudakov, who tied as the top scorer of the tournament with 3 goals, they still have a couple of players from the squad that represented Ukraine in the U-21 Championship in Romania.

Ukraine Probable Starting XI: Fesyun; Martynyuk, Talovierov, Salyuk, Krupskyi; Rubchynskyi, Mykhailenko, Kryskiv; Khlan, Bragaru, Sikan

IRAQ vs UKRAINE
Winning Prediction

Ukraine is the heavily favored to win this Group B matchup, with odds stacked at 1.25. However, do not underestimate Iraq. As evidenced by their performance in the AFC Asia Cup, they have the mental fortitude to recover from difficult circumstances. They showcased their resilience throughout the AFC Asia Cup, bouncing back from an early setback to win three straight games and reach the semi-finals. This mental fortitude was again on display as they overcame a 1-0 deficit against Indonesia to secure the bronze medal in the most important match of their careers.

Meanwhile, Ukraine means business, having just won the Maurice Revello Tournament, where they defeated Ivory Coast in the final. The event featured teams such as France, Japan, Italy, Mexico, and Paraguay. Given the recent form and quality of the two teams, we expect a win for Ukraine in their first encounter.

Ukraine U-23 to Win (1-2)

1xBet

330% up to ₹65,000 on your 1st Deposit with Reg Code: TOPBK

BET NOW