Ukraine will be aiming to move top of the table in the Nations League League B Group 1 division this weekend as they meet with an Armenia side struggling for form and only ahead of the Republic of Ireland in fourth by the sheer fact of their two losses so far.
Armenia had a very tough time of things in the March internationals, and with them defeating Montenegro 1-0 on home soil, it looked as if they were set to start life without former captain Henrikh Mkhitaryan on a positive note.
Armenian National team🇦🇲 arrived in Lodz🇵🇱 to face Ukraine🇺🇦 on June 11.#UKRARM #NationsLeague #Armenia #ArmeniaNT #Հայաստան pic.twitter.com/uzgzvWY5NY— Official Armenian FF (@OfficialArmFF) June 9, 2022
Armenian National team🇦🇲 arrived in Lodz🇵🇱 to face Ukraine🇺🇦 on June 11.#UKRARM #NationsLeague #Armenia #ArmeniaNT #Հայաստան pic.twitter.com/uzgzvWY5NY
However, fast forward a few days, the nation recorded their biggest-ever defeat with a stunning 9-0 loss to Norway back in March.
Mkhitaryan scored 32 times for his country across 95 caps, and his presence is already being missed following such a disastrous game against Norway, just as they've had one win and one loss in their first competitive games without him in this Nations League.
Armenia first met with an out-of-form Ireland, and a goal from Eduard Spertsyan in the second half was enough for all three points.
Joaquín Caparrós' men then travelled to Hampden Park, and a ruthless Scotland in search of a win after World Cup heartbreak defeated them 2-0.
It does now leave Armenia on three points and level with Ukraine early on, although it’s vital to remember that the latter have only played one game due to that World Cup play-offs run.
It’s been a topsy-turvy time for Ukraine in the past few weeks. They managed to put on a fantastic display when they met with Scotland in the World Cup play-offs semi-finals at Hampden Park, but a trip to Cardiff against Wales did not go the same way.
Gareth Bale’s free kick was tapped in by Andriy Yarmolenko in the first half, as his own goal was enough to send Wales through to the World Cup with Ukraine heading home.
Oleksandr Petrakov's side did, however, immediately return to winning ways when they met with Ireland in the first game of the Nations League for them.
Viktor Tsyhankov scored the game’s only goal as Ukraine won, which now puts them just behind their recent foes Scotland by one goal, as the two have a game in hand to play.
Forebet predicts a game of under 2.5 goals here with not many goals coming in during this group so far. Forebet also predicts Ukraine to win once more.