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MÖNCHENGLADBACH, Germany (AP) — Ukraine is again on the soccer subject.
The Ukrainian males’s nationwide workforce returned to motion Wednesday for the primary time for the reason that invasion by Russia, beating German membership Borussia Mönchengladbach 2-1 in a charity fundraiser.
The pleasant was an opportunity for the Ukrainians to get again into kind forward of a World Cup qualifying playoff recreation in opposition to Scotland on June 1, but additionally simply to indicate their workforce remains to be going, regardless of every little thing.
“We thanks all in your nice assist,” former world heavyweight boxing champion Wladimir Klitschko, whose brother Vitali is mayor of Kyiv, mentioned in a video message to the German membership and followers performed forward of the sport. It felt as if “each (groups) are enjoying for us,” he added.
The squad for the weird club-versus-country pleasant was assembled from Ukrainian golf equipment whose league seasons have been frozen Feb. 24 on the morning Russian troops invaded.
Ukraine has banned males of preventing age from leaving the nation in the course of the warfare, so the gamers wanted particular permission from the authorities to journey. Some have been touring Europe for weeks, first with the Dynamo Kyiv and Shakhtar Donetsk golf equipment enjoying fundraising video games, then at a national-team coaching camp in Slovenia.
The gang of 20,000 contained many Ukrainians — they got free tickets — who roared their appreciation when winger Mykhailo Mudryk rounded the goalkeeper and scored within the ninth minute to provide Ukraine the lead.
Gladbach responded 5 minutes later with a robust shot from Eire youth worldwide Conor Noss to degree the rating.
Mudryk had one other good probability halfway by the second half however may solely faucet the ball into the keeper’s arms. Substitute Oleksandr Pikhalonok gave Ukraine the win within the 82nd with a low shot from simply outdoors the field.
If Ukraine beats Scotland within the single-leg playoff in Glasgow on June 1, it is going to face Wales 4 days later in Cardiff for a spot at this 12 months’s World Cup in Qatar.
Ukraine’s huge names together with Manchester Metropolis left-back Oleksandr Zinchenko, West Ham ahead Andriy Yarmolenko and Benfica striker Roman Yaremchuk are anticipated to affix up with the workforce in time for the Scotland recreation as soon as their membership seasons end.
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Extra AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
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