Romania vs Ukraine predictions, odds and betting tips
Romania and Ukraine will lock horns in both teams’ opening game at Euro 2024.
Romania vs Ukraine odds
Find the latest match odds for Romania vs Ukraine. All odds are provided by our best-reviewed football betting sites. Odds are subject to change.
⚡Quick Romania vs Ukraine betting tips
- Ukraine to win - evens with bet365
- Under 2.5 goals - 7/10 with VBET
- Georgiy Sudakov to score or assist - 5/4 with talkSPORT BET
Romania vs Ukraine predictions
Group E is one of the toughest to predict at Euro 2024. Belgium are widely expected to finish top, but each of Slovakia, Romania and Ukraine will believe second place is within reach.
That is why this match is so important. With three points often enough to advance to the knockout stage of the 24-team tournament, a victory here would be a weight off either Romanian or Ukrainian shoulders.
A defeat would definitely not be terminal, but it would leave the loser with more work to do in their remaining two group games.
Romania will know that Ukraine will attract more support from neutrals in this game given what the country is dealing with back home.
Russia’s invasion has brought the players closer together. Football pales into significance when there is a war on, yet it is genuinely the case that Sergiy Rebrov’s side are providing both a welcome distraction and an outlet for national pride.
If anyone doubted Ukraine’s team spirit and togetherness, just take a look at their record in qualifying. They claimed six points from losing positions in their group, then came from behind in both the play-off semi-finals and final.
The fact they finished third in their group does not tell the full story either. For starters, Ukraine were drawn in a very tough section alongside England and Italy.
They went into the final matchday knowing that a victory over the Italians would send them directly through to the European Championship. The two teams drew 0-0, but Ukraine were wrongly denied a penalty in the second minute of second-half stoppage time.
The current side is better than the one that reached the quarter-finals of Euro 2020, so Ukraine should not be underestimated in the coming weeks.
At the same time, Romania will not be overly fearful of their upcoming opponents. This promises to be an intriguing encounter in Munich.
Romania vs Ukraine betting tips
A win for either Romania or Ukraine would give them an early boost as both teams fight for a place in the last 16.
Ukraine to win - Evens (bet365)
Romania will draw confidence from their own qualifying campaign, in which they went unbeaten in 10 games to claim top spot.
Their group was nowhere near as difficult as Ukraine’s, however. Finishing above Switzerland was certainly respectable, but that was at least as much to do with the Swiss’ underperformance. None of Israel, Kosovo, Belarus and Andorra were up to much.
That is not to talk down Romania’s achievement, but we feel Ukraine have the edge in this Group E curtain-raiser.
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There is certainly more star quality available to Rebrov than to Romania boss Edward Iordanescu.
Mykhailo Murdryk is a familiar name to Premier League viewers, but he is not Ukraine’s standout attacker. That is instead Artem Dovbyk, who scored 24 goals for Girona in 2023/24.
Look out, too, for the 21-year-old attacking midfielder Georgiy Sudakov, who could be on the wish list of many big clubs by the end of the competition.
⚽ Go for a Ukraine win at evens with bet365 ⚽
Under 2.5 goals - 7/10 (VBET)
Romania are a defensively resilient side and they will prioritise keeping things tight at the back on Monday.
They conceded only five goals in qualifying - one every other game, in other words - and kept clean sheets against Bulgaria and Liechtenstein in their two warm-up friendlies.
The problem for Romania is that they also did not score in either game. Their failure to do so will only increase their focus on making things difficult for Ukraine in the final third.
The fact they play Belgium next is another reason why Iordanescu will be cautious: a defeat here ahead of a duel with the Red Devils would leave Romania in a precarious position.
Rebrov, for his part, will look for a measured performance from his players. Ukraine will take the initiative and dominate possession, but that does not mean they will take unnecessary risks on matchday one.
All of which points to this match being on the low-scoring side.
⚽ Tip under 2.5 goals at 7/10 with VBet ⚽
Georgiy Sudakov to score or assist - 5/4 (talkSPORTBET)
International tournaments do not produce breakout stars as often as they used to, but the aforementioned Sudakov is one player who could become much better known over the next few weeks.
A skilful, inventive attacker who has already been linked with the likes of Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea, the Shakhtar Donetsk man will be fully focused on Germany for now.
Sudakov scored 10 goals and provided six assists for Shakhtar in all competitions in the 2023/24 campaign.
He has an eye for a pass and also gets into scoring positions, which he will be encouraged to do by Rebrov.
Sudakov is strong with both feet and most of Ukraine’s attacks go through him. He is likely to be at the heart of their attacking play against Romania and beyond.
⚽ Back Georgiy Sudakov to score or assist at 5/4 with talkSPORTBET ⚽
How to watch Romania vs Ukraine
- Location: Allianz Arena, Munich, Germany
- Date and time: Monday 17th June, 2pm
- How to watch: BBC One
Read more about Euro 2024
- Euro 2024 betting offers & free bets
- Euro 2024 predictions and tips
- Euro 2024 odds for the outright winner
- Euro 2024 top scorer prediction
- Euro 2024 winner prediction
About the author
Greg Lea
Greg Lea is a freelance football writer from London. He predominantly covers the Premier League and has had work published by the Guardian, FourFourTwo, ESPN and others.
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