Ukraine have eight wins out of eight after a 2-1 defeats of Serbia and Northern Ireland. England (with Ben Futcher in interim charge, as 2023-winning coach Lee Carlsey has taken over the senior side on a caretaker basis), were held 0-0 in Northern Ireland on Friday and are five points behind Ukraine, who they welcome on 11 October. Ukraine and England are the confirmed top two.

2025 Under-21 Euro: fixtures, results and standings

Euro U21 2025, Qualification

Northern Ireland - Ukraine 1:2 (0:2)
Goals: Voloshyn N., 10 (0:1); Braharu, 30 (0:2); Allen, 81 (penalty) (1:2)

Ukraine: Neshcheret; Krupskyi; Smoliakov (Roman Vit., 85); Batahov (till 80); Salyuk; Varfolomieiev I. (Rubchynskyi, 55); Yarmoliuk (Melnychenko М., 73); Braharu; Voloshyn N. (Kvasnytsia, 85); Ocheretko; Krasnopir (Horbach, 72)
Bench: Kinareikin; Didyk R.; Fedor; Karabin
Yellow Cards: Rubchynskyi 88
Red cards: Batahov 80'