In searing heat Ukraine defeated Serbia 24-4 at the FK Radnicki Stadium, Belgrade in the first quarter final of the 2024 European U19s Championship. The Ukrainians led 16-0 at the break and Ryan Jurkans’ try just before the hour sealed a merited win.
“It’s a terrific result for us, the boys got what they deserved,” said Ukraine U19s head coach Dan Beardshaw. “It was tough conditions, the boys have understandably not had much time together and made huge sacrifices to go into camp. They are great people with a wonderful work ethic and love wearing their badge. It’s a young squad, there are some 17-year-olds in it and still a work in progress, but they just want to learn and are keen for rugby league. A tournament like this is really exciting for them.”
Early pressure from Ukraine was turned into points as centre Klim Malyshev finished a passing move on the left hand side, Ihor Yefanov adding the conversion. The conditions meant understandable errors, Serbia’s Luka Bojicic bundled into touch as he made a break for the hosts.
Ukraine extended their lead when hooker Arsen Havdo dived out of dummy-half and emphasising their early dominance, prop Maksym Harmash crashed through as half time approached. Serbia began the second period strongly, hooker Filip Nesic burrowing over from close in to get them on the board, but Jurkans exploited left edge again for the game breaking score, Vitalii Bycharskyi adding a towering conversion from the touchline. Yefanov kicked a late penalty to extend the margin of victory.
Serbia U19 head coach, Vladislav Dedic, commented: “It was tough but our boys showed that they could defend. We made some errors on attack and that, ultimately, cost us the game. We had some positives and will be better for the rest of the tournament.”
Ukraine will now face England’s Community Lions in the first semi-final on Wednesday (kick off 4pm local time), while Serbia will next play the loser of tomorrow’s rearranged quarter-final between Scotland and USA in a ranking game.
SERBIA 4
Silver Zenuni, Filip Cirkovic, Mihailo Markovic, Stefan Andric, Din Dulja, Sasa O’Flynn, Danilo Gavrilovic, Edin Mehmedi, Filip Nesic, Luka Bojicic, Nikola Mitrovic, Luka Trifunovic, Aleksandar Stojanovic Interchanges: Nikola Savic, Luka Mirincic, Jakov Dojcinovic, Mateja Stojkovic
Tries: Nesic (54)
Goals: O’Flynn 0/1
UKRAINE 24
Ryan Jurkans, Vadym Dotsiak, Klim Malyshev, Andrii Mordovanets, Kostiantyn Prydatko, Ihor Yefanov, Aziz Stepanenko, Maksym Harmash, Arsen Havdo, Bohdan Mazu, Ivan Mazur, Valerii Popeliuk, Phoenix Death
Interchanges: Andrii Hladkyi, Kostiantyn Tiurin, Vitalii Bycharskyi, Ruslan Lipisii
Tries: Malyshev (7), Havdo (21), Harmas (38), Jurkans (58)
Goals: Yefanov 3/4, Bycharskyi 1/1
Referee: David Brown (Greece)
Half Time: 0-16
In the curtain raiser, England Community Lions U19s beat Serbia U21s 52-4,in a game played in three periods of 20 minutes. Sam Murtagh and Joshua Langley both scored two of the Lions’ ten tries in total, Henry Ogden, Daniel Knott, Tom Farren, Fletcher Holgate, Joshua Blinkhorn and Marcus Geener also crossing. Andrei Marinkovic replied for the young Serbs.
England U19s coach, Gary Hewer, noted: “We handled the conditions very well, our completion rates were high which was reflected in the score line. Fair credit to the Serbians who are inexperienced at this level, they stuck at it.”
