Ukraine were tipped by many to be dark horses at Euro 2024, but they were eliminated in the group stage for the third time in four European Championship appearances.

The Blue and Yellows picked up four points from their three group matches, as did their opponents Romania, Belgium and Slovakia, but finished bottom of the group and failed to progress to the knockout stages on goal difference.

Serhiy Rebrov, who has lost just three of his 16 matches in charge of Ukraine since his appointment in June, has kept the bulk of his senior squad together and will be tasked with turning around their fortunes in the Nations League.

Ukraine, still playing away from home due to the ongoing war, narrowly missed out on promotion from Group B of the 2022-23 Nations League, finishing second and just two points behind group winners Scotland despite winning three and drawing two of their six matches.

Ukraine, ranked 25th in the world by FIFA, won six, drew two and lost two of their 10 Nations League matches as a League B team and will be hoping for a win on Saturday, having won their last two meetings with Albania by a combined score of 7-2 - the last of which was in June 2018.

Euro 2024 represented just the second major tournament that Albania have competed at, and despite failing to advance to the knockout rounds, they deservedly earned plenty of plaudits for their valiant performances in a 'Group of Death' alongside Croatia, holders Italy and eventual champions Spain.

Albania, the second-lowest ranked nation at Euro 2024 and currently 66th in the FIFA standings, were beaten by just one-goal margins against both Italy and Spain, either side of an action-packed 2-2 draw with Croatia.

The Red and Blacks have made progress as a nation since the arrival of Brazilian head coach Sylvinho, who has won seven, drawn four and lost five of his 16 games in charge of the Baltic nation since January 2023.

Now entering their second successive League B campaign in the Nations League, Albania are hoping to improve on their last outing in the competition when they finished third in a three-team group behind Israel and Iceland, after accumulating just two points from four matches.

Albania have only won one of their last 13 matches not to be played on home soil since the end of 2021 and have never beaten Ukraine in six previous attempts, losing five times and drawing once (2-2) away from home in a World Cup qualifier back in October 2005.

Ukraine possible starting lineup:

Trubin; Konoplya, Zabarnyi, Matviyenko, Mykolenko; Stepanenko, Zinchenko; Tsygankov, Sudakov, Mudryk; Dovbyk

Albania possible starting lineup:

Strakosha; Hysaj, Kumbulla, Ismajli, Mitaj; Asllani, Ramadani, Laci; N. Bajrami, Manj, Asani

Prediction:Ukraine 2-1 Albania

Ukraine VS Albania stream and TV listing

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