Russia v Ukraine (UEFA Euro 2000 qualifying)

Russia v Ukraine (1999)

The Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow hosted the match
Event	UEFA Euro 2000 qualifying Group 4 Matchday 10
Russia Ukraine 1 1
Ukraine advances to qualifying play-offs, Russia eliminated from qualifying
Date	9 October 1999 (1999-10-09)
Venue	Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow
Referee	David Elleray (England)
Attendance	78,600

On 9 October 1999, a football match took place between Russia and Ukraine in Moscow at Luzhniki Stadium. It was the final match for both nations in group 4 in the qualifying tournament for UEFA Euro 2000.

Overview

This match and the earlier between both nations in Euro 2000 qualifying, which Ukraine won 3–2, remain the only times Russia and Ukraine have faced each other in official competition. In addition to the football ramifications, the game had a wider significance as a contest between two neighboring former Soviet countries and was attended by many Russian celebrities as well as Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.

Entering the match, Russia needed a win to guarantee progression to the Euro 2000, while Ukraine only needed a draw to guarantee at least 2nd place and thus a play-off berth. Needing a win, Russia was on the attack much of the game looking for a go-ahead goal.

In the 75th minute Valeri Karpin opened the score with a powerful free kick. This appeared to provide Russia the result they needed, and Ukraine was heading out of qualifying. However, in the 87th minute, Andriy Shevchenko sent a long free kick towards the Russian goal. The shot appeared to be savable, but Russian goalkeeper Aleksandr Filimonov was surprised by the effort and, trying to catch the ball, knocked it into his own net.

The match ended in a 1–1 draw, which combined with other results left Ukraine in second place behind France. Ukraine qualified for a two-match play-off, which they lost to Slovenia, while Russia fell to third place and were eliminated from qualifying.

Match details

9 October 1999 (1999-10-09)

20:00 MDT

Russia	1–1	Ukraine
Karpin 75'	Report	Shevchenko 88'

Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow

Attendance: 78,600

Referee: David Elleray (England)

Russia

Ukraine

GK 1 Aleksandr Filimonov SW 7 Viktor Onopko (c) CB 6 Yuri Drozdov CB 4 Alexey Smertin RM 8 Valeri Karpin CM 3 Dmitri Khokhlov CM 5 Dmitri Alenichev LM 2 Dmitri Khlestov  49' AM 9 Yegor Titov AM 11 Andrey Tikhonov  62' CF 10 Aleksandr Panov  80' Substitutions: FW 17 Vladimir Beschastnykh  62' MF 18 Sergei Semak  80' Manager: Oleg Romantsev

GK 1 Oleksandr Shovkovskyi RB 2 Oleh Luzhnyi (c) CB 5 Vladyslav Vashchuk CB 4 Oleksandr Holovko LB 6 Yuriy Dmytrulin  76' CM 8 Andriy Husin CM 7 Yuriy Maksymov  77' RW 11 Serhiy Rebrov AM 3 Serhiy Mizin LW 9 Serhiy Skachenko  41' CF 10 Andriy Shevchenko Substitutions: DF 13 Volodymyr Mykytyn  41' MF 16 Serhiy Kovalyov  76' MF 18 Hennadiy Moroz  77' Manager: Yozhef Sabo

Assistant referees: David Bryan (England) David Babski (England) Fourth official: Mike Riley (England)

Match rules 90 minutes. Maximum of three substitutions.

Aftermath

Afterward, on the orders of the Luzhniki stadium administration, the goal Filimonov had defended during the second half was sawn into small pieces.

The two Euro 2000 qualifiers remain the only time that Russia and Ukraine have played each other in an international "A" match, giving Ukraine the head-to-head advantage of one win and one draw.

Following the start of the Russo-Ukrainian War in 2014, UEFA decreed that representative teams from either nation at club and international level cannot play against each other outside of knockout competitions. After the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the Russian Football Union has been suspended from FIFA and UEFA.