Euro 2020 Qualifiers | Ukraine 2-1 Portugal: Three reasons why Portugal lost the match

Ukraine are through to Euro 2020
Ukraine are through to Euro 2020

#1 Ukraine have been in excellent form at home

Ukraine have not lost at home in over two years.
Ukraine have not lost at home in over two years.

Ukraine came into the fixture top of Group B and a major reason for their top spot was down to their impressive home form.

The Eastern Europeans have not lost in a competitive fixture at home since a 2-0 reversal to Croatia in a World Cup qualifying game in October 2017 and in that time, they have won all five games at home spanning the Nations League and European Qualifiers, scoring 10 goals and conceding none.

It has been over two years since Ukraine last tasted defeat at home and given the impressiveness of their run, Portugal always had their work cut out for them.

A boisterous Kyiv Olympic stadium was packed to the rafters with 70,000 fans expectant of victory and this gave the stadium a rocking atmosphere which was no doubt influenced by the near-invincibility that Ukraine have at home.

Once the hosts went ahead inside the first six minutes of the fixture, it was almost certain where the result was going and although Cristiano Ronaldo became the first man in over two years to score past Pyatov, he was powerless to stop Portugal from becoming the latest victims to fall against Ukraine at home.

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