Zinchenko scores off the bench to help Ukraine defeat New Zealand at Canadian Shield

Winnipeg Free Press

a day ago

TORONTO – Substitute Oleksandr Zinchenko scored in the 75th minute to lift Ukraine to a 2-1 win over New Zealand on Tuesday at the Canadian Shield Tournament.
The Arsenal fullback/midfielder had been on the pitch less than a minute when he acrobatically swept Oleksandr Martyniuk's cross past New Zealand goalkeeper Max Crocombe.
Zinchenko, Ukraine's Footballer of the Year in 2019, joined Arsenal from Manchester City in July 2022 in a 30-million-pound ($55.4-million) transfer. The 28-year-old has been linked to a move to AC Milan in recent days.
Oleksiy Hutsuliak also scored for Ukraine. Marko Stamenic replied for New Zealand in a game that saw tempers flare as the clock wound down.
New Zealand, ranked 86th in the world, upset No. 41 Ivory Coast 1-0 on Saturday. No. 25 Ukraine lost 4-2 to No. 30 Canada.
The Canadians faced Ivory Coast in the late game at BMO Field.
Ukraine had more of the ball but failed to take advantage Tuesday. That changed in the 54th minute when Hutsuliak, from the edge of the penalty box, beat Crocombe with a left-footed shot that went through a New Zealand defender's legs.
Marko Stamenic replied in the 59th minute off a New Zealand corner. The ball came to defender Michael Boxall who headed it in front of goal to Stamenic, whose header beat Ukraine goalkeeper Andriy Lunin, Thibaut Courtois' backup at Real Madrid.
Ukraine began to threaten with crosses in the first half. And the six-foot-four Crocombe, who plays in England's third tier for Burton Albion, had to make a spectacular reflex save to deny Hutsuliak's header in the 15th minute.
Crocombe had to be agile again in the 31st minute, stopping Oleksandr Pikhalonok from a tight angle. And the All Whites 'keeper was up to the task again in the 49th minute, blocking a shot after a pinball-like sequence following a Ukraine free kick.
New Zealand brought on star forward Chris Wood, who has scored 89 goals for England's Nottingham Forest, in the 80th minute.
The Toronto tournament is the first action for New Zealand since punching its ticket to the World Cup with a 3-0 win over No. 151 New Caledonia in the Oceania Football Confederation qualifying final in March at Auckland's Eden Park.
New Zealand previously took part in the 1982 and 2010 World Cups, failing to get out of the group stage on both occasions.
The famous win over New Caledonia came some 33 months after New Zealand lost 1-0 to Costa Rica in an intercontinental playoff in Doha, Qatar, for the final berth at the 2022 World Cup.
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Ukraine coach Serhiy Rebrov made nine changes to the starting lineup that lost to Canada. New Zealand made three changes with Boxall among those slotting in.
As they did Saturday, the Ukrainian players came out with the Ukraine flag draped over their shoulders. Many of their supporters also brought flags.
The Ukraine players, who have not played an international match at home since Russia invaded in February 2022, did a lap around the stadium after the final whistle to applaud their fans.
'Last night, Kyiv endured one of the most brutal attacks since the beginning of the full-scale invasion. In just a few days between two matches, Ukraine was hit 1,088 times by airstrikes,' the Ukrainian Association of Football said in a social media post during the first half.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 10, 2025.