Fresh from picking up their first-ever point at the tournament after a 2-2 draw with Netherlands on Thursday, Finland were keen to press on in their bid for a maiden appearance in the knock-out stages.
However, they were very much on the back foot throughout the first half. The Finns could have found themselves behind early on when goalkeeper Lucas Bergstrom was dispossessed inside his own area by Vladyslav Vanat, but the ball dribbled wide of the left post to spare his blushes.
Shortly after, Volodymyr Brazhko’s free-kick from more than 30 yards out deflected off the wall and Bergstrom reacted well to tip it onto the crossbar.
Having continued to apply plenty of pressure, Ukraine took a deserved lead with the half-hour mark approaching. After Vanat saw his initial shot from inside the area saved by Bergstrom, the rebound fell kindly into his path and his second attempt was too powerful and found the net from close range.
Bergstrom pulled off another superb save to deny Maksym Braharu from point-blank range six minutes before hakf-time, with Finland grateful to only trail by one goal at the interval.
Although the Little Eagle-Owls had been under the cosh in the first half, they knew they were still in the contest as long as the deficit remained at one.
However, just four minutes after the restart, their task got doubly difficult when Vladyslav Veleten’s cross into the area from the left wasn’t dealt with by the defence or Bergstrom, and the ball fell to Braharu who rolled it into an empty net from a matter of yards.
After a VAR check, the goal stood to the delight of the Ukranians.
Chances were few and far between for Finland, and they knew their next opportunity would have to go in to give them any hope, but Ville Koski’s header from a cross went onto the roof of the net and this was as close as they came to finding the net as Ukraine negotiated the closing stages to claim their first win of the tournament which moves them up to second in Group D.
Finland sit bottom with one point ahead of their final group game against Denmark on Wednesday, with their hopes of pregression now hanging by a thread.
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