Bosnia-Herzegovina play host to Ukraine at Stadion Bilino Polje in a Euro 2024 qualification playoff semi-final in Path B on Thursday.
A place in Group E of the final tournament alongside Belgium, Slovakia and Romania is up for grabs, with the victors of this single-leg contest to face either Israel or Iceland in a playoff final for a ticket to Germany.
Match preview
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Bosnia-Herzegovina endured a disappointing Euro 2024 group-stage campaign and missed out on an automatic qualification spot after winning three and losing seven of their 10 Group J fixtures to finish in fifth place, 13 points behind the top two.
However, Savo Milosevic's men have been given a second chance to reach their first-ever European Championships after winning their UEFA Nations League group at the end of last year.
Star playmaker Miralem Pjanic was part of the Bosnia squad that competed at the 2014 World Cup – the nation's only previous appearance at a major tournament – and the 33-year-old is now dreaming of success in a "life-changing match" on Thursday as they endeavour to move one step closer to Euro 2024.
Bosnia, ranked 71st in the world by FIFA, will be keen to kick-start 2024 in positive fashion after they ended the previous year with three defeats in a row, conceding 11 goals in the process.
Success on Thursday is not a given for the Dragons, though, as they failed to win either of their previous two meetings with Ukraine during their World Cup qualification campaign in 2021, including a 2-0 defeat on home soil.
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Ukraine missed out on automatic qualification for Euro 2024 by the finest of margins, as they finished third in Group C and behind second-placed Italy only on goal difference after playing out a goalless home draw with the Azzurri in their final fixture.
The Blue-Yellows also finished second in their UEFA Nations League group at the end of last year, but they have done enough to earn a spot in the playoff round for Euro 2024, with Serhiy Rebrov's side seeking to qualify for the finals for the fourth time in a row.
Ukraine have only lost one of their eight matches under the tutelage of Rebrov, who took charge in June last year, claiming four wins and three respectable draws against Italy, Germany and England in the process.
The Eastern European nation, ranked 24th in the world by FIFA, have been forced to get used to playing away from home amid the ongoing Russian war, but Rebrov's side have adapted well and have posted four wins and a draw across their last eight matches on the road.
However, their qualification record for major tournaments leaves little to be desired, as they have failed to advance from six of their previous seven playoff ties for either the World Cup or European Championships, which does not bode well ahead of Thursday's meeting with Bosnia.
Team News
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Basel defender Adrian Leon Barisic has pulled out of the Bosnia squad due to injury and has been replaced by Rakow's Adnan Kovacevic.
Renato Gojkovic is suspended after being sent off in Bosnia's final group-stage qualifier, so Sheffield United's Anel Ahmedhodzic could deputise in central defence alongside Dennis Hadzikadunic.
Edin Dzeko, who celebrated his 38th birthday last Sunday, is Bosnia's most-capped player (133) and record goalscorer (65), and he is expected to lead the line as captain.
As for Ukraine, experienced midfielder Taras Stepanenko has not been selected due to injury, so that could open the door for either Serhiy Sydorchuk or Mykola Shaparenko to play in a deep-lying role in front of the back four.
Goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin is expected to get the nod ahead of Heorhiy Bushchan and Andriy Lunin after starting each of their last three group-stage qualifiers, while Bournemouth centre-back Illya Zabarnyi and Everton left-back Vitaliy Mykolenko are set to play in defence.
Arsenal's Oleksandr Zinchenko regularly plays in midfield for the national team and is expected to start on Thursday, while Chelsea's Mykhaylo Mudryk could be joined in attack by either Roman Yaremchuk of Artem Dovbyk, the latter of whom has scored 14 goals for Girona so far this season.
Bosnia-Herzegovina possible starting lineup:
Sehic; Gazibegovic, Ahmedhodzic, Hadzikadunic, Kolasinac; Cimirot, Pjanic, Krunic; Hamulic, Dzeko, Demirovic
Ukraine possible starting lineup:
Trubin; Konoplya, Matviyenko, Zabarnyi, Mykolenko; Sydorchuk; Tsyhankov, Sudakov, Zinchenko, Mudryk; Dovbyk
We say: Bosnia-Herzegovina 1-2 Ukraine
A tight affair which could be forced beyond the 90 minutes is a possibility on Thursday, although none of Bosnia's last 12 home matches have ended in a draw, while Ukraine have drawn just one of their last 13 games on the road.
Ukraine arguably boast the stronger squad, on paper, with Rebrov able to call upon a number of Premier League stars, and considering that they showed signs of promise in recent draws with Italy, Germany and England, they should find a way to come out on top against Bosnia.
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Oliver Thomas
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