Group E enters the third matchday of the group stage with each team sitting on three points, making these final contests crucial when it comes to qualification. A win for Ukraine or Belgium in this matchup of the two favorites to advance means securing a round of 16 spot, while a draw or loss opens up the possibility one could get eliminated. A draw does keep the team on the wrong end of a tiebreaker in contention for qualification through the ranking of third-place teams, but that is not guaranteed.
Here’s what you need to know for the match, with odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.
Ukraine v. Belgium
Date: Wednesday, June 26
Time: 12 p.m. ET
TV channel: Fox
Livestream: fuboTV, Foxsports.com
Moneyline odds
Ukraine: +425
Draw: +300
Belgium: -160
Moneyline pick: Belgium -160
After what frankly was an embarrassing 3-0 loss to Romania in the opening match, Ukraine got a much-needed win over Slovakia courtesy of two second-half goals to keep qualification hopes alive. Belgium also rebounded from a bad opening game against Slovakia with a convincing win over Romania. Romelu Lukaku continues to be denied goals by VAR but he remains one of the most potent strikers in the game. That’s something Ukraine has to contend with in this pivotal match.
Defender Vitaliy Mykolenko could be in the lineup for Ukraine after missing the first two games but there are no other injury concerns for either side. Belgium will be without Dodi Lukebakio due to a suspension.
In this type of contest, I typically favor the team with much more at stake from a legacy standpoint. Belgium has the better overall squad and Lukaku should eventually find the back of the net for a legal goal. I’ll take the favorites to grab all three points and secure a spot in the round of 16.