FRANKFURT: Ukraine’s national team footballers have played their first international match since the Russian invasion – a friendly in Germany against Borussia Mönchengladbach.

The match, Ukraine’s first international appearance for six months, was to raise money for victims of the war with both teams posing together with a banner proclaioming: ‘No to war’.

The Ukrainian players took to the pitch wearing a special white shirt with the territory of their country drawn on the chest and different names of cities and messages.

The corner flags were the blue and yellow of the Ukrainian flag and the advertising boards featured messages calling for peace, freedom, respect, tolerance, diversity, equality.

Ukraine coach Oleksandr Petrakov used the match as preparation for the World Cup a qualifying play-off against Scotland on June 1.

Ukraine won 2-1. Shakhtar striker Mykhailo Mudryk opened the scoring after nine minutes from a pass from Dinamo Kyiv midfielder Sergiy Sydorchuk. Conor Noss equalized after a quarter of an hour but a late goal from Dnipro midfielder Oleksandr Pikhalyonok secured a win for Ukraine.

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