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(CNN) --

Ukraine's national soccer team qualified for this summer's European soccer championship with a comeback victory over Iceland, a rare moment of joy for the country more than two years after war over Russia's invasion. .

A late goal from Chelsea winger Mykhailo Mudryk was enough to secure a 2-1 victory on Tuesday night, and spark jubilation among tens of thousands of Ukrainians inside the Wroclaw Stadium in Poland, the neutral venue chosen due to to Moscow's ongoing war against its neighbor.

At the end of the game, Mudryk fell to his knees in prayer as players and coaches celebrated on the field, and fans filling all four sides of the stadium cheered with joy, in a sea of ​​blue and yellow scarves and flags.

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Mykhailo Mudryk scored the winning goal for Ukraine against Iceland.

(Credit: Rafal Oleksiewicz/Getty Images)

Coach Sergiy Rebrov's players formed a circle around the central circumference to lead the fans in a "Vikings applause," the celebration made famous by their opponents at Euro 2016.

Poland is home to about a million refugees from neighboring Ukraine, among the nearly 6 million Ukrainians who have fled since the Russian invasion began in February 2022, according to U.N. data.

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Ukraine finished third in their qualifying group, behind England and Italy, but beat Bosnia-Herzegovina in an earlier tie to set up the decisive showdown with Iceland.

A brilliant individual goal from Albert Gudmundsson had put Iceland ahead in the 30th minute, but it was equalized by Viktor Tsyhankov's equally impressive goal in the second half.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said it was a "crucial victory" and thanked the team for "proving once again that when things are difficult for Ukrainians, but they do not give up and continue to fight, then Ukrainians will surely will win".

"At a time when they want to destroy us every day, we are proving every day: Ukrainians are and will be!" Zelensky wrote in a post on Telegram.

"Ukraine is and will be! Thank you for the victory! Glory to Ukraine!"

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Star player Oleksandr Zinchenko, whom Zelensky has recruited as a celebrity ambassador for Ukraine's war effort, also posted after the victory: "Glory to Ukraine!"

Euro 2024 will be held in Germany between June and July of this year.

It will be Ukraine's first major tournament since Russia's invasion unleashed the kind of destruction not seen in Europe in decades.

Russia will not participate as it was banned by European governing body UEFA due to the invasion.

Ukraine will play in Group E of Euro 2024, alongside Belgium, Slovakia and Romania, and face the prospect of taking the continental stage while the war continues at home.

Much of the east of the country remains under Russian control and, after months of stalemate, Kyiv forces had to withdraw from the important town of Avdiivka last month.

As Zelensky has repeatedly called for additional aid from Western allies, and the world's attention has largely shifted to the military situation in Israel and Gaza, a multibillion-dollar U.S. aid package is stalled by disputes in Congress. of the United States.

-- CNN's Josh Pennington contributed to this story.

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