Former player of the Ukrainian national team Yaroslav Homa shared his impressions of the confrontation in the capital of the Czech Republic, in which the “blue-yellows” beat the North Macedonian team with a score of 2:0 in the qualification for Euro 2024.
– I liked the match, which kept me in suspense almost until the final whistle. It was felt that the opponents were determined, did not spare themselves in single combats, acted with an open mind, so there were enough scoring chances…
– Was the starting line-up of the Ukrainian team as expected?
– Yes, because head coach Sergei Rebrov has already decided on the performers he is counting on in this qualifying round. The only uncertainty is who will replace the injured Yarmolenko on the right flank of midfield. Getting ahead of events, it should be recognized that the absence of Andrei and Tsygankov, who also could not help due to injury, was felt. And in Prague, the choice was made on Zubkov – a mobile player and more aggressive than his competitors for this position, Malinovsky and Karavaev.
– And yet, in the middle of the first half, the nominal hosts took the lead when, after Sudakov’s shot, a rebound became an ally.
– By that time, thanks to more balanced actions, the Ukrainians were already dictating the terms, and a goal, as they say, was brewing. And the fact that the rebound helped is a common occurrence in football.
– Perhaps the goal scorer was the best in our team in the first half?
– No, I remember Mudrik more. He often took charge of the game and played for a goal, but, unfortunately, acted too straightforwardly when he found himself in a shooting position. I would also like to mention Trubin, who was excellent in several episodes.
– Has the nature of the game of the Ukrainian national team changed after the break?
– As for me, at the beginning of the second half the guys decided to play according to the score and retreated too deep. Rebrov even had to demand from the technical zone that they meet the Balkans at a higher level. However, even during this period it felt like the game was under our control. Well, and the cherry on the cake: Karavaev’s goal in injury time, which sealed the victory for the Ukrainians. To be honest, it was aerobatics. Alexander pleased us with his extraordinary performing skills.
#Karavaevs #goal #aerobatics
2023-10-15 01:39:00
