– How would you rate the victory of the Ukrainian national team over Albania (2:1) in the League of Nations?
– First of all, everyone should be congratulated on the victory. The Ukrainian team won and with a good schedule, in principle, took a good place in the group. These two quick goals, of course, greatly influenced the course of the meeting. Those two very quick goals helped us a lot. It stunned the Albanian national team a little. By the beginning of the second half, the Albanians could not come to their senses. The first minutes of the match played in our favor. And it can be highlighted that this victory can be added to the asset of Serhiy Rebrov. His line-up substitutions and coaching acumen also played a role. He guessed with substitutions that produced results. Yaremchuk and Zinchenko scored goals.
– Indeed, Zinchenko scored an important goal for the national team!
– Yes, they can say that Zinchenko does not have regular game practice at Arsenal and is not in the best condition. But he went on the field and thanks to his experience and skill scored a very important goal in the first minutes of the meeting. And the first goal was the most important in the match against Albania. In principle, Zinchenko played decently in the first half. The coaching staff successfully felt this and trusted the players who brought victory.
– Indeed, Zinchenko and Yaremchuk have not shown themselves in matches for the national team for a long time!
– It is this coaching sense, this coaching rotation that has borne fruit. Moreover, it happened at a very important moment, when it needed to be done. A successful schedule allowed us to make it to the playoffs and compete for promotion to the A division.
– Whose game in this match did you like the most?
– As it is now fashionable to say, Zinchenko became the MVP of the match. But I would still give the title of the best player of the match to Zabarny. Ilya played very well throughout the match with Albania! He was very successful on the field. He showed himself well as a defender. Zabarny also helped the team in the attack. Ilya started a lot of attacks. I think he is the man of the match.
– What do you say about Ivan Kalyuzhny’s game?
– The guy adds. It is not for nothing that the coach trusts him. As we say in football: there are players who carry a piano, and there are football players who play this piano. Kalyuzhny is one of those football players who carry a piano. Perhaps his work is not always visible. But in the match against Albania, he was in the places where he needed to be. Especially in the second half, when it was already difficult for Konoply, Kalyuzhniy bailed him out three times. He was doing his dirty work. Such performers are needed in all teams. I believe that now Kalyuzhny is having successful matches in the national team.
– Sych, Taloverov and Nazarenko were also replaced from among the young!
– Yes, when Konoplya got tired, he was replaced by Sych. Serhii Stanislavovych infuses new blood into the national team. And this, in principle, is correct. Hutsulyak did not spoil the game and Sich himself. Kalyuzhny played brilliantly again. Nazarenko needs to get more minutes for confidence. He has moments. Not scoring yet, but everything will! You just have to wait a little. The coaching staff is doing the right thing by trusting young players. Due to such matches, it is necessary to record the future composition of the national team.
– On November 22, the draw for the League of Nations playoffs for the right to play in the elite division will take place. Ukraine’s potential rivals are Belgium, Serbia, Hungary and Scotland. What do you think about these teams?
– No difference. But, of course, I would not want the Belgians to be my opponents. Other teams are all within their power. Even the Belgians can handle Ukraine, but they are still a little higher in terms of skill and level. And the rest of the national teams are basically all of the same level. And it doesn’t matter who the opponent will be. The chances will be 50/50.
– How do you like the game of the Shakhtar national team on the eve of the Champions League matches?
– I liked Sudakov’s game. He played this match well. In principle, Matvienko also played well. In principle, every football player contributed to the victory of the national team. And these 4 points, which the national team won in the matches with Georgia and Albania, were deserved by the whole team! I would also like to note that no one failed a match against the Albanians. If the players come to the national team with the same attitude as for the match with Albania, then there will be a result.
Source: sport.ua