The head coach of the futsal national team of Ukraine Oleksandr Kosenko commented on the victory in two control matches with Lithuania.

Futsal. Ukraine – Lithuania 5: 3 Video Heads and match review 24.09.2025

The Ukrainians and Lithuanians met twice in Jonawa. In the first sparring, on September 23, the “blue and yellow” celebrated the twist with a score of 7: 0, while yesterday the opponent managed to impose a struggle.

“There are many factors in such paired matches. The lost team is adjusting to the next game even more than the previous one. The team that won as much as you do not tune itself, do not force, still somewhere at the subconscious level is sure that it will be the same as yesterday today.

As for me, the first match was useful in terms of that we felt our game on the ball when we all succeed. When we are not easy, but you enjoy the game and everything goes out. The second game was different, but even more useful in terms of character verification. We showed character, tried to play the same game, bend our line. We had moments and the missing ball that we did not score, but we still continued to play, scored three balls and turned everything.

At the expense of 3: 1 in the second half, we had a lot of very good moments that could score the 4th and 5th, and then the game would follow another scenario. Although, given how the Lithuanians were tuned, there could be anything. But we did not score – and when you miss 3: 1, everything is dramatically turned. We have only one ball of advantage, and they felt that here it is, nearby. It is good that at this moment we did not get rid of and did not panic.

In my opinion, a very beautiful goal is a very important psychological moment. After all, they could simplify, not invent anything, but played a wonderful combination, then called and scored the fifth. Yes, then they missed the third, but after our fifth goal it was already clear that it was a point.

The exit of Andrei Melnik is straight under the penalty area? He scores a lot of such heads, is able to send, lift to the right height and punch inconvenient for the goalkeeper. Therefore, we specifically released it under this standard and he did everything as it should.

We wanted to play reliable protection – this is the main thing. This is a friendly game, and we deliberately did not produce a four -working four. Continued to play with four, realized that it was a friendly game, so let the boys work out, get experience, because the rustic [Семенченко] He was injured, maybe some other points will be.

Yes, there were errors, we recognize what to work on. I will say so – in Lithuanians this component is quite good. They lack the individual skill in some episodes, but they need to pay tribute – they have good heating.

And it is not in vain that they scored three goals – it was no accident, it was evident that they deliberately did it. They had other moments, so we were only in favor that we gave experience in this component to young players who were the first time in the national team. They felt the moment when they needed to be taken away when the opponent puts pressure.

There was no such pressure in the first match, and in the second – a completely different matter. Well done. Again, there were mistakes, but it is a component of the game-nothing happens without mistakes. But in general, they tried to withstand this pressure – both psychological and physical. In my opinion, in the second match, the Lithuanians played even more, in some places and roughly.

In some episodes, they did not see the ball at all, but only saw the rival’s silhouette, let’s say so. It was evident that they wanted to defend their gates in all allowed and unauthorized ways. I do not criticize or blame them right now – it can be good that we have felt such a resistance, because such games are also very important.

It is good that both matches did not develop the same scenario. We benefited from the game yesterday and today. It is very good that we played these matches, checked the young and gave them the opportunity to feel the level of national teams. Here is a little different than in the championship – I think they themselves felt it. Everything is normal, we move on, ” – quotes Kosenko official site of the Futsal Association of Ukraine.

Recall that all participants of futsal Euro-2026 have recently been determined.