Today, the national team of Ukraine will resume its performances in the League of Nations. As the leader of her group, she will play away with the Scotland team. In a few days, Oleksandr Petrakov's wards will also meet with Armenia and again with the Scots. The prospects of the "blue-yellow" team at this stage of the competition were discussed with Andrii Vorobei, a former striker of the Ukrainian national team.
— Andrii, what are your expectations from the upcoming matches of the Ukrainian national team in the League of Nations?
- Encouraging. I hope that our national team will show quality football and please the country with a good result.
My hopes are based on the fact that in June, when there were play-offs for the World Cup and the start of the League of Nations, many of our performers did not have game practice. Now the picture looks much better. Everyone, as they say, on the job (smiles).
— In these matches, "blue-yellow" will not count at least four of their performers. Will it be much more difficult without Bushan, Sobol, Zinchenko and Shaparenko?
— Undoubtedly, these are strong football players. Bushchan is now number one among Ukrainian goalkeepers, but the same Anatoly Trubin in the matches of the Champions League and the national championship showed that he is in great shape.
As for the field players, we have a good selection of performers in the middle of the field, so I believe that everything will work out.
— The closest rival is the Scottish national team, which has a crush on the Ukrainians. Does it add flavor to the matchup?
- Not without it. However, if you look globally, these are different tournaments - the World Cup play-offs and the Nations League. You can currently check the nearest reserve.
I do not rule out that the composition of the opponents will be far from the previous match between these teams. Although I'm sure the match in Glasgow should be fun.
According to their mentality, the Scots will give their best in any match, even a friendly one. I have no doubt that our national team will respond in kind.
— What will be your prediction for the match between Scotland and Ukraine?
— If before the play-off game of the World Cup I predicted that Ukraine is not the favorite, now the chances of the teams are approximately equal, except that the Scots will have a slight advantage thanks to the strong support of their fans.
— The national team of Ukraine is now in first place in its group. Three rounds later, at the finish line, will she stay there?
— The whole country believes in it. Although I don't think that the team has an unequivocal task of taking first place in their group.
The national team of Ukraine has an advantage in the skill of performers, so it would be wrong to simply give the lead to the opponents.
I am sure that our team will want to show the whole world that, despite the war, our football is not just alive, but the national team still achieves high results.
Andriy Pyatnytskyi