Former Dynamo Kyiv forward Oleg Salenko commented on the draw in the match between the national teams of Ukraine and Scotland in the Nations League.
Oleg Salenko— In order to score, the national team of Ukraine did not have enough personal qualities of the players. The weather conditions were not good, the field was not easy. Yarmolenko had a hundred percent chance in the first half. Dovbyk could also score from a good position. It was necessary to implement these moments, because the Scots did not go forward - they fought back and "rolled" the ball. The confrontation was equal, the score was a game. It's good that the judge didn't freak out. To be honest, few believed that our national team would win this match. We understand the realities, the number of injured and the saturation of matches is high...
— There were six new players in the starting line-up, compared to the previous game...
— Refreshed, because they were also given a rest with the Armenians. However, too late Oleksandr Petrakov started making substitutions to strengthen the game. We had nothing to lose. Lose or draw - it doesn't change anything. 20 minutes before the end of the game, it was necessary to go all-in. It was noticeable that Yarmolenko had already "fed up". Yaremchuk should also have been released earlier. Dovbyk was looking for his moments, but it didn't work out. The weather was such that the ball could fly - only "scratches" of it. At the end of the match, the Scots played only for a rebound. All they wanted was to persevere. Therefore, I believe that in the 20 minutes before the end of the match, it was necessary to play two strikers so that Yaremchuk and Dovbyk were given the ball. At the end of the match, everyone was tired and everything went in a row: throw-ins, crosses, but it was difficult to score.
— What, in your opinion, is Oleksandr Petrakov's future in the national team?
— I think that he should be kept on the post of head coach. The League of Nations is over. Some top teams treat this tournament as a friendly match. Win or lose, it doesn't really matter. Therefore, we are waiting for the draw for the 2024 European Championship and are looking for replacements for injured and aged players. It is necessary to record in their substitute positions. Oleksandr Petrakov should continue to work with the team. There are no other options right now - replace with none. Candidates abroad and on contracts.
— Who recorded on "Lion of the match"?
— I liked Taras Stepanenko, a "workhorse". Could score and did a lot of work. At first glance, it is invisible, but it holds the middle of the field. Also, Vitaly Mykolenko worked a lot.
— Were there anti-heroes?
— No, because no one dropped out of the game. Everyone played at their own level. For example, in the previous game, Malinowski made a lot of mistakes. This time there was no such thing. He did his work. True, he did not please with the blows. One joy we have today is the entry of the youth team to Euro-2023...
Mykola TIMOSHCHUK
