Yuriy Shelepnytskyi, a former player of the national team of Ukraine, told Team 1, why our compatriots did not manage to achieve such a desired victory over the Scots yesterday.
Yury Shelepnytskyi— One should give credit to the Scots, who were satisfied with the draw, but they did not start building any multi-echelon defensive redoubts, but tried to play themselves, allowing the nominal hosts to do it as well.
In my opinion, the fact that ours did not manage to tilt the scales in their favor is primarily their own fault. After all, especially in the first half, Oleksandr Petrakov's wards created several goal-scoring opportunities, which had to be implemented without fail. However, Andriy Yarmolenko's aim was again knocked off, although when he was in front of the goal, it was very difficult not to hit the plane. And Artem Dovbyk acted too bluntly in the episode when he went on a "date" with the visiting goalkeeper. Convinced that a striker for whom a lot of money is being demanded must skillfully play not only with his left foot, but also with his right foot.
— Unfortunately, after the break, there was less of such acrimony near the possessions of the British. In your opinion, didn't Oleksandr Petrakov make substitutions too late to achieve a breakthrough?
— You know, the game plan is chosen by the head coach, and he can see better from the technical area who copes with his duties. Although I don't think that the artists who replaced them added aggression and creativity. In particular, Roman Yaremchuk looked unsure of his abilities, one gets the impression that his unsuccessful Portuguese stage of his career is still visible.
In general, we have to state that Oleksandr Zinchenko and his leadership skills were sorely missed in the last matches.
— Unfortunately, the national team of Ukraine did not make it to the final part of the World Cup, it could not return to the elite division of the League of Nations, although these were the tasks that were set before our football players. Will Oleksandr Petrakov continue to lead the main team of the country after that?
— As far as I know, Petrakov's contract will soon expire, and it is difficult to say whether he will be offered to sign a new contract. Although in the coming months all the attention of the football public will be focused on the World Cup, the UAF management will have time to weigh everything. In my opinion, it is not worth changing Petrakov just to change. Under the current extreme conditions, he did a lot of work, decided on players who can be counted on in the coming years, found a common language with his wards. Unless Petrakov himself shows a desire to leave. After all, there are still no specifics with those specialists who are ready to stand at the helm of the Ukrainian national team. That's why you have to be patient...
Vasily MYKHAILOV
