On Friday 16 June, the Ukraine national team defeated North Macedonia 3-2 away in a Euro 2024 qualifying match. The meeting was held in Skopje. The post-match press conference of the head coach of the Ukrainian national team Serhiy Rebrov is to your attention.
Sergei Rebrov- A very important and difficult game. We didn't have enough time to prepare tightly for it. But I am grateful to the players. After the first half we showed a different level of play. We got an important three points, so we will prepare for Malta.
- What was with the team in the first 50 minutes of the match, as it looked asleep. What arguments did you find to wake it up?
- I think that not only we were sleeping, but Northern Macedonia acted very well. If you look at the composition of this team, it is very serious. This team is very experienced, they controlled the game in the first half. I am very grateful to the guys that we have rebuilt the game after the first half. Zabarny`s goal was very important. Even then we were confident in our abilities.
- Wasn`t the friendly game with the Germans superfluous because of team freshness?
- In my opinion, if you look at the first half, perhaps, that game was unnecessary. But this friendly was important for Ukraine, I am grateful to Germany. Looking at the result of the match with the Germans, this game was not unnecessary.
- The team of Northern Macedonia scored two goals and could have scored more. What happened to the Ukrainian team after 55 minutes?
- I think it was the 45th minute when we started to play more intensively. A very important goal was scored, then the team believed that we could win. At half-time, the players rethought what they could do in the second half and pulled the game out.
- Did you ask Konoplya to join attacks. How did he manage to score such a goal?
- Yes, we did. He not only joined the attacks, scored a goal, but played very well in defence. One of the heroes of the match.
- Why does the Ukraine national team concede so much? Why did you substitute Dovbik and Tymchyk at half-time?
- We worked for only five days, during which we played two games. This is a very little time. Yes, we concede a lot, we will work on it, but we also score a lot. It is more important to win games and score points.
As for the second question, it is normal when a player doesn't enter the game. We need to change him in a timely manner. In the next games, these players will act more intensively.
- What exactly did you advise your charges to do at half-time?
- Change the tempo of the game. The hosts had a very strong tempo of the game. We had to keep up. There were other tips, but I think that this one is the most important, because in the first half there was no tempo of the game.
- How do you feel about Matvienko's errors in recent matches?
- Everyone makes mistakes. It is very important for the team to help and correct mistakes. We should not talk about individual players. We conceded, but won the game. It is very important that there was a team on the pitch.
