Viktor Leonenko, the former forward of Kyiv Dynamo and now a well-known football expert, has commented on the victory of the Ukraine national football team over Northern Macedonia in the Euro 2024 qualifying round match.
- The first half was just mediocre from our side: a penalty plus a goal. Matvienko decided to play volley in his own penalty area - an uncontested penalty. They could have scored in the dressing room as well, but Trubin, as always, made a save. Before the break, two men went down very seriously. Yarmolenko, the team captain, was mostly remembered for fouling. And that means not keeping up with the man. Plus he argued with the referee. Well, it's okay, the captain moreover. But the most important thing was that he did not have time.
I immediately remembered the nineties. We used to suffer the same way, burping. And someone there, maybe, scored, performed. Basically, in the second half we saw, yes, individual skill. And here's what happened in the second half, just who understands football. Northern Macedonia decided to play on the counterattack, on the defensive, to stall for time. They decided that they had already won.
Zabarny scored well. And it`s good that Rebrov has guessed that Yarmolenko should be changed and Tymchyk too. Well, he has also guessed with Konoplya. The team was replaced. That`s what psychology means. And Tsygankov, after Germany again scored, thank God, well done. That was such a game. Of course, we should celebrate our luck, because if not for the suspension, I think we would have got it anyway, but it would probably be harder.
We are waiting for Malta on the nineteenth. I hope there will also be a win there, I don't know what kind of victory it will be. I wouldn`t like to see the first halves like that. It's bad that our leaders, captains are dropping out, - Leonenko said on Telegram.