József Szabó: "What Karavaev did before the final whistle, none of the young players would have done".

Former head coach of Dynamo Kyiv and the Ukraine national team Jozsef Sabo shared his impressions of the Euro 2024 qualifying match Ukraine vs North Macedonia (2:0), which took place yesterday in Prague.

- In the first thirty minutes of the game our players played well, " said Jozsef Jozsefovic. - Even very well. They had the advantage, scored a goal, and had chances to take the goal. And then it just stopped. After that, the Macedonians had three opportunities on our "frame" - and if not for Trubin, I do not even know how it would have ended.

Our goalkeeper - well done, just well done! The second half was similar to the last fifteen minutes of the first half: it started with another one-on-one with Trubin. And it was good that he kicked the ball away when a player from the North Macedonia national team threatened the goal from the right side. After that, our national team only defended, playing on the counterattack. However, it did not work out, except for one or two moments. But at the gates of the Ukraine national team was unsafe, and more than once.

I would like to talk about the game in defence. In particular, about the centre-back Matvienko. He does not take the ball away. And besides him, a lot of our players do not take away the ball. Apart from Stepanenko, I don`t see anyone in the midfield who could master this component skilfully. Mikolenko picks, Konoplya, Zabarny - and that's it. There is no one else to take away. North Macedonians often during their attacks went directly into our penalty area and as if received a gift: score! You can not play like that in defence, it is not normal! We need to be able to take the ball away.

And about the attack, I'll tell you something. Yaremchuk came on instead of Dovbik. He's no good! He doesn`t play anywhere, moving from team to team. Sergei Rebrov invited him to the national team, but he does not impress. He's just no good. The guy has an athletic body, but he can`t play like his colleague Dovbik. Dovbik can close the ball with his body, use it skilfully, and shoot at the first opportunity. But Yaremchuk's opponents take the ball away from him time and time again. When this striker goes lower, he immediately loses the pass addressed to him. It should not be like this.

- In our football there has long been an acute deficit of forwards....

- That's the point. You have to be able to do something with the ball. Take Dovbik, for example. As I said, he knows how to play with his body, and if one of his partners needs help, the guy does it. In the Prague game, while he had strength, Dovbik looked good in the first half and part of the second half. And then he was replaced.

- Do you think Mikhail Mudryk's game can be assessed with a plus or minus sign?

- I think it's still with a plus sign. Although he holds the ball a lot, trying to take over the game. Mikhail needs to be taught that it is not always necessary to go at several defenders at once. Especially when they pull up under him in the amount of three or four people. In such a case, you need to escalate the situation by passing, then open up and get the ball back. That was the case in today's match. When Mudryk had space, he ran and ran, escalating the situation. And then two or three players from the North Macedonia national team started to protect him, and Mihail moved into the middle. He wants to hit, but it does not come out. However, he can't deny his effort.

- Today's game of goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin can be called close to flawless?

- He was the best in today's match! Of everyone in our squad. Without a doubt, Trubin should be given this title. He's good. If not for Trubin, I do not even know what another goalkeeper would do. His goal was hit both in the first half and in the second half, but he never scored.

- Who, in your opinion, was missing in our team today?

- Yarmolenko. As a leader and a player who can control the ball and play passing. It is a pity that he could not participate in the Prague match. Tsygankov, who could have played one half, would have been useful. After all, today it was hard for everyone, and it was noticeable. When the TV broadcast operators showed our defenders, you could see that they were barely breathing.

- In the match with the North Macedonians Alexander Karavaev, who played on the position of left midfielder, showed his experience in all its glory....

- What he did just before the final whistle, any of the young players would not have done. That's what great experience means. Karavaev skilfully skipped past the opponent, who tried to play in the podcast, raised his head, looked what and how, and seeing that the North Macedonia goalkeeper was 15-16 metres out of the frame, he immediately shot. He did it great, what can I say! After that, the question about the winner of the match was removed. I congratulate Sergei Rebrov on the success and wish him good luck in the next game against Malta. But we need to do something with the defence.

Vyacheslav Kulchitsky