Former Ukraine defender Artem Fedetskyi commented on the game of the national team of Ukraine in the match against North Macedonia in the Euro 2024 qualifiers, which ended in a 2-0 victory for the Ukrainians.
- Artem, how did you like the game of the Ukrainian national team in the match against Northern Macedonia?
- Of course, there was a lot of excitement, but the guys did well. The whole team played for the result, the players showed their best qualities. I especially liked the second half. The guys tried to follow the head coach's instructions as much as possible.
- Why was the game so nervous?
- The opponent was also preparing for the game, and the previous matches of the Macedonians showed that the game would be difficult. I wouldn't say the match was nervous. It kept us in suspense until the second goal.
- Anatolii Trubin is the Lion of the Match. Is it natural?
- Definitely. Anatoliy is developing rapidly, he has moved to another championship, and is showing himself well. In this match, he did everything a goalkeeper should do - he took his balls, played to the hilt, everything was clear, everything was on time. He was the player of the match.
- Whose other performances did you like?
- Sudakov tries to be constructive every game, helps in defence and organises counterattacks, does a huge amount of work. He is already playing at a high level, and it is not for nothing that there are rumours of clubs from the top championships interested in this player.
- How do you assess the Mykolenko-Mudryk link-up on the left wing in this game?
- Mykolenko plays as reliably as possible in defence and actively helps in attack. They both play in the strongest championship. Mudryk takes the initiative. Players like Mudryk, Yarmolenko, Tsygankov should sharpen and keep the opponent on their toes. Playing without interaction with partners should be in moderation, but again, they play in positions where you need to constantly sharpen and move forward.
- Did you feel the absence of Andriy Yarmolenko and Viktor Tsygankov during the game?
- Now, probably, no one will analyse who was on the field and who was not. Before the game, there was an understanding that the coach would find a replacement for these players. This is the national team of Ukraine. We have a great squad, but first and foremost, the national team has always been famous for its team, regardless of the names. Rebrov chose the right tactics for the game, the players heard him and produced results. The overall picture is clear, everything worked out.
- Is Karavaev's goal the most emotional moment of the match?
- Oleksandr's goal was aerobatics. It's important to note Yaremchuk, who was great at speed, passed the ball to the flank in time, and Kara raised his head, assessed the position of the goalkeeper and scored. This is skill. He played gorgeous. An unexpected goal. Karavaev's perfect decision.
- What are the future tournament prospects for the national team of Ukraine?
- We are moving on, ahead of Malta. It will be difficult psychologically. Emotionally, the victory over Macedonia will give the team momentum. We need to calmly prepare for each game. The guys are well aware of the situation in the standings. Ahead of us is recovery and preparation for Malta.
Victories like today give emotions and inspiration to our defenders. I have already contacted the guys who are at the zero line, they found a moment, watched the game and shared with me emotions that are impossible to describe. So I think our players understand this and prepare for each game responsibly.