Ukraine striker Artem Dovbyk commented on his team's 3-1 victory over Malta in yesterday's Euro 2024 qualifying match.
Artem Dovbyk"We expected a very difficult game. Malta plays such a sticky football at home: until you score, they always look for their chances on the counterattack. That's why we expected it. But it's good that after the conceded goal we switched on a bit, started playing our football and won.
It was harder to play against Malta than against Northern Macedonia: the defenders were tough, constantly provoking, pulling, hanging on me. With the Macedonians, it was a little easier, they had some free areas, there was room to run in. But even before the matches, we expected two tough matches. The main thing is that we got the result.
My goal from the penalty spot? I hit the goalkeeper, he stayed to the last, so he knocked me down a bit. It's good that I scored. I feel confident now. I think that in the next such moments I will make different decisions. Because goalkeepers also study who is going to shoot and watch, so I think we will analyse and change the technique of the shot.
As for our upcoming match with Italy, we all remember that in the first game with them we had some chances. Somewhere we lacked strength after the match against England. But now we will have one game, we will give our all, we need to give our all in this match. We will have our moments, and it will be a different game than the one in Italy," Dovbyk was quoted as saying by Suspilne.
