Taras Mihalik: "One mistake can nullify the whole qualifying cycle. There should be maximum concentration"

Former Dynamo Kyiv and Ukraine national team defender Taras Mykhalik told what he expects from the play-off match of the Euro-2024 qualifying round Bosnia and Herzegovina - Ukraine, which will be held tomorrow in Zenica.

- Sergei Rebrov's wards have two superfinals ahead of them: on 21 March - with the Bosnians and on 26 March - with the winner of the Israel-Iceland pair. I believe that our national team will be able to finally break the curse of knockout matches, which prevented it from getting to prestigious football forums.

- I remember that at one time you had to participate in such matches.

- Unfortunately, I have such an unfortunate experience. It was in 2009, when we competed in extra matches with the Greeks for a trip to the World Cup 2010. However, then the series was two matches, and now, I must clarify, we are waiting for two superfinals.

- What is the difficulty of such knockout matches?

- There must be maximum concentration. One mistake can nullify the whole qualifying cycle. Everyone must be ready to show their best qualities. Apparently, we failed to do that in the return match with the Greeks in Donetsk.

- Will the fact that the match will be held in Zenica be a significant "trump card" for the Bosnians?

- I do not think so. Firstly, our fans will be there. Secondly, because of the martial law, the Ukrainian national team has to play home matches abroad. Therefore, it is already adapted to any circumstances. And the support of the rival fans will only serve as an additional motivation to play hard. In my opinion, in Zenica everything will depend, first of all, on Sergei Rebrov's wards.

- What do you mean?

- In Zenica we will need to act with the same mood as in the last matches with the Italians and English. Our guys have shown that they can play on equal terms with top teams. With all due respect to the Bosnian team, which has strong players, but the class of the Ukrainians is higher. Moreover, they have a very qualified and authoritative mentor - Serhiy Rebrov.

- I am glad that Bosnia and Herzegovina is a convenient opponent for the Ukrainians, as evidenced by statistics. But we need to score goals, and our striker Artem Dovbik has serious problems with it lately.

- I watched all the TV broadcasts of the calendar February and March matches with Spanish Girona, where Dovbik did not score. Of course, it's a shame. But the main thing is that Artem had scoring chances in every game. In one episode, he missed from close range, in another, he was not enough to close the flank pass, in the third - the goalkeeper was at his best.

But I am convinced that domestic football fans will forgive Dovbik this Spanish goal drought, if he scores in Zenica, or even better - makes a double. I believe in Dovbik, I believe that our national team will do well.