Former Ukrainian footballer Yevhen Selezniov shared his impressions of the Bosnia and Herzegovina-Ukraine match and responded to all the critics who did not like the Ukrainian team's performance.
- What do you think of the game as a whole, if you turn off the emotional component and the positive result? Why was it so difficult?
- Because Bosnia and Herzegovina also wanted to win. What is there to be surprised about? I cannot say that our guys played very poorly, as many people say. They played as well as they should have and scored one more goal than their opponent. I don't understand why the national team is being criticised. The guys are great, the coach is great, everyone is great because they won. I don't understand at all when people start criticising. Either the game is not the same, or something else is wrong. Go out and try it yourself, maybe you'll do better.
- Did the pressure from the fans, the country and the situation in general affect our guys?
- Here, the guys understood that it was very important. Everyone plays in good clubs, at a good level. What pressure is there? They are just responsible for the result, just like the head coach. But the guys did their best to win. I thank them for that. As a fan, I was very happy.
- As expected, the Ukrainian national team always has serious problems as a favourite. This time we got through.
- I don't like to say favourite or not. I was a footballer too. I played a little football. I will say this: the team came out to play to win. They did it, they are beautiful. All of them, without exception. I don't want to talk about who plays first, second or even third. The guys did their job. That's all.
- Did the absence of Taras Stepanenko make itself felt or did Volodymyr Brazhko play well in his debut match?
- It is not correct for me to say whether it had an effect or not. Who am I to say what is good and what is bad? I don't have the right to do that. Maybe it did. But we won. Malinowski joined the game well. I can't say who played badly, there are no such people. Everyone worked hard, everyone tried.
- Some players also made their debuts for the national team. Is it good that Serhii Rebrov trusts the newcomers in such important moments?
- I congratulate them. Those who were called up to the camp already deserve to be in the starting line-up or as substitutes, it doesn't matter. If Serhii Stanislavovych calls them up, he trusts the players. And he has already shown it. He is a highly qualified coach and a former footballer.
Nazariy Shmigil