Former Ukraine midfielder Yevhen Levchenko shared his impressions of the final play-off match of the Euro-2024 qualifying round Ukraine - Iceland (2:1), following which the Ukrainian national team reached the final part of the European Championship.
Evgeny Levchenko"I have only positive impressions. If you look at the result. In terms of the game, it was not as valedictory as with the Bosnians. We conceded a goal, it was unpleasant. But I am glad that we were able to pull together and win.
If you look at all the players who played, I think we played very competently. There were a few moments when we could have missed more, but in general only positive emotions.
After 0:1 to turn the match - it is cool. I saw that our players had some intent. We can emphasise the fact that during the match we were able to regroup, and not just run to throw the ball in. Controlling the ball, creating chances, scoring goals. That's very cool.
The fact that we always concede, it's frustrating. Take yesterday's missed one. In the broadcast, you could even see Lunin's reaction - we should not wait, we should press. We know how Gudmundsson can take away on a swing. Yes, Brazko and Malinovskiy slipped a bit. Nobody expected Gudmundsson to shoot from the left.
But this is the rule of football, I would say. You should always press, if you are within 5-16 metres, you have to move out, go for the reception, guard your players more closely. That's why Lunin has complaints.
In general, yes. We realised that the Icelanders would have chances. But we also have a great potential to defend, to control the ball in the centre of the pitch, we have fast strikers who create chances. The flanks that we can run out - I would say that is our trump card.
I spoke about Brazko after the previous match. The young lad played these two games very confidently. Barring this mistake, he is very calm, doing the job that the coaches ask him to do.
Lunin and Zabarny are also players that need to be singled out. Ilya had a moment when he gave the wrong way, and so he was taking the initiative, pulling forward, distributing passes through the dense redoubts of the Icelanders", - "Tribuna" quotes Levchenko.
