Former striker of "Alexandria", "Vorskla" and "Metalist" Sergiy Chuichenko shared his impressions of the final play-off match of the Euro-2024 qualifying round between the national teams of Ukraine and Iceland (2:1), according to the result of which the Ukrainian national team entered the final part of the European Championship.
Sergey Chuichenko"I would especially like to note the game of the Ukraine national team in the second half. It is clear that our team in this period of the game added and began to play more aggressively, because it had nowhere to go. Although in the first half there were good chances for Mikolenko, Sudakov, and Zabarny threatened the goal after a corner kick.
In the game against Iceland I really liked Mudryk, Tsygankov and Sudakov. And also Konoplya. All these players played the match at a high level. The mentioned four are the players on whom the coaching staff of the national team can continue to rely.
It is clear that Sergei Rebrov tuned his charges accordingly, because Iceland is not a bad team. Remember at least its previous game in the semi-final of the Euro-2024 qualification play-off against Israel, in which it showed character and won 4-1. Whatever you say, but four goals in a match of such importance is still quite a lot!
Naturally, the Icelandic national team is not the level of Spain or Italy, but the opponent is still serious enough. This is a competent team, balanced in all lines. In general, now all the national teams are somewhat equalised in their level, so it is not necessary to say that some of them are stronger and some are weaker. All plus or minus are equal in strength. Due to the individual skills of individual players and the ability to achieve team success. Like, say, the same Tsygankov, who moved from the right flank to the centre, in his own style scored a spectacular and very important goal. In the episode preceding the resultant strike, Sudakov made an excellent diagonal pass from deep in the field.
As for the author of the second goal, Mudrik, this player stands out in our national team. On any part of the field he is able to break away due to his natural speed and demonstrate good technique. The multi-move started with Tsygankov continued with Sudakov's pass to Mudryk, and ended with no less spectacular capture of the Icelandic goal. All goal attacks of the Ukrainian team were carried out well, and in other moments it was possible to score. Unfortunately, the final stage lacked the smallest of things. But be that as it may, the Ukrainian national team deservedly won in the fight for a ticket to Euro 2024.
As for the changes in the composition of our national team, which caught the eye in comparison with the previous match against Bosnia and Herzegovina, the representatives of the coaching and medical staffs of the team know more than you and me. They are the ones who know which of the players are better prepared for a particular match. After all, the players get a load, so there can be fatigue and micro-injuries. So, when the coaches determined the starting lineup for the game against Iceland, they realised that someone in the previous game had "had enough" and needed "fresh blood".
I can say that Yaremchuk, who replaced Dovbik in the starting line-up, played well in this game. He earned this right thanks to the game with the Bosnians, when he came on the pitch for the last fifteen minutes and made the result by scoring a goal and an assist. Zinchenko, as I think, the coaching staff gave him a chance to rest.
Especially since he had recovered from injury not so long ago - so it was hard for him. That is why Malinovskyi was given the opportunity to play. However, I was not surprised by the fact of the substitutions made in the squad, because all players can not play one hundred per cent in all matches. And as the course of events showed, Sergei Rebrov and Co. were not wrong in their decisions. This once again proves the coaching skills of the national team helmsman. Wherever he has worked, he manages to do it qualitatively - it was so in Kyiv Dynamo, it was so in foreign clubs - Saudi Al Ahli, Hungarian Ferencvaros and Al Ain from the UAE. Therefore, I am very pleased to state that the Ukrainian national team under the leadership of Rebrov has quite deservedly made it to the final part of the European Championship, making a significant gift to our people and the soldiers of the Ukrainian Armed Forces," UA-Football quotes the expert.
