Former Dynamo Kyiv striker Ivan Shariy shared his impressions of the friendly match between Poland and Ukraine (3:1), which took place yesterday in Warsaw.
Ivan Shariy- It is clear that the head coach of the Ukraine national team Serhiy Rebrov tested his charges in order to make sure that one or another of them is ready. So in the match with Poland, as well as in the previous game with Germany, he gave the opportunity to play those players he wanted to try ahead of the start of Euro 2024.
As for the game itself in Warsaw, the Poles were a bit more fortunate in the closing stages. They scored a fairly quick goal, which was the result of a fumble at the Ukrainian national team's goal. During it Valukevych shot between Buschanu's legs - and the score was opened. And soon the second ball flew into the "frame" of the Ukrainian goal. It seems to me that when Zielinski's shot somewhat confused our goalkeeper Malinovskyi and Bondar. The first first intended to put his head under the blow, but then removed it, and the second hesitated and did not interfere with the flight of the ball.
In this match, the Ukraine national team seemed to look good in certain segments: there were counterattacks, and we kept the ball. So I would not judge our team strictly in the control match.
- Do you think that two friendly matches give the Ukrainian coaching staff an opportunity to make some preliminary conclusions?
- Having carefully watched all the players in action during the two matches, the picture about their readiness for Serhiy Rebrov became somewhat clearer. We lost to Poland - well, we lost. It's not a big deal, it's a friendly match. Although, of course, no one wants to concede in a friendly match. But be that as it may, and on the basis of the game with the Poles (as well as with the Germans) the manager of our national team will see better how to use the personnel potential of the team and form the lineup for this or that match of the European Championship.
- I must assume that the final match with Moldova will determine the final type of the squad?
- Taking into account that the national team has a scheduled game with the Moldovans on their field, there is an opportunity to determine the optimal combination of players to start in the continental championship. The match in Chisinau will be the final one in the process of preparation of our national team for this tournament. The main games of the blue-and-yellow team are still ahead - at Euro-2024. There will be a completely different approach and attitude to each of the matches, a different attitude, commitment and realization of the importance of the result. The fight at the European Championship will be for every point. Let's hope that the Ukrainian national team will show a decent game, will get out of the group and continue to fight in the next round.
Vyacheslav Kulchitsky
