Former Shakhtar Donetsk striker Andriy Vorobey commented on the Euro 2024 match, in which the Ukrainian national team beat Slovakia 2-1 and significantly improved its chances of reaching the last 16.
- Let's go back a few days ago. In the opening game of Euro 2024, our team was defeated by the Romanian national team. How would you assess the final 0-3?
- To be honest, the final score in the match against Romania was a shock for me. Before the game, I expected us to win and get three points. Probably, no one in our country expected that our team would be relegated below the baseboard. We have all read that before the start of the continental form, our national teams were praised and sang their praises. Someone even said that it was the best Ukrainian national team in history.
- After the resounding defeat, the players and coaching staff were criticized by everyone
- It was clear, it was impossible without it. We had one expectation, but on the football field we saw something completely different. Our players were brought down to the ground. Even in sparring matches with Germany and Poland, I saw some relaxation in our players. Yes, we have a really good squad of qualified players who play in the top championships. However, the European Championship is a completely different level. We should forget about club affairs long ago. Matches in the national teams for Euro 2024 are the highest level. You need to show your skills and character in every episode. Nothing passes with a half-hearted effort.
Matches from Germany are watched not only in Europe but all over the world. Our guys cannot just control the ball for 90 minutes, lose games and drink beer after the final whistle. It doesn't work like that. For example, after the Ukraine-Romania game, 300 thousand tons of mud poured on our players. Perhaps this helped our guys to prepare properly for the game against Slovakia.
- What do you think of the situation when the national team players asked Serhii Rebrov to leave the locker room in Munich to have a heart-to-heart with each other? Have you ever had such a situation?
- I think this is quite normal. I think the initiative came from the national team veterans. Let me tell you a story from my career. In 2006, at the World Cup, we lost the opening game to the Spanish national team - 0:4. A day or two later, there was a theory in the hotel. Oleg Blokhin conducted it and left the room. The national team players asked his assistants to leave the room to talk to each other as well. We talked like men. There is nothing wrong with that. And we improved our results then.
- Let's move on to the Ukraine-Slovakia match . Serhii Rebrov made four changes to the starting lineup. Was it expected?
- Yes, it was. Everyone understood that adjustments to the lineup needed to be made. The coaching staff saw who was out and made changes.
- How do you like our team's performance in the first half?
- I would call it a continuation of our actions in the game against Romania. Our players used a low block. The Slovaks had the advantage. In the 20th minute, the number of shots on goal was five to one, in favor of our opponents. And if not for Anatoliy Trubin's excellent play, we could have conceded two more goals. I remember one of his saves when he deflected a shot into the net from close range.
In the first half, our guys were sleeping, it was not the kind of football we would like to see. We did not press the opponents, were not aggressive in attack. In the attack, Dovbyk was detached from the team.
- What changed in the second half?
- Obviously, the conversation in the locker room helped our players to gather. We began to take the ball away in the middle of the field, started using pressure in the other half of the field. Eventually, we started playing tactically correctly. Hence the chances at the Slovak national team's goal. Yaremchuk and Zubkov strengthened the game. Here is a set of reasons. And Shaparenko began to play under the forward, finally running into someone else's penalty area. He scored a goal plus an assist. We have the right to demand the same play from Mudryk and Sudakov.
- Why is Heorhiy so far of little use in team actions?
- I agree that Sudakov is not very useful so far. These are not his best matches. What is the reason for this? Sudakov is a young player, he is only 21 years old. He lacks stability. I think the story with the possible transfer to Europe is putting pressure on him. Scouts are watching him there, journalists are writing a lot about him. He wants to show his best, but it's not working out so far.
- When you were a player of the Ukrainian national team, did you not want to sell yourself at a higher price by playing at the 2006 World Cup?
- No, I didn't. At that time, Shevchenko, Voronin and Rebrov were playing in Europe. All the other guys, because of their age, could no longer count on attractive invitations from top clubs. For many of them, it was the end of their careers, a swan song, or something.
- How would you assess the performance of Roman Yaremchuk, who is not the first to save our national team?
- In general, the year in Valencia was difficult for Roman. Especially the first round. Then the situation got better. In the spring, Yaremchuk was already in good shape, he scored a lot. In general, it's not easy for Serhii Rebrov to choose the best forward. Dovbyk is in great shape, and there is also Vanat.
I like the way Yaremchuk has been playing in the national team lately. He is not afraid to open up in the areas, he knows where to be in the opponent's penalty area. And his goal against Slovakia is a masterpiece. Shaparenko saw Roman opening up correctly and made an accurate pass to him. And the way Yaremchuk took the ball was like Brazil or Spain. With his second touch, our striker scored a perfect shot past the goalkeeper. If he had made one more touch, it would have been impossible to score.
- Ahead is the decisive game in the group with Belgium. And in the 33 years of Ukraine's independence, our national team will play Belgium for the first time in history. How do you see this confrontation?
- To be honest, after the first half with Slovakia, I wanted to turn off the TV. But we pulled out a victory on character. I don't know what we need in the match against Belgium - a draw or a win. Our coaching staff must have a clear plan for the upcoming meeting. Belgium also has its problems in defense, and Courtois did not come to the Euros. Our players will have to work hard for the full 95 minutes in Stuttgart. If we just start rolling the ball, we will lose. We need to show our best and fight in every area of the football field - then there is a chance of success. We have our tasks at the European Championship and, in my opinion, we cannot play for a draw. We must strive only for victory!