Former forward of «Dynamo» and «Chornomorets» Oleksandr Kosyrin commented on all significant moments of the match between the national team of Ukraine and the national team of Belgium in the Nations League playoff.
— The national team of Ukraine has not played any official games in 2025 yet, and all fans of our national team were eagerly awaiting the match against Belgium. Were you surprised by the starting lineup of the national team of Ukraine?
— Before the game, we knew that Maksym Talovierov got injured and Artem Dovbik fell ill. I believe that the loss of these guys was significant for our team. Of course, there had to be the right choice made in the goalkeeper position, and I think Serhiy Rebrov made it. Speaking about my time in the national team, it was mostly Kyiv Dynamo players in the squad. Now, we have gathered truly the best football players who play in various Ukrainian and foreign teams.
— How would you evaluate the game in the first half, which ended with a score of 0:1?
— In principle, it was even. Both teams were trying to find their chance in attack. Yes, everyone remembers Lukaku's goal. If we analyze that moment, in my opinion, it was initially wrong for our footballers to be in the penalty area during the free kick. Lunin needed to demand his teammates to move forward by about four meters. Then he would have had space and could have played it better. But with players from both teams there, our goalkeeper couldn't come out. Lukaku just flicked the ball with his head and that was it.
— Have you scored such goals in your career?
— I have (laughs). It’s easy for a forward in that situation — you just have to slightly nod your head, and it’s incredibly difficult for the goalkeeper to react to a shot from close range.
— Usually, Zabarnyi played against Lukaku on all set pieces. But not in this moment. Why?
— You know, now practically all clubs play zonally on set pieces. You need to be responsible for the player who is opposing you. I would say that Yaremchuk didn't play his role against Lukaku in that moment.
— And what changed in our team's game in the second half? In the 62nd minute, the coaching staff of the national team of Ukraine substituted Yarmolyuk, Hutsuliak, and Vanat.
— Here several factors came together. Our guys had a desire to prove themselves that was through the roof. Zinchenko was not visible this season, though we know he had an injury. He doesn’t play at all in «Arsenal», but here he really shined. Probably, the substitutions also worked for us.
And the Belgians might have gotten tired towards the end of the game. They started making mistakes near their goal, and Oleksii Hutsuliak immediately took advantage of that. Football is unpredictable, and that's why all fans love the number one game in the world. The guests' defender De Winter made a big mistake, and Hutsuliak executed it masterfully. This goal boosted the confidence of our players. It was clear that the Ukrainian footballers understood that they could play on equal terms with Belgium and defeat them.
— What factors led to our victory?
— Our desire to win was greater. Our players have something to prove, especially in such a difficult time for the country. In Belgium, all players play in solid clubs and wanted to rely on their experience for victory. If we take statistical data, then we were on height here. This is pleasing.
We could have never thought before that we could play on equal terms with Belgium. After all, not long ago Belgium topped the world ranking of the best national teams, and they did so for several years in a row. And now we see what we see. In the summer of 2024, we drew with Belgium 0:0 in the European Championship, and now we beat them in the Nations League 3:1.
— You, as a forward, find it easier to evaluate the performance of our forwards — Yaremchuk and Vanat…
— Clearly, I can praise Vladyslav Vanat. He came on as a substitute and scored a goal. That’s what you expect from any forward. Roman Yaremchuk couldn’t score, but I can still say good things about him, as he did a lot of dirty work, pressed the defenders, and constantly made himself available.
— How would you characterize the play of the Belgium national team?
— Everyone referred to this team simply as the golden generation of the Belgium national team. Indeed, De Bruyne, Courtois, Lukaku, Tielemans, and previously Hazard — these are great masters. There are also younger talents — Onana and Doku, for example. But they never reached the pinnacle of world football, although they were considered favorites in both the European Championship and the World Cup. But we know that names do not play football. Although every team should have a blend of youth and experience. As for our national team, I would say it’s good that we had Andriy Yarmolenko on the bench, who can always advise Yarmolyuk, for example. That’s very important.
— Who was the best player of the national team of Ukraine in this match?
— Everyone played at a high level. Probably for the first time I won’t single anyone out. After all, Matviyenko coped with the powerful Lukaku. I can also say good words about Sudakov. Herhii was very useful. For comparison, I will give a vivid example. During Andriy Shevchenko’s time as a player of the national team of Ukraine, everyone was waiting only for him to score in important games. If Shevchenko didn’t play well, the chances of success were minimal. Yesterday, we had Hutsuliak, Vanat, and Zabarnyi scoring. After all, Illya is not only reliable in defense but was also useful going forward. Now the Belgians don’t know what to expect from our guys in the second game.
— By the way, how should the national team of Ukraine act in Genk? Play to the score, keeping their advantage?
— Under no circumstances should we play strictly defensively. We need to play in attack, so to speak. The Belgian defense is not the best, as everyone has seen. Again, an example from recent days. «Liverpool» abandoned their usual attacking football against PSG in the Champions League. They wanted to keep the minimal advantage gained in Paris, and we know how that ended. «Liverpool» was not themselves in the final of the English League Cup against «Newcastle». Another defeat.
All footballers say they play for their fans. All our fans want to see the national team win, not just how we fend off the opponent. We should aspire to the best teams. «Atletico» was winning 2:0 at home against «Barcelona» in the 70th minute and then retreated to their own goal. The result — «Barca» won 4:2. We can understand the class of the players, that’s a fact, but we should try to play football, not suffer. Overall, it’s clear to me that the national team of Ukraine is completely competitive in Europe, and this is the main conclusion after the match in Murcia.
