Former midfielder of Kyiv “Dynamo” Sergei Mizin shared his impressions of the first match between the national teams of Ukraine and Belgium (3:1) in the playoff of the Nations League for the right to compete in Division “A” of this tournament in the next season.
Sergei Mizin— Were you surprised by the starting lineup of the Ukrainian national team in the first match against Belgium?
— I thought that Anatoliy Trubin would be trusted with the goalkeeping position. But coach Sergei Rebrov decided otherwise. It is possible that he preferred Andriy Lunin because he believed that facing Belgian goalkeeper Courtois, whom he is the backup for at “Real”, would motivate him to perform better. But in any case, the main thing is that Lunin did not let us down.
— There were two different halves in Murcia. The Belgians dominated before the break, but then the situation on the field changed drastically. What helped the Ukrainians get back into the game?
— It seems the opponent was thrown off balance by the goal from Oleksiy Hutsuliak after a serious mistake by the guest defender. It turned out that the Belgians not only couldn't take a hit but also had physical conditioning issues. Our players became more aggressive in pressing the opponent near their territory, making it harder for them to escape the press.
Moreover, Rebrov guessed right with the substitutions. I can't even recall that two of our “fresh” players scored goals right away. In short, the Ukrainians demonstrated how well they can play; now it's important to prove in two days in Genk that this was not a coincidence.
— Unfortunately, due to injuries, the Ukrainian national team is missing two right backs—Yefim Konoplia and Oleksiy Sych. What would you advise Sergei Rebrov in this situation?
— I wouldn’t say that the situation is critical. Because Oleksandr Zinchenko has once again proven his versatility by playing effectively in an unfamiliar position. I think he will meet expectations in Genk. However, if it were up to me, I would have called up Ilya Krupsky, who is currently in Turkey with the Ukrainian youth national team.
— Most experts in this pair preferred the Belgians. How would you now assess the opponents' chances?
— Yesterday, the opponent faltered in defense, but I am convinced they will work on their mistakes. The Belgians lost only the battle, not the war, and will try to rehabilitate themselves on their home turf. Therefore, we have to be cautious with them. However, after an impressive second half by the Ukrainian national team in Murcia, their chances of overall success have significantly increased.
Andrii Pisarenko
