The head coach of the Ukrainian national team, Sergey Rebrov, summed up the results of the second leg match against the Belgian national team (0:3) in the Nations League playoff for the right to compete in Division "A" of this tournament, which took place last Sunday in Genk. Let us remind you that in total, the Ukrainian team lost in this confrontation (3:1, 0:3).
Sergey Rebrov— What are your emotions right now?
— Well, what emotions... Like all the fans: unfortunately, we are all upset right now. I believe we did not deserve victory today. We should have played more with the ball, we should have played forward. But at the same time, I would like to note that today we faced a very aggressive opponent, who controlled the ball much better than in the first match.
— How did the Belgian national team improve compared to the first match?
— They increased their aggression, desire, pressing, in all aspects of the game.
— When did the turning point occur today?
— I don’t know... In the first half, we played with a very low block, but we almost did not let Belgium create anything at our goal. As for the second half, those guys who played 90 minutes in the first match found it quite difficult. Fatigue began to affect at the end of the match.
— Could your team have played more effectively in attack under these conditions?
— They could, and we tried, but unfortunately, it didn't work out. As I already said, we played against a strong opponent. No matter what anyone says, the Belgian national team is a top opponent, and they proved it today.
— Can we say that the failure of the Ukrainian national team to reach Division "A" of the Nations League is a tragedy, or is the main goal to qualify for the final part of the World Cup-2026?
— Right now, everyone is upset. And today, this is perceived by everyone as a tragedy. But let's see tomorrow. It is very important to prepare for the qualifying cycle for the World Cup-2026. We have two friendly matches ahead, where we can test candidates for the national team. And that's it, there’s nothing else. Our goal is to qualify for the World Cup-2026, we will prepare for the qualifying matches.
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