Former Dynamo goalkeeper Volodymyr Tsykin shared his expectations from the rematch in the Nations League playoff round between the national teams of Belgium and Ukraine, which will take place in Genk on March 23:
Vladyslav Vanat— The Ukrainian national team needs to be ready for a very tough test. I am convinced that the Belgians at home will not step on the same rake. A few days ago in Murcia, they took the field overconfident and were punished. I am personally curious from a professional perspective what conclusions the "stars" of the opponent De Bruyne, Courtois, Trossard, and Lukaku have drawn from the disgraceful defeat — 1:3. Of course, we must also take into account that in Genk the home crowd will support the 12th player.
— In your opinion, how should the Ukrainians act to cope with this pressure from the hosts?
— Unfortunately, I have to state that against top teams, Ukrainians still play as the opponent allows them. In Spain, the Belgians allowed our team a lot due to their overconfident attitude, especially in the second half. I think that in Genk, the hosts will be maximally focused, composed, and will not allow themselves tricks near their own goal.
Therefore, I am convinced that our coaching staff has a clear plan for how to neutralize the strengths and exploit the weaknesses of Rudi Garcia's team. Of course, I would advise our guys to forget about the result of the first match, and if they play with the same dedication as they did in the second half, then everything will be fine.
— By the way, from the perspective of a former goalkeeper, how did our keeper Andriy Lunin perform in Murcia?
— He did not let down, although he did not have sufficient playing practice at the club level. Still, under such circumstances, that insane psychological pressure before the battle in Genk can play a negative role, and if it were my will, I would entrust the number 1 position to Anatoliy Trubin. There can be no questions about his performances for the national team. However, this is my option, and the final decision rests with Serhiy Rebrov, who is responsible for the result.
— Then who would you assign to the right flank of the defense, considering that Yukhym Konoplia and Oleksiy Sychev are out due to injuries?
— To Oleksandr Zinchenko, who proved his versatility in Murcia.
— But without him, there may be problems in the midfield?
— It’s like guessing on coffee grounds. And what if Serhiy Rebrov decides to play with five defenders or with a couple of defensive midfielders, or he might even take a risk and have a duo of strikers upfront? As you can see, there are plenty of options, and it will all depend on the players' condition and the tactics that will be adopted.
— And still, if Zinchenko does move to defense, who can replace him in the midfield?
— I believe that Heorhii Sudakov's place is not on the left flank of the midfield, but in the central zone. And on the flanks, Viktor Tsygankov or Oleksiy Hutsulyak could be effective, and there is also Andriy Yarmolenko.
— Now about the attack.
— Here, everything will depend on whether Artem Dovbyk can regain his combat sports form after illness and on which scheme Rebrov will choose. If it's counterattacking, then Vladyslav Vanat with his mobility will be more beneficial. However, if the focus is on positional exchanges of blows, then it would be more advantageous to involve Dovbyk or Roman Yaremchuk upfront.
— Will a two-goal handicap be enough for overall success?
— At first glance, the score — 3:1 — seems comfortable, but if we concede early, everything can go awry. Therefore, in Genk, first of all, we must ensure reliability in defense and avoid careless mistakes near our goal. Remember the devastating consequences that the first serious mistake by their defender De Wintar in the middle of the second half in Murcia had for the Belgians, which helped Oleksiy Hutsulyak equalize the score.
Andriy Pysarenko
