Former Ukrainian national team footballer and author of its first goal Ivan Hetsko recalled the first match of the "blue-yellow" against Hungary in Uzhhorod in 1992.
Ivan Hetsko— In the first half, the Ukrainian national team failed to convert several good chances to score. The teams went to the break with zeros on the scoreboard. What did head coach Viktor Prokopenko say in the locker room?
— I don’t remember the exact words, but he said: “Guys, open up, nothing is pressuring you, this is a friendly game. We need to focus on making the team play better. Everyone should show their best qualities. Don’t forget that we play for the people.” Those were the words that stuck with me for life.
I had my own thoughts about this game because for me Uzhhorod was the first step in football; I started playing big football there. The Uzhhorod club was invited by Istvan Dziordzovich Shandor. There I took my first steps, and I was pleased that the match took place there. The fans came to see me. I was angry because I didn’t start in the lineup, but that’s football.
— What do you think, why did the head coach leave you on the bench for this match?
— I was overconfident. I was sure that he would put me in the starting lineup because I am from Transcarpathia. I saw myself in the squad even before the game. Maybe that played a negative role. But in the next game against the USA (0:0), I started in the lineup. I considered myself a starting player, and what happened in Uzhhorod could not be changed.
— Did you understand that if you had started, the result would have been quite different?
— Maybe so. I admit this, if I had come on as a substitute 20 minutes before the end, and I appeared seven minutes in, because I was looking for my shin guards, with a score of 0:3, I didn’t really want to go out in front of the Uzhhorod fans. I took my time because I was upset that I didn’t start, but when I stepped onto the field, it was all forgotten. I scored and could have scored again; I had another moment with my right foot, almost a hundred percent, which I didn’t convert. If I had come out 20 minutes earlier, maybe something would have changed. But only God knows what the fate of the match would have been if I had come out earlier or started.
Andriy Pavlechenko
