Former player of the Ukraine national team Ivan Hetsko shared his prediction for the outcome of the battle for survival in the UPL at the end of the current Ukrainian championship.
Ivan Hetsko— First of all, I want to ask, should we exclude “Obolon” and LNZ, who are eight points ahead of “Inhulets”, from the list of relegation candidates?
— In my opinion, as the teams are currently positioned in the standings, that’s how it will end. Although, of course, anything can happen.
— The main candidate for relegation is “Chornomorets”?
— As unfortunate as it is to say, yes, that’s the case. I don’t see how the Odessans can escape the relegation zone. Where they needed to take points, they lost, and the schedule of remaining matches for “Chornomorets” looks the hardest among all candidates.
— Do you think it was a right decision by the management of “Chornomorets” to change the head coach during the already spring part of the championship?
— It’s not for us to decide, but the fact remains: the results of the team did not improve, they even got worse. This means something was done wrong, since the team could not grab a saving spot.
— Under Alexander Kucher, there was one victory and five defeats for the team. Didn’t the “sailors’” plan work?
— Yes. And other options are unlikely to be present here.
— How much higher are “Inhulets” chances to avoid direct relegation?
— I liked “Inhulets” in their match against “Zorya”, but already in the match against “Dynamo”, Vasily Kobin’s team disappointed, they surrendered too easily to the mercy of the winner.
It is natural that “Inhulets” will do everything to save themselves, but one can understand the other teams that are slightly above, so the team from Petrovo will find it very difficult to change something.
— What is your prediction for the final standings of the teams from 13th to 16th place?
— “Inhulets” and “Chornomorets” will be relegated. As for who will be the main contender for the playoff matches, it’s hard to say. A lot may become clear after the upcoming round, when “Obolon” plays LNZ, “Vorskla” plays “Chornomorets”, and “Inhulets” plays “Left Bank”.
Serhiy Boychenko
