Journalist and commentator Viktor Vatsko summed up the match of the Ukrainian national team in the qualifying round of the 2026 World Cup against France and shared expectations for the next game against Azerbaijan.
Viktor Vatsko— Summarizing the match against France, I do not feel a sense of tragedy or failure. The reason, perhaps, is the absence of inflated expectations and a clear understanding: we and France are on different football planets. We need to be pragmatic — overtaking the French in the standings would be a real miracle.
However, I also see a positive side. Rebrov gave a chance to three debutants at once. Oleg Ocheredko entered the game very ambitiously, winning four out of five duels in 11 minutes. I wouldn’t be surprised if he appears in the starting lineup in Baku. Artem Bondarenko could have noted with an assist after setting Vanat one-on-one, but he missed. Nazar Voloshin also got his debut. This is a big plus: young footballers gained important international experience at the national team level, playing against world giants. Ukraine had three top chances against France, but none were converted.
There is no emotional devastation from this defeat. There is an understanding that we need to earn our points against other opponents. The next match in Baku against Azerbaijan will be much more important than this one against France. This is a game where there is no room for error: we must demand only victory from the team — convincing, in terms of play and style. There should be no excuses about fatigue, injuries, or flights. Only one thing matters — three points in Azerbaijan. Period,” said Vatsko on his YouTube channel.
