The former coach of the Ukrainian youth national team, and now the director of the Kyiv Dynamo academy, Oleksandr Ishchenko analyzed the match of the 1st round of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers Ukraine - France (0:2) and shared his expectations for the next match of the Ukrainian national team in this campaign - against Azerbaijan, which will take place this Tuesday in Baku.
Oleksandr Ishchenko. Photo — fcdynamo.com— Oleksandr Oleksiyovych, it is clear that the French, champions and finalists of the previous two World Cups, were the undeniable favorites in the match against our team. However, under favorable circumstances, the Ukrainian team could have hoped for a better result.
— We faced one of the strongest national teams in the world. The visitors' coach Didier Deschamps has players from leading European clubs at his disposal. At PSG, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, or Liverpool, they play key roles. The team is well-balanced and knows how to convert half-chances into goals. It’s difficult to play against them, and any mistake can be fatal for the opponents.
— In some episodes, they allowed themselves to waste chances.
— If you are referring to the goal-scoring moment of Mbappé, when the forward wanted to chip the ball over Trubin, at that point they were already leading by two goals and could afford to have a little fun. We played against a very strong team that controlled the game, and after the break, they played according to the result.
— Regarding the first goal. In our penalty area, there were seven Ukrainians and three Frenchmen. Nevertheless, the guests scored, with Olise, who opened the scoring, left unchecked in the center. Who made the mistake?
— The attack developed rapidly. Our players did not complete the episode. Sudakov should have accelerated alongside Olise because he was next to that player, but for some reason, he stopped. When this happens, Zinchenko should have left his player and shifted toward the center. This is what I saw from the TV picture.
— No matter how strong the French team is, our team could have avoided defeat. Kalyuzhny should have scored, Vanat missed a wonderful opportunity.
— I would be interested to see the French team if Kalyuzhny or Zabarnyi equalized. In matches against such class teams, you cannot waste opportunities. Every moment is worth its weight in gold. Our team created dangerous moments, and this adds optimism.
— Wing players have always been a significant force in our national team. Currently, there is no Mudryk, and Tsygankov is injured. How much has their absence weakened the team?
— I won’t comment on Mudryk, as he hasn’t played for a year. But Tsygankov is a serious loss. Our wing players usually bring creativity, play constructively, creating a foundation for further actions. Of course, we missed Viktor.
— Serhii Rebrov’s team performs better in the second halves than in the first. What is this related to?
— I do not think there is a pattern to this. The team finds itself in a situation where they need to score, so they step up their game.
— On September 9, we will meet Azerbaijan. On one hand, we are missing almost all the candidates from Kyiv Dynamo, there are many injuries, and we lack players on the bench who can equally replace those starting the match. On the other hand, it should be easier because the not-so-top team from Iceland crushed our next opponents with a score of 5:0.
— I do not think our team will have it easier than in the game against France. In Baku, the hosts will have tremendous fan support. The first round has just taken place, and each team is hoping to advance from the group. The coach there, Fernando Santos, won the European Championship and the Nations League with Portugal. With Azerbaijan, however, his results aren’t that good, but believe me, after the 0:5 from Iceland in the match with Ukraine, this will be a different team. The game will be difficult.
— We also have no choice but to retreat.
— We need to win against both Azerbaijan and Iceland. We deserve to expect a positive result in games against these opponents.
Hennadiy Chekhovskyi
