Commentator Oleksandr Mykhailyuk has prepared a forecast for the qualifying match for the 2026 World Cup between the national teams of Iceland and Ukraine.
“We all understand that a loss in this match is equivalent to not making it to the final stage of the World Cup. I think both the players of the Ukrainian national team and the coaching staff of our team understand this very well. We will somehow replay Azerbaijan in a few days, even though they took points from us in the first game. Therefore, all efforts, all dedication, all the skills of the players, and all the coaching developments must be realized in Reykjavik.
However, again we do not have a full squad. Yarmolyuk will not play in the first game. Zinchenko, Zubkov, and Tsyhankov are injured, and Mudryk is still suspended. At least Mykolenko has returned to the national team. In this context, the return of Ruslan Malinovskyi to the national team looks very logical. The midfielder from 'Genoa' has gained decent form and it is possible he will play from the first minutes of this match. This should give us some calmness in terms of ball control in the midfield.
Our footballers are of much higher quality than those in Iceland. The level of players like Zabarnyi or Sudakov is not even close for the opponent. However, regarding team play — here Iceland probably has the advantage. Nevertheless, if we show maximum dedication, we have every chance to even win this match. When there is nowhere to retreat, our instinct for self-preservation should kick in.
For a win by Serhiy Rebrov’s team, bookmakers offer a coefficient of 2.43. Good luck to you,” said Mykhailyuk.