Former player of the Ukrainian national team, Luhansk’s 'Zorya' and Kryvyi Rih’s 'Kryvbas', and now a footballer for 'Kulykiv-Bilky', Dmytro Khomchenovskyi analyzed the 'blue and yellow' performance against Iceland and shared his thoughts on the upcoming duel with Azerbaijan.
— Malinovskyi was called up to the national team after a long time. Wasn’t Ruslan missed in the last matches of the national team? Would it have been easier with him in the lineup?
— Ruslan is an important figure for the Ukrainian national team. He always gives 100%. Of course, he was missed in previous matches — I am sure he would have helped the team. I can’t say these would have been completely different encounters, but to some extent — yes.
— The first conceded goal came from the right flank — is it entirely Konoplia’s fault?
— Regarding the first goal: it seemed like our player was outplayed too easily, but after that moment there was still space to the goal. So, I think it’s rather a chain of mistakes that led to the conceded goal.
— A heavy rain hindered the playing of combination football. Did such conditions play into our hands or hinder us?
— Rain always brings adjustments, but the field, in my opinion, held up. Both teams could play — I think the conditions definitely didn’t hinder. All our guys are used to such matches.
— Iceland had strong players from top leagues on paper. Did it feel like they looked better than us?
— Iceland has a few players who looked very quality. Yes, I agree — there were players who looked better than ours in certain episodes. But the score is 5:3 in our favor, so it’s hard to say that any of the Ukrainians fell out of the game.
— Our team refused ball control, mostly playing on counterattacks or crossing into the penalty area. Does this style suit our national team?
— Every coach has their plan, based on the opponent. I’m sure it was one of those cases when we needed to play smarter. The main thing is the result. The team gained an important victory.
— Rebrov said after the game that the team is young, with many newcomers. When, in your opinion, will the final formation of a stable lineup occur?
— The national team is constantly being updated. There is a core, but injuries, game practice, players' form — all this influences. The example of Malinovskyi is very telling: six months without playing, but when he arrived, he immediately made a difference.
— Scored a lot, but also conceded many. Is this result a positive for the future or should the game be forgotten?
— I don’t remember when Ukraine last scored so many goals. This shouldn’t be forgotten. We must maintain that attacking spirit and simultaneously draw conclusions in defense to minimize mistakes. Such matches are exhausting but at the same time add belief in oneself and the team.
— Looking at the last matches, can we talk about noticeable progress in Rebrov’s team?
— When the national team wins, there’s a feeling that we’ve 'caught' the game. But you also need to understand the emotional and physical state in which the guys arrive. Speaking of the last match, indeed, we can say that the team looked composed.
— Without Sudakov, will it be difficult in the next match? Is there a replacement for him in the team?
— Without Heorhiy, it will indeed be difficult for us — that’s for sure. But Voloshyn is now in good form. It’s not easy to enter such a match, but he added volume and speed — exactly what’s needed. When players coming off the bench boost the game, it’s very cool. We have enough top performers who can help at any time.
— Ahead is a meeting with Azerbaijan. What will allow our team to outplay the opponent and take revenge?
— The opponent has already felt they can take points, so it won’t be easy. It is important for us to maintain team spirit, use speed, shoot from outside the penalty area, and win duels — this, in my opinion, will be the key to victory.
Andrii Vitrenko