Yesterday, November 16, the Ukrainian national team won 2:0 against Iceland in a decisive qualifying match for the 2026 World Cup. This victory helped the «blue-yellows» advance to the playoffs, which will take place in March next year. The well-known domestic coach Vitaliy Kvartsyany shared his thoughts on the events of the past confrontation with the Icelanders.
Vitaliy Kvartsyany— Vitaliy Volodymyrovych, honestly, what were your expectations before the game against Iceland?
— I believed in the victory of the Ukrainian national team, especially since I came to Warsaw with my colleagues (smiles).
— Was this the best match for the «blue-yellows» in terms of commitment during the qualifying tournament?
— Without a doubt. This applies to all the players.
— If the same commitment was shown in every match, would there be less tension at the end of the tournament?
— Not everything always works out as the fans would like. You can’t look into the souls of the players; everyone has their own psychology. I wouldn’t say that our team didn’t give their all in other matches. Opponents also prepare for matches, and sometimes they do it better. The match in Azerbaijan? They changed their coach, and even if just for a short time, this gave the team an emotional boost, which coincided with the match against the Ukrainians. And we’re not world champions to beat such a team with ease.
— What conclusions did you draw after the first half? The ball just wouldn’t go into the Icelanders' net.
— Before the break, I would call Ukraine’s actions cautious, gradually imposing their advantage on the opponent. We can recall dangerous shots from Zubkov and Tsygankov. Malinovsky tried to be active, but it was difficult for him as an Iceland player was constantly on his heels. Apparently, the opponents were most afraid of the «Genoa» midfielder.
However, Iceland is not that strong of a team. At home, they seized more balls. From the start, it was clear that the Icelanders were content with a draw. They are punished for that. They lacked improvisational players, a quality striker. Their only advantage was decent defense. The match in Warsaw showed that our team was more diverse. The individual class of our players was higher. And when it was necessary to press the opponent, we did it.
— The Icelandic coach fielded nine players in the starting lineup who played against Azerbaijan. Do you think this was a mistake?
— I don’t think so. In Baku, they played to win, but now, primarily for a draw. Only when the opponent conceded in the 83rd minute did they show they wanted to score. But the train had already left.
— The teams played 80 minutes, and the scoreboard showed zeros. Did you believe that things could change?
— Yes. I told my colleagues in the stands, they can confirm it, that Ukraine would score the needed goal. From about the middle of the second half, the opponent sat down in their penalty area, they were exhausted, so the goal was just a matter of time. Tsygankov hit well, Konoplya sent balls into the penalty box, Yaremchuk had two dangerous shots. A draw would have been unfair. The «blue-yellows» were more focused on winning than their opponent on a draw. Sergey Rebrov’s successful substitutions should also be noted.
— After each match, a «Lion of the Match» is determined. Could you name three such players?
— Trubin played without any complaints. Confidently, reliably, and skillfully. He is beyond competition. If I were to choose from field players, I would put Zabarny first. He played brilliantly over two games. Yes, he had minor positional errors in Paris, but he pulled the team in defense as much as he could. Illya played like an experienced performer. Second place goes to two players — Tsygankov and Matviyenko. And the third place I would leave for Kalyuzhny. You might not have seen him much, but he cleaned up everything and made selections. His interception and pass led to the second goal.
— What was the main criterion for Ukraine’s victory in the past match?
— Motivation. Each player found additional reserves within themselves. I don’t think money was the main incentive. Footballers aren’t poor people. And let’s not forget strategy. Sergey Rebrov acted wisely by sacrificing the match against France, keeping key players for the decisive battle. I’m not ruling out a meeting with the UAF management team, where it was mainly about honor. Football offers more than politics, so the national team’s name and successes represent the country.
— There’s a euphoria that we’ve already reached the World Cup, but there are still, hopefully, two decisive playoff matches ahead.
— The chances are great, so we need to wait for the draw, which will take place on December 20, and build from there. We already have a successful track record of such encounters, defeating Bosnia and Iceland. Therefore, I am optimistic about the spring matches of the «blue-yellows» for a place at the Mundial, which will also take place in the USA. It’s time to visit Trump and talk about politics.
Sergiy Demyanchuk
