Ukrainian coach Bohdan Blavatskyi shared his impressions of the match in the final, 6th round of the group stage of the 2026 World Cup qualifying tournament Ukraine — Iceland (2:0).
Bohdan Blavatskyi«Credit should be given to the coaching staff of our national team, who clearly determined the capabilities of the players at their disposal, focusing on the second of the paired November matches — against the Icelanders.
However, we must admit it was nerve-wracking because, in the first half, the opponent was not inferior to us in any way, moreover, in some game episodes, they were even sharper. In such a scenario, to achieve a breakthrough, we needed to improve literally in all components. Apparently, during the break, coach Serhiy Rebrov found the right words because his players were already at their maximum motivation. This quickly impacted the defensive play. It was tough, but the nominal hosts persevered, showing composure in seeking the shortest path to the visitors' goal.
The activity of the Ukrainians forced the Icelanders to play with their defense in mind, evidently misjudging by getting too close to their goal. And those are their problems. The Icelanders simply couldn’t handle the barrage from their counterparts. Initially, their play in set-piece situations showed results, and, as the cherry on top — the second goal by Hutsulyak. He came on as a substitute and did his job excellently, recording an assist and a goal. That’s what it means when the head coach senses who to bring on as a substitute.
Nevertheless, I wouldn’t rush with accolades. Our guys only secured „their“ second place in the group. They weren’t flawless, so they often got reproaches. But there’s time to address shortcomings, particularly in team actions. Then in March, it will be easier to dominate in the playoff matches for a spot in the world championship,» said Blavatskyi.
