Former Volyn coach Vitaliy Kvartsyanyi shared his impressions of the final match of the 2026 World Cup qualifying round between Ukraine and Iceland (2:0) and assessed the prospects of the Ukrainian team in the playoffs.
— Vitaliy Volodymyrovych, you watched the game not on TV but live from the stands of the stadium in Warsaw, which is a completely different passion. Share your impressions.
— Our team won, so the mood is good. Everyone who was cheering for Ukraine left the stadium very satisfied because they won a really important match.
— As for the actual game of Serhiy Rebrov’s wards, did they make you nervous?
— Only the end of the game was tense when our players practically went all-in. Overall, the Ukrainian team played quite cautiously, without unnecessary risk. And that’s understandable; the result was foremost; a draw didn’t suit us. If Ukraine had conceded the first goal, it would have been difficult to come back, and there would indeed have been some worry about the result, but like this...
Our guys were more aggressive, improvised more, and held the ball. Meanwhile, the Icelandic team played somewhat limitedly, constrained. One or two touches of the ball, backward passes... It was noticeable to me that the visitors consciously played for a draw. Those Icelanders looked dead; they probably scored all their goals against the Azerbaijanis (won 2:0 in the fifth-round match, — ed.).
— So did you believe in the victory of the Blue and Yellows?
— Even at 0:0, with 15 minutes left until the final whistle, I was sure that our team would overpower the opponent, and I even said this to a colleague. And it eventually happened. Our guys had enough moments at the end: just think of two consecutive shots by Yaremchuk from a couple of meters, when the Icelandic goalkeeper miraculously saved them. In the end, they finished them, exhausted them.
Ukraine’s victory is entirely deserved because we had the advantage. By the end of the game, the Icelandic coach was running around, having some claims to the fourth referee. I wonder, why? Well, your team showed absolutely nothing and attacked for the first time when losing. Why not earlier?
— In so-called open play, would Ukraine have also beaten Iceland?
— The game would definitely have been more interesting, with more scoring chances. Our guys would have again, as in Reykjavik, scored at least five goals.
— In your opinion, who deserves the title of best player in the match against Iceland from Ukraine’s squad?
— Zabarnyi played at a very high level. He was everywhere! He joined the attacks and worked reliably in defense. Confidence flowed from Zabarnyi, and this was transmitted to other players of the national team.
According to the ratings — I checked after the game, the best was recognized as Hutsulyak by analytical sites (domestic fans somehow chose Tsygankov, who was substituted before the second goal, as the “Lion of the match,” — ed.). In the end, it’s understandable, as he made an assist and scored a goal, but in my opinion, Zabarnyi showed a very quality game, so I would name him the player of the match.
— Did anyone fall out of the game?
— Mykolenko made mistakes on his flank, and on the opposite, Konoplya was making blunders. He got a yellow card at the end of the game for no reason, but redheads are all like that, angry. (Laughs). Yukhym tried even too hard. There are no particular claims to the rest of the players.
I would also like to mention Tsygankov. It was him who largely created the speed advantage for Ukraine; he worked excellently with the ball. Iceland didn’t have such a player.
— And what do you say about another representative of Girona — Vladyslav Vanat? It’s somehow a bit strange that he started the match against the hefty Icelandic guys instead of Yaremchuk, who could bump into the islanders, as he’s not small himself.
— Probably, the coaches were betting on Vanat’s speed, who was supposed to outplay the tall Icelanders in this component due to his technique, but it didn’t quite work out. He had a good moment at the start of the second half but tangled with the shot and wasted the opportunity. Overall, Vanat’s game wasn’t successful.
— Playoff matches ahead...
— All those teams are combative; there’s nothing to choose yet, who would be good or not. The match against Iceland gives hope, showing that in terms of potential, the Ukrainian team can add. Our guys can play on equal terms with almost any opponent.
Let’s recall how we played with Italy in the crucial Euro 2024 qualifier, ended in zeros, but there was a clear penalty for a foul against Mudryk, which the referee somehow didn’t give...
— Is there hope that we will see Ukraine on Northern American fields?
— Well, yes. Because we have to give Trump a personal hello. (Smiles).
Viktor Glukhenkyi