Futsal World Cup 2024. Oleksandr Kosenko: "Argentina, Angola, and Afghanistan are all serious opponents in our group"

14.09.2024 13:05

On the eve of Ukraine's debut in the final stage of the FIFA Futsal World Cup 2024, which will be held in Uzbekistan from September 14 to October 6, the head coach of the national team, Oleksandr Kosenko, answered a few important questions.

— There are 14 players in our squad for the World Cup 2024. Are they all ready for the tournament?

— So far, everything is fine. We still have training ahead of the first match. Everyone is healthy and focused.

— Our team defeated Portugal 6:3 in a friendly match before the World Cup. Do you attach special significance to this victory over one of the tournament favorites?

— Such victories are essential primarily for the team's confidence. But we shouldn't dwell on it. We need to focus on the upcoming matches.

Such wins in the future are only possible if we play with the same passion and determination against any opponent, regardless of their status. I believe that Argentina, Angola, and Afghanistan are all serious opponents in our group. Angola has six players playing in Portugal's league, and Afghanistan has six players in Iran's league. So, we must prepare for every match. We can't assume that just because we beat Portugal, it will always be the same. It can happen, but only with proper preparation for each game.

— Ukraine will kick off the tournament against Argentina, the current World Cup runner-up and 2016 world champion…

— Yes, they are indeed a very strong team. But we've shown that we know how to play well too. We're not going to adapt to our opponent, but rather, we'll try to play our style and showcase our best qualities — both individually and as a team. If we succeed, only then can we expect a positive result.

— The first two matches will be played at Tashkent's Humo Arena, and the third one will be in Andijan. In Tashkent, the surface is parquet, while in Andijan, it's a Taraflex floor. Does this matter to us? Will it affect our game?

— It does matter. It's more comfortable for us to play on the parquet. From what I understand, Asian teams, like Afghanistan, play more on Taraflex, so it will be more comfortable for them in Andijan. It's not ideal for us. Taraflex is slower. We need the ball to move faster. Nevertheless, we'll adapt and play in the conditions all teams are facing.

— Were you able to accomplish everything you planned during the pre-World Cup training camp?

— How well we’ve prepared will only be shown by the matches. It's like an exam. Only two players on the current team have participated in a World Cup before. For the rest, this is their debut. So, I think there will be pre-match nerves, and the sooner we shake them off, the better. In my opinion, we've worked well both physically and tactically.

FIFA Futsal World Cup 2024. Final tournament

Group A: Uzbekistan, Netherlands, Paraguay, Costa Rica.

Group B: Brazil, Cuba, Croatia, Thailand.

Group C: Argentina, Ukraine, Afghanistan, Angola.

Group D: Spain, Kazakhstan, New Zealand, Libya.

Group E: Portugal, Panama, Tajikistan, Morocco.

Group F: Iran, Venezuela, Guatemala, France.

Group C

September 15, 2024

Afghanistan vs. Angola (15:30, Tashkent)

Argentina vs. Ukraine (18:00, Tashkent)

September 18, 2024

Angola vs. Ukraine (15:30, Tashkent)

Argentina vs. Afghanistan (18:00, Tashkent)

September 21, 2024

Ukraine vs. Afghanistan (18:00, Andijan)

Angola vs. Argentina (18:00, Tashkent)

Round of 16

September 24, 2024

37. 1B vs. 3ACD (15:30, Bukhara)

38. 2A vs. 2C (18:00, Tashkent)

September 25, 2024

39. 1D vs. 3BEF (15:30, Andijan)

40. 1A vs. 3CDE (18:00, Tashkent)

September 26, 2024

41. 1F vs. 2E (15:30, Bukhara)

42. 1E vs. 2D (18:00, Andijan)

September 27, 2024

43. 2B vs. 2F (15:30, Bukhara)

44. 1C vs. 3ABF (18:00, Tashkent)

Quarter-finals

September 29, 2024

45. Winner of 37 vs. Winner of 41 (15:30, Bukhara)

46. Winner of 38 vs. Winner of 39 (18:00, Tashkent)

September 30, 2024

47. Winner of 43 vs. Winner of 40 (15:30, Bukhara)

48. Winner of 42 vs. Winner of 44 (18:00, Tashkent)

Semi-finals

October 2, 2024

49. Winner of 46 vs. Winner of 45 (18:00, Tashkent)

October 3, 2024

50. Winner of 48 vs. Winner of 47 (18:00, Tashkent)

Third-place Playoff

October 6, 2024

Loser of 49 vs. Loser of 50 (15:30, Tashkent)

Final

October 6, 2024

Winner of 49 vs. Winner of 50 (18:00, Tashkent)

Match times are in Kyiv time.