Serhiy Rebrov: "We will fight for promotion to Division A in the next two Nations League matches"

15.10.2024 00:17

Following the 1:1 draw in the 2024/2025 Nations League match against Czechia, the head coach of the Ukraine national team, Serhiy Rebrov, held a press conference.

— What is Oleksiy Hutsulyak’s condition?

— Unfortunately, he suffered a severe concussion. He is currently in the hospital, and the situation is quite serious. We all wish him a quick recovery, but it's not easy right now. As for the match incident, it’s hard to say if there was a foul.

— What are the reasons behind Ukraine’s struggles to convert chances?

— It’s important that we are creating chances. It’s a matter of player skill. It’s very difficult to stay focused for every opportunity. In the first half, we had good counter-attacks, but we didn’t finish them, and that led to counter-attacks against us. We’re working on creating chances. The players must be fully focused in these situations. So, we keep working.

— You brought on Oleksandr Zubkov and Dmytro Kryskiv as substitutes, and we saw a connection between the Shakhtar players in midfield. How important was their chemistry in the second half?

— Overall, we needed to maintain intensity. Georgiy Sudakov showed he has recovered, playing for 90 minutes. Unfortunately, Mykola Shaparenko had a minor injury, so we substituted him. The players who came on added intensity. It was Kryskiv’s first call-up to the national team, and the first games are always tough, even if the players know each other from playing together at Shakhtar. This is the national team, it is a different level. Unfortunately, we didn’t achieve the most important thing — we didn’t score a goal.

— How would you evaluate Maksym Talovierov’s two performances?

— I’m happy that he is now playing 90 minutes for his club, as he wasn’t getting much playing time earlier. Players need to stay in shape. Maksym earned his place in the squad. I’ve watched his matches in the league and seen how he works in training. This choice was clear. He played at a very high level in both games.

— How would you assess the Czech team’s performance?

— They are a strong team, playing very physical football. They played with great intensity and pressed constantly. Perhaps they slowed down a bit towards the end of the match. They deserve the position they are in now. We are in a very tough group, but I’m confident that in the next two matches, we will fight for promotion to Division A.