Ukraine defender Oleksiy Sych shared his impressions following the matchday 6 match of the UEFA Nations League 2024/2025 group stage against Albania (2:1).

The player from Rukh Lviv came on as a substitute in the 76th minute, replacing Yukhym Konoplya, and became the 10th debutant for Ukraine under coach Serhiy Rebrov in 22 matches.

"The emotions are just incredible. I’m still shaking. I’ll say it again, I came to the national team camp with good emotions, but I couldn’t believe I’d get the chance to debut. It came as a surprise to me, and I’m really happy. It was difficult to get into the game because the score was 2:1 at that moment, and the team was under pressure, as Albania wanted to score a second goal. We played for the result and tried to keep the score.

Confidence? I felt it from the very first minutes on the field. When you step onto the pitch, especially as a debutant, you get goosebumps. But after just a few minutes, you forget everything and focus entirely on the game.

It feels like a second birthday. I’m grateful for all the support. I’m thankful to my family, loved ones, and friends for their backing. Serhiy Rebrov also congratulated me on my debut, on the win, and on achieving the desired result. I’m thankful to him for trusting me with a spot in the lineup and for allowing me to debut," said Oleksiy Sych.

As a reminder, Ukraine finished second in Group B1. This means that our national team will play in the playoff matches against one of the third-place teams from League A groups (Scotland, Belgium, Hungary, Serbia) for a chance to remain in League A for the next season. The draw for this stage will occur on November 22, with matches scheduled for March 20 and 23, 2025. Ukraine will start the confrontation at home.