The coach of the “blue-yellows” shared his impressions after the first victory of the Ukrainians in this Nations League draw.
Head coach of the Ukrainian national team Serhiy Rebrov gave a press conference after the match of the 3rd round of the group stage of the 2024/25 Nations League against the Georgia team.
The match in the Polish city of Poznan ended in victoryUkrainians with a score of 1:0. The answers of the coach of the “blue-yellows” to the questions of journalists are given on the official website of the UAF.
– We saw the debutants of the Ukrainian national team. How satisfied are you with their game and the game of the team? Tell me, did it relieve your heart a little?
– I am always focused on the game, I am not distracted by any side factors. Both today and in the past I was focused on the game. All the players who came out gave their all and, most importantly, achieved a result, which is very important now.
– Why did the team play with more intensity and energy than we had seen in the last two games?
– Maybe you didn’t see it, but I did. Especially in the second half against the Czech Republic. We had 20 shots, but we lost. We conceded five goals in two games. It’s very hard to win when you concede three times. So I’m not surprised, because I saw the desire of the players. The most important thing was to get a result. Today, that was the most important thing. I’m grateful to the players not only for their dedication, but also for understanding the game and their role on the field.
– What kind of argument did you have with the Georgians in the second half?
– We shouted at each other a bit. Indeed, everyone was very worried about the result, we shouted a bit, it’s not a problem.
– Was there a special approach to containing Khvicha Kvaratskhelia?
– The Georgian team has very fast and technical attacking players. We tried to make sure that they received the ball facing our goal as little as possible, so we played closer. As you saw, Khvicha dropped deeper in the second half. It was better for us, because he is a player with high individual qualities.
– Ivan Kalyuzhny showed himself very well on the field. How would you rate his performance? Perhaps he will be one of your first choices at the next training camp?
– I have known Ivan for a long time, I know his qualities. He worked with me and my assistants when he was at Dynamo. When he goes on the field, he forgets about everything. He showed that he works very well for the team. He took a lot of balls. He deserved this call, I have confidence in this guy. He will not stop at what he did today.
– Is Taras Stepanenko ready to play in the match against the Czech Republic?
– I am grateful to Taras. He came to the national team, he is a professional, he carefully prepared for the game. Unfortunately, he has an injury that requires more time. We could not count on him today, but I am sure that he will be ready for the next match. We are counting on him.
It should be noted that the victory over Georgia was the first for the Ukrainians in this Nations League. Rebrov's team started the tournament with defeats to Albania (1:2) and the Czech Republic (2:3).
After three rounds, the Ukrainian team is in last place in Group B1 of the League of Nations, with 3 points. Georgia is leading with 6 points, ahead of the Czech Republic (6) on additional indicators. Albania (3 points) is third.
In the fourth round of the League of Nations, the Ukrainian team will play the Czech Republic on October 14 in Wroclaw, and Georgia will host Albania on the same day.