All’s well that ends well
Looking back at the path traveled in the League of Nations group this fall, you understand: Ukraine really made its way through thorns. And not yet to the stars – the upcoming playoffs for the right to return to Division A are associated, well, only with the skies. But the main thing is that in the end we managed to stay in the saddle.
Probably, the opponent in Tirana did not have the best lineup and was not in the best condition. But Rebrov’s team has already gone through this more than once. Moreover, this was precisely what should have forced Albania to focus on an already impenetrable defense. Which, paradoxically, was easily opened twice in the very opening.
Fans tend to forget that two teams play football. In their biased and one-sided view, everything in the game depends on our loved ones. It is solely our fault that we concede or do not score, that the initiative passes to the opponent, that the game changes in his favor. There seems to be no second team.
You never cease to be amazed at such naivety. But not the stubbornness with which they continue to talk: the coach should be fired. Although the hero of the famous film said: stubbornness is the first sign of stupidity. He said – not me. It’s sad, but this time I found even fewer sane comments under the match report. After the victory.
About changes in composition. I was sure that Zinchenko and Yaremchuk would strengthen their game – both often play successfully in the national team, unlike those they replaced. He put question marks after the names of Gutsulyak and the outrageously advertised Kalyuzhny almost out of the blue. But in the end, both did not disappoint.
Contrary to my expectations, the game turned out to be quite spectacular, only slightly losing to the match in Batumi. And if we talk about pauses between dangerous moments, then we surpassed it: we didn’t have to “rest” from them for more than a quarter of an hour. As they say, football didn’t let me go.
Whatever one may say, everything was formally decided in the 10th minute, when Yaremchuk doubled the score. After that, the Albanians had three opportunities to score, but they remained opportunities and the handicap held. After Bajrami’s goal from the penalty spot, only we could score in the 75th minute: a double strike in stoppage time.
Pure deja vu. Again, just before the curtain, again two shots in a row, again substitute Nazarenko took the second shot, again the goalkeeper saved both times. By the way, to the question of what Dovbik did on the field. Well, at least this – he provided passes to both hitters in turn.
So validol is corvalol, but we never gave them a real chance to escape defeat. This is a medical fact.
Overall, I counted only one more scoring chance for Ukraine than the opponent – a draw logically follows from this. But when you use the first two, all that remains is to theorize about this very logic.
About the missed penalty against the Albanian goal after a foul on Mudrik. A word from colleague Eustace: “For me it’s more of a penalty than not. But I am an interested person. Honestly? I wouldn’t bet, the ball was already too far away.” Although, let me remind you: if at the same time he had not yet left the field, then there were legal grounds.
The most memorable figure of the match for me was Sudakov, who took part in four of the five key episodes at the Albanian goal. The most memorable player on the opposing team was goalkeeper Strakosha, which says a lot. If we single out more personalities, I would mention Zinchenko, and after him Yaremchuk.
Usually I try not to focus on players with a minus sign. But somehow Shaparenko’s exit completely demonstratively and demonstrably weakened the team. The replacement turned out to be extremely unsuccessful, although it probably suggested itself to the coaching staff due to the position, when Zinchenko was no longer performing at his best. Here I have to agree with the majority.
But is this the fault of the coach, who used what was at hand and could not look for something else? Not sure.
In a word, as Shakespeare seems to have written: all is well that ends well. Both in this particular match and in the group tournament as a whole. Although, to put it mildly, the maximalists will brand them with shame: yes, we had to win this group! The old woman scolds more than ever… Well, excuse me, this is at least a stake on my head.
Yesterday we had to win and get into the playoffs. It worked out, and it was great. There is a saying among the people that is appropriate for the occasion, but indecent to the ear: give me some crap, even with a spoon! What Rebrov is right about is that there is an acceptable result, plus the newcomers have been tested. And who also wanted a ticket to the World Cup “through the back door”, for those – yes, .
And finally, I will say something completely seditious. In principle, we can get through everyone into the playoffs. Maybe, after all, with the exception of Belgium. But for what? To become an analogue of Shakhtar in the Champions League? Do I want to join Division A? Yes, but only after the war, and if we don’t have such problems with logistics, psychology and the level of logistics.
Otherwise, we will get a Pyrrhic victory – when local success leads to global defeat. Therefore, I can say with confidence: League B is our everything today. And by maintaining a place in it, we have already completed our main task. In fact, everything is already over, and quite unexpectedly well. The rest is a nice bonus.
If you doubt it, go to Ukraine and ask. Watch all the matches of the UPL tour, as I do. Look and that’s it. Because most of those personnel that took to the field in Tirana yesterday are forged here. And then tell them what and how they owe you.
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