Rating and Games
- European qualifiers
Ukraine takes the field today (1st). Although the country remains under Russian occupation, the Ukrainian football team faces Scotland in Glasgow at 15:45 GMT to secure a spot in the Qatar World Cup. Due to the war, 16 players have not played in official matches since last year, and the Eastern European team only played friendly matches in 2022.
Whoever wins the qualifying duel will have one more stage until the World Championship. (5) On Sunday, the place in the main football competition on the planet will be determined against Wales in Cardiff.
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But how did the Ukrainian national team prepare for these important matches, where the national football stopped and could not gather a group of athletes to train? The group had to leave the country and faced three teams during the period.
The national team’s last official match took place in November 2021, with a victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina 2-0 that secured a place in the UEFA playoffs for the final spots in the World Cup.
However, conflict took over the country in early 2022 and activities came to a complete standstill. Unable to play their matches, the team postponed the matches and rescheduled them later.
Males over the age of 18 were initially prohibited from leaving the country and would serve in the military. However, athletes were given special and temporary permission to cross the border. The group then met in Slovenia in early May and began preparing for the games.
Of the 26 people called up by coach Oleksandr Petrakov, 16 work in local football and therefore have not played in official matches this year. The group is complemented by athletes working and operating abroad, such as Zinchenko of Manchester City and Yaremchuk of Benfica, who were released from their clubs at the end of the European season.
During the preparations, three friendly matches were played against clubs. Ukraine team defeated Germany’s Borussia Mönchengladbach 2-1, Italy’s Empoli 3-1, while they drew 1-1 with Croatia’s Rijeka.
Although there was no calendar and it was difficult to create a peaceful environment for the group, the meeting period was valued for bonding.
“I talked to each of them about where their families are, how their father, mother, wife, children are now. In the past, when there was peace, we only talked football. But now we have a masseuse for example. [cidade tomada pelos russos] and still no news from him. Many parents of the actors joined the army. “That’s why we need to train and talk about football, but also about this situation,” the Ukrainian coach said at a press conference.
game of strong emotions
Even opponents are waiting for an exciting game. Not just in terms of sport, but for everything that Ukraine is going through right now.
“Probably everybody in the world wants Ukraine to win. If it was any other country I would probably want them to win, but unfortunately they’re going to play my country and we have to get in their way,” said Scottish full-back Andrew. Robertson. , from Liverpool to the BBC.
“The most important football match in the history of Ukraine,” Dnipro midfielder Oleksandr Pikhalyonok told El País.
Two and a half months after Russia delayed its final commitments for World Cup qualifiers due to its invasion of its territory, Ukraine is starting to decide today whether it will be in Qatar-2022.
After postponing due to war, Scotland and Ukraine will face each other today (1) at 15:45 (Brazilian time) in a European playoff match for the Qatar Cup. The match, originally scheduled for March, will be broadcast on TNT, indoor TV and on the TNT Stadium streaming platform directly from Glasgow’s Hampden Park Stadium.
When Russia invaded Ukraine in February, Oleksandr Petrakov tried to enter Kiev to defend his country, but was stopped. The 64-year-old actor was told he was too old to fight. In return, he received a mission: to earn a spot at the Qatar World Cup.
Ukrainian Oleksandr Zinchenko burst into tears while commenting on the war in his country at a press conference today. On the eve of the match against Scotland in the European Qualification play-off match, the midfielder was touched when he talked about the meaning of the match for the Ukrainian people during the Russian invasions.
Ukraine will play a friendly match against Germany’s Borussia Mönchengladbach on May 11 before playing in the European playoffs for the 2022 World Cup, the Ukrainian Football Federation (AUF) said on Friday.
Portugal has suffered to secure a spot at the 2022 World Cup, yet it will be one of the seeds of the World Cup group stage draw scheduled for tomorrow (1st) in Qatar.
Striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic refused to retire for Sweden even after the selection came out of the 2022 World Cup – yesterday the Swedes lost 2-0 to Poland in the European Qualification play-off and are out of the World Cup.
Robert Lewandowski’s Poland qualified for the 2022 World Cup.The Polish team beat Ibrahimovic’s Sweden 2-0 (29) at the Silasian Stadion for the European Qualification play-off today, stamping his Qatari passport in front of his fans . .
Portugal is at the World Cup for the sixth time in a row. Having played only two World Cups (out of 16) in the last century, the Portuguese have never lost in this cup. This is not a coincidence, it is the result of a country that works very well in sports and knows how to take advantage of Figo and the others’ golden generation.
The Portuguese team did their homework this afternoon (29), defeating North Macedonia 2-0 at Estádio do Dragão and earning their place in this year’s World Cup. Bruno Fernandes scored two goals that astonished the oppressed team that beat Italy in the play-off match of the European Qualifications.
In today’s World Cup Qualification round, Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal has secured a spot with North Macedonia, while Lewandowski’s Poland faces Sweden, in addition to five African duels, Senegal, Sadio Mané and Egypt, by Mohamed Salah, Liverpool, Liverpool. He will exclude one of ‘s forwards from the World Cup in Qatar.
source: Noticias
