We have an advantage over Slovakia, but only in friendly matches. As it was

09.09.2018 11:28

Last November, Ukraine won a willful victory over Slovakia. Photo by Eugene Kravs

With its south-western neighbor, the national team of Ukraine played four friendly games and two official ones. Given the geographical proximity of Slovakia, sparring is probably not enough. But we have what we have. So far, at least.

In general, the statistics are on our side. We won two matches out of six, drew three times and only once - defeat, the total score - 7: 6. But it is immediately obvious that we have earned all our advantages exclusively in friendly matches. When it came to the official, Slovakia looked more solid.

In qualifying for Euro 2016, Jan Kozak's team won the match in Kyiv at the start of the cycle (1: 0) and was the leader of the group for a long time. Closer to the finish, the Slovaks allowed Spain to overtake them, and we were given a draw in Žilina - 0: 0. Slovakia got directly to the European Championship, and Mykhailo Fomenko's wards also had to play a nervous playoff with Slovenia.

Ukraine - Slovakia. All matches

November 20, 2002. Trnava. Slovakia - Ukraine - 1: 1

(Kargan, 60, from the penalty spot - Melashchenko, 83). Friendly match.

April 29, 2004 Kiev. Ukraine - Slovakia - 1: 1

(Venglinsky, 13 - Varga, 65). Friendly match.

February 10, 2009. Limassol (Cyprus). Ukraine - Slovakia - 3:2

(Valyaev, 10, Seleznyov, 47, Milevsky, 83, from the penalty spot - Vittek, 43, Gamshik, 69). International tournament.

September 8, 2014. Kiev. Ukraine - Slovakia - 0: 1

(Mack, 17). Euro 2016 selection.

September 8, 2015. Zilina. Slovakia - Ukraine - 0: 0

Euro 2016 selection.

November 10, 2017. Lviv. Ukraine - Slovakia - 2: 1

(Yarmolenko, 39, Konoplyanka, 54 - Shtetina, 10). Friendly match.

In total, 62 players under the leadership of four coaches played for Slovakia in matches with Ukraine. Marek Hamszyk (four times), Robert Wittek, Norbert Dömber, Juraj Kucka, Robert Mack, Peter Pekarik, Myroslav Stoch, Tomasz Gubocan and Martin Skrtel (three each) came on the field most often. Among the coaches, the leader Jan Kozak has three matches. Currently, only Vittek and Stokh are not on his team from this list.

On the Ukrainian side, 69 players played under the guidance of five coaches (twice the team was led by Mykhailo Fomenko). Ruslan Rotan (four times), Maksym Kalinichenko, Andriy Pyatov, Anatoliy Tymoschuk and Andriy Yarmolenko (three times) opposed the Slovak team most often.

Two of them can catch up with Rotan. And Yevhen Konoplyanka, Yaroslav Rakitsky and Taras Stepanenko have a chance to hold the third duel with Slovakia.