A busy September for the Ukrainian national veterans team: visit to Canada and sell-out in Lviv region

25.09.2019 13:55

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Legends of national football, united in the national team of Ukraine among veterans, in September paid a friendly visit to Canada and held two matches in the Lviv region - in Vynnyky and Sukhovol.

Toronto (Canada)

The visit to the Maple Leaf Country became another in the national tour of the national team, the main purpose of which is to unite Ukrainians in different parts of the globe. The beginning of the match was preceded by a bright opening ceremony, the organizers addressed the participants with parting words, the Anthems of Ukraine and Canada sounded, on behalf of our team Oleg Sobutsky handed the diaspora a loaf of bread baked from Ukraine, white pigeons were released into the sky…

The reaction of the spectators to the events on the field was appropriate. When Markevich and his recent wards Rotan, Ishchenko, Mandzyuk come out together, when Nagornyak and Belik are in charge of the attack again, and this incomparable football ensemble is conducted by the unique Demyanenko, you involuntarily move back a few hours, remembering the carefree youth.

The whole game took place in the middle of the field diaspora, they bravely defended, hoping for luck in the counterattack. And this tactic, let's face it, worked. A penalty was earned and realized in the first half, and after the break the second ball flew into Reva's goal. The result is quite illogical - given the dozen or so incredible moments created by our legends. What are the shots from Rotan, Nagornyak, Shelayev, Sobutsky, Tsikhmeistruk, Maksymov worth… 10 minutes before the end of the game Rotan managed to beat the goalkeeper and reduce the gap in the score - 1: 2. The final whistle caught the team of veterans in the attacks, but defeat could not be avoided.

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In addition to the football match, the veterans' team had a rich program of events, the main of which was the Ukrainian festival in Toronto. For the 23rd year in a row, one of the central streets of the city is blocked for its XNUMXrd year in a row, where various locations and stages are set up, and in total about half a million people take part in the festival. The famous football players, dressed in embroidered shirts, were almost the main participants in the large-scale action, first in a column marching to Toronto, and later on the main stage.

Oleg Sobutsky addressed the guests, noting Canada's great help to modern Ukraine and the need for even greater cooperation between the two friendly countries. Together with the national team, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Canada Hrystya Freeland was on the stage, to whom Myron Markevich from the entire football community presented an autographed T-shirt, the Ambassador of Ukraine to Canada Andriy Shevchenko. It was especially gratifying to receive a letter of congratulations from the Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau, who sincerely thanked the veterans for their visit and their hard work in supporting Ukrainians.

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Vinnytsia (Lviv region)

Lviv region is one of the most football regions of Ukraine, the team of veterans is a frequent guest here. What's the point of this year's game with Karpaty at Arena Lviv in honor of the 125th anniversary of Ukrainian football or last year's game with the Georgian veterans' team! The stars of our football and the inhabitants of small towns, where almost the whole district usually gathers for matches, are happy.

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Small Vynnyky, six kilometers from Lviv, has its pride - the stadium named after Bohdan Markevich. Well-known Ukrainian coach Myron Markevych took his first steps in football in this arena, and when he became a successful coach, he built a whole football complex with three large and several small fields, locker rooms, a restaurant on the site of a small stadium це Today it is a real football oasis , amateur and professional teams from morning to evening hone their skills.

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"The central stadium of Vynnyky is about a hundred years old, it's time to move forward, to give the field a new life," says Myron Markevich. - We removed the top layers of soil, installed drainage, irrigation system, sowed grass, and today, in five months, the field is ready for football. I invited my friends from the veterans' team to its opening. Many thanks to everyone who came to Vynnyky, and especially to the founder of the national team Oleg Sobutsky, who puts his heart and strength into this special team. The rival was Vinnytsia's Rukh. In this game I married my compatriots, and the next day, in Sukhovol, I already wore my native blue-yellow T-shirt. "

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The field of perfect quality in a small town impressed even experienced players. Here are all the conditions to play and show your skills. And she did not go anywhere with the stars over the years. The applause of the audience was heard after successful passes, passes, shots and, of course, goals. The hosts responded to the goals scored in the first half by Vitaliy Mandzyuk and Oleh Sobutsky with a well-aimed shot from Mykhailo Lutsyshyn. After the break, Oleg Sobutsky and Mykola Ishchenko scored again, and Rukh's second goal was scored by Myron Markevich to the delight of the fans. In the end - 4: 2 in favor of famous guests.

Sukhovolya (Lviv region)

Cozy Sukhovolya has never seen so many famous football players at the same time. In Gorodok district every year there is a championship among veterans, the best players from the teams of which have earned the right to go against the legends of football. The meeting was dedicated to supporting the military in the area of ​​OOS.

The sports component was also at a high level. Zealous players from Lviv region, including Oleh Yaremchuk, the father of the striker of the national team of Ukraine Roman Yaremchuk, tried to act carefully and in an organized manner, at the first signs of fatigue they replaced each other. Only at the end of the match the victory of the national team of Ukraine brought an accurate header from Vyacheslav Svidersky!

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Agrobusiness LLC organized the matches of the veterans' national team with the support of the Ukrainian Football Association and the Association of Football Veterans of Ukraine.

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The results of the matches in September were summed up by the Vice-President of UAF, President of AVFU Oleh Sobutsky: “Ukraine, represented by Canada, has a good friend and partner, the ties between our countries only become stronger over the years. Toronto is home to a very close-knit and patriotic Ukrainian community that helps our military and defends Ukraine's interests by all possible means. Two years ago, during the first visit of the veterans' team to Canada, we met. Now it has only deepened, we have many ideas for cooperation.

Our famous footballers are worthy ambassadors of Ukraine to the world, which is only worth meeting with Christa Freeland, other leaders of Canada and the diaspora. For this I want to thank each of the players, coach Anatoliy Demyanenko, the famous Myron Markevich. If it is necessary to Canada - we go to Canada, in anti-terrorist operation - means in anti-terrorist operation. We all understand the importance and authority of football, trying to use it to unite Ukrainians. Earlier, as part of the world tour, we held meetings in the United States, Spain, Brazil, Argentina, Georgia and other countries. We will continue the work we have started, because only by uniting will we be able to make Ukraine happy and peaceful.

The best impressions were left from the games in Lviv region. Full stadiums always gather here, spectators gladly accept each of our matches. Myron Markevich invited us to Vynnyky to open the field. We knew how much effort and money he invested in his life, in the football infrastructure and in the Vynnyky team. They came and saw with their own eyes a truly European level, what a modern stadium the Lviv region has today. We will continue to unite Ukraine around football with such games, to support our military. "