News from Ukraine camp: PCR tests, training, minus Popov, Korniyenko and Kravets

09.11.2020 21:20

Photo by Yevhen Kraws

The November gathering of the national team began with the usual procedure not only for athletes, but also for all inhabitants of the planet Earth.

The morning PCR test, conducted by doctors at the Opera Hotel in the capital, was to provide information about the health of all those who came to the training camp - coaches, players and representatives of the blue-and-yellow technical staff. As you know, seven performers dropped out of the initial list of thirty-two list announced by Andrii Shevchenko two weeks ago: Heorhii Bushchan, Vitalii Mykolenko, Oleksandr Karavayev, Mykola Shaparenko, Vladyslav Supryaha and Yevhen Shakhov due to COVID-19 infection, and Oleksandr Tymchyk hasn't managed to recover from an injury received in September.

Photo by Yevhen Kraws

Positive test for Popov

After lunch tests gave mostly all negative results, except for one - defender Denys Popov. In this way, the correctness of the tactics of the medical staff of the national team was confirmed - to conduct research until the moment when the players will gather as a single team. Immediately after the tests, the teams had the opportunity to go home and personal matters to gather again for evening training.

Photo by Yevhen Kraws

Injuries to Korniyenko and Kravets

Sunday's club matches were not painless for other players. In particular, defender Viktor Korniyenko, who was called up for the first time, suffered a serious injury to his left ankle in the classic Ukrainian Dynamo-Shakhtar derby. This injury leaves a potential national team debutant out of football for a period of four to six weeks.

Unfortunately, the recently called forward Artem Kravets will not be able to help the team. The forward, who scored one of two goals this weekend in his winning match against Fenerbahce for Konyaspor, suffered a drive muscle injury. This was confirmed by the MRI, which Artem performed today together with the chief doctor of the blue-and-yellows Artur Hlushchenko.

Photo by Yevhen Kraws

There are 25 players in the team

Taking into account the additional call-ups of goalkeepers Yurii Pankiv and Dmytro Riznyk, as we reported earlier, and the gradual elimination of Viktor Korniyenko, Artem Kravets and Denys Popov, the team now has 25 players.

The Ukraine squad:

Goalkeepers: Andrii Pyatov (Shakhtar), Andrii Lunin (Real, Spain), Yurii Pankiv (Oleksandriya), Dmytro Riznyk (Vorskla).

Defenders: Serhii Kryvtsov, Mykola Matviyenko, Valerii Bondar (all - Shakhtar), Illya Zabarnyi (Dynamo), Yevhen Cheberko (LASK, Austria), Yukhym Konoplya (Desna), Eduard Sobol (Brugge, Belgium), Bohdan Mykhailichenko (Anderlecht, Belgium).

Midfielders: Taras Stepanenko, Viktor Kovalenko, Marlos (all Shakhtar), Serhii Sydorchuk, Viktor Tsyhankov (both Dynamo), Yevhen Makarenko (Kortrijk, Belgium), Ihor Kharatin, Oleksandr Zubkov (both Ferencvaros), Hungary), Ruslan Malinovskyi (Atalanta, Italy), Oleksandr Zinchenko (Manchester City, England), Andrii Yarmolenko (West Ham, England).

Forwards: Roman Yaremchuk (Gent, Belgium), Junior Moraes (Shakhtar).

Photo by Yevhen Kraws

Training in partial selection

In the evening, the national team held a training session at the Bannikov stadium, which was attended by 18 players. At the time of the training, seven players were not present at main team - Roman Yaremchuk, Eduard Sobol and Bohdan Mykhailichenko, Yevhen Cheberko, Ihor Kharatin and Oleksandr Zubkov and Ruslan Malinovskyi. However, they will all join the blue-and-yellows tonight.

Photo by Yevhen Kraws

Meeting with Usik

At the beginning of training, a surprise awaited the national team - head coach Andriu Shevchenko introduced to players the world boxing champion Oleksandr Usyk, who at the invitation of the blue-and-yellow coach came to wish the boys success in the upcoming matches, having previously passed a PCR test, which showed a negative result. For their part, the players congratulated Usyk on his recent victory in the boxing ring. There were also congratulatory applause from coaches and partners in honor of the recent birthday and Andrii Yarmolenko, who became a father for the third time two weeks ago. And then - work. The first at the meeting, restorative, but no less important.

Photo by Yevhen Kraws

Tomorrow at 11.30 a plane with blue-and-yellows on board will depart from Boryspil International Airport in the direction of the Polish city of Katowice. The team should arrive at the first destination of its November voyage in about two hours. In Chorzow, Ukrainians will stay at the Vienna House Easy Katowice. Tomorrow the national team's program includes a pre-match press conference and official training at the Silesian Stadium, where Ukraine will hold a friendly match against Poland on November 11.

Oleksandr Hlyvynskyi, spokesman for the national team of Ukraine