2020: results of the year for the national team of Ukraine

31.12.2020 12:20

Photo by Yevhen Kraws

The football year 2020 was to become one of the busiest in history for the national team of Ukraine.

Sparring in March with Poland and France, a series of friendly games on the eve of the Euro 2020 final tournament (Cyprus, Northern Ireland, Israel), the final tournament itself, and in the autumn - the UEFA League of Nations cycle, where Andriy Shevchenko's team won its elite company. group with Slovakia and the Czech Republic in the previous draw.

Even the most careful calculations could have turned out 14 matches. And this is a repetition of our team's record for the number of games per year, set in 2006. In 2001, there were 13 fights, five more times (2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2016) - 12.

But quarantine restrictions destroyed everything. The national team played for the first time only in September and played a total of seven matches. It was supposed to be the eighth - with the Swiss national team in November. But the decision of the local doctor led to the cancellation of the UEFA League of Nations meeting.

Of course, the positive emotions of defeat from Spain and Germany (as well as the defeat - the largest in our history - in a friendly match with France) did not add. But these were tests of the highest degree of complexity. And with victories over Switzerland and Spain (for the first time in our history!) The Ukrainian national team has shown that it can compete at such a level. Yes, it is very difficult there. But it is through such matches that the team progresses.

The blue-yellows last played such a small number of games in a calendar year in 2000 - five (2014, 2017 - eight). But given the status of Ukraine's rivals, it was one of the brightest years.

Quarantine restrictions also affected the stability of our national team. Only Roman Yaremchuk managed to play in all seven matches, Andriy Yarmolenko - in six. And most of the players in one period or another fell out of the cage.

Photo by Pavlo Kubanov

In seven matches in 2020, 31 performers played for the national team of Ukraine. Nine of them are debutants. Bohdan Mykhailychenko and Oleksandr Tymchyk played their first matches for the national team on September 3, Ihor Kharatin on September 6, Heorhiy Bushchan, Ilya Zabarny, Oleksandr Zubkov, Yukhym Konoplya and Yevhen Cheberko on October 7, and Valery Bondar on November 11.

At the same time, 10 more players were called up to the national team, but their debut has been postponed. These are goalkeepers Yuriy Pankiv (Oleksandriya), Dmytro Riznyk (Vorskla), Mykita Shevchenko (Zorya), defenders Viktor Kornienko (Shakhtar), Denis Popov, Oleksandr Syrota (both Dynamo), midfielders Serhiy Bulets, Oleksandr Nazarenko (both Dnipro-1), Heorhiy Sudakov (Shakhtar) and striker Vladyslav Supryaga (Dynamo).

Those who had already played for the national team before, but did not receive playing time in 2020, were also called up. These are goalkeeper Denis Boyko (Dynamo), defenders Serhiy Bolbat (Shakhtar), Nikita Burda and Artem Shabanov (both Dynamo), Igor Plastun (Ghent, Belgium), midfielders Vitaliy Buyalsky (Dynamo) , Yevhen Shakhov (AEK, Greece) and striker Artem Kravets (Konyaspor, Turkey).

And even before the application of the national team due to staffing problems that arose during the training camp, in October, even Oleksandr Shovkovsky, the current assistant to Andriy Shevchenko, had to be returned. It will be recalled that he played the last match for the main team of the country in February 2012.

Photo by Pavlo Kubanov

Indeed, 2020 turned out to be very difficult. And what awaits our team in 2021? It will start in March qualifying round of the 2022 World Cup. Three matches are planned for the first month of spring: the 24th - with France (away), the 28th - with Finland (in Lviv), the 31st - with Kazakhstan (in Lviv).

The long-suffering Euro 2020, which has been postponed for a year, is to take place in June. According to the schedule of the group tournament of the final part, Ukraine is expected to meet in Amsterdam (June 13 - with the Netherlands) and Bucharest (on the 17th - with Northern Macedonia, on the 21st - with Austria). Further schedule will depend on the success of group performances.

And in the autumn the selection cycle of the 2022 World Cup will continue: September 1 - Kazakhstan (away), September 4 - France (home), October 9 - Finland (away), October 12 - Bosnia and Herzegovina (home), November 16 - Bosnia and Herzegovina (away).

Matches of the national team of Ukraine in 2020

Personnel potential of the national team of Ukraine in 2020