The national team of Ukraine in a friendly match drew with the team of Bahrain

23.05.2021 23:56

Photo by Pavlo Kubanov

The Blue and Yellows played their first control match in direct preparation for Euro 2020.

Sparring with Bahrain was to sum up the week-long training cycle that the national team spent in Kharkiv. However, the blue-yellows worked without most of the legionnaires, who at that time were finishing the season in their clubs. Only two players playing abroad - Zubkov and Makarenko - were included in the application for the match with the Asian national team, and both came on the field from the first minutes.

Photo by Pavlo Kubanov

In the first half, the players of the national team of Ukraine mostly spent a long time preparing attacks, playing the ball in the center of the field. However, the opponents were compactly located in defense and moved competently, not allowing the hosts to reach a comfortable position for the final blow. Right defender Tymchyk was actively involved in the offensive, Matvienko played excellent medium and long passes, Marlos and Zubkov exchanged flanks and lace near the visitors' penalty area, and Besedin put a lot of pressure on the defenders. But the last pass for the final blow was still not enough. The Ukrainians had several attempts to excel, but none of them could be called really threatening, shots were blocked by defenders or the ball flew past the target.

Photo by Pavlo Kubanov

As for the visitors, they periodically tried to create obstacles for the blue and yellows in the initial stage of the transition from defense to attack, and several times this pressure put Trubin in a difficult position, who was not very confident to put the ball into the game with his feet. But Bahrain, in fact, did not create anything at the opponent's goal in the first 45 minutes.

Photo by Pavlo Kubanov

As the teams were allowed to make six substitutions in the match, in the second half the coaches took the opportunity to test a significant number of performers. From the first minutes after the break, Georgy Sudakov came on the field, for whom this match was his debut for the national team. The forward (Dovbyk instead of Besedin) and the winger (Tsygankov instead of Zubkov) were also replaced.

Marlos after a pass from the flank in the 48th minute had a chance to open the score, but scored higher from close range. And in general, the 11th number of Ukrainians was in sight, several times being on the edge. The next outbreak of activity of the hosts at the gate of Lutfalla occurred in the 60th minute, but the shots of Sudakov and Shaparenko were also unsuccessful. And then another debut took place in Shevchenko's team - Denis Popov replaced him.

Photo by Pavlo Kubanov

In the 68th minute, after Marlos' pass, Dovbyk came out alone with the goalkeeper, beat him, but scored. And soon Trubin in the course of one of the few counterattacks of rivals in his penalty area overwhelmed Al-Humaidan, the referee awarded a penalty, and Dhiya executed the sentence. Tsygankov, Shaparenko, and Karavayev were close to retaliating. It was Tsygankova who was lucky enough to do it, who responded to Dovbyk's shot in compensated time. 1: 1.

The next control match in the process of preparation for the final tournament of Euro 2020 will be held by the national team of Ukraine June 3 in the Dnieper against the team of Northern Ireland.

Friendly Match

Ukraine - Bahrain - 1: 1 (0: 0)

Goals: Tsygankov (90 + 1) - Dhiya (75, from the penalty spot).

Ukraine: Trubin, Tymchyk (Karavaev, 78), Kryvtsov (Popov, 63), Matvienko, Mykolenko, Stepanenko (k) (Sudakov, 46), Shaparenko, Makarenko (Sidorchuk, 63), Zubkov (Tsygankov, 46), Marlos, Besedin ( Dovbik, 46).

Substitutions: Bushchan, Pyatov, Sirota, Lednev, Bondarenko, Zabarny.

Trainer: Andrii Shevchenko.

Bahrain: Lutfalla, Nabil (Al-Haza, 76), Redha, Shamsan, Abdullah (k), Haram, Al-Sheikh (Al-Asfur, 85), Marhun (Madan, 76), Al-Aswad (Dhiya, 65), Al -Humaidan (Al-Salama, 76), Al-Rumaihi (Abduljabbar, 85).

Substitutions: Al-Shaykh, Shubbar, Baker, Hashim, Ali.

Trainer: Eliu Souza.

Referee: Pavel Orel (Czech Republic).

Booked: Krivtsov (15), Sidorchuk (90 + 3) - Marhun (38), Al-Aswad (49), Haram (59).

May 23. Kharkiv. OSC Metalist. 19 000 spectators.