Serhiy Sapronov: "In Tallinn, the national team of Ukraine was strong first of all as a team"

05.10.2021 18:25

Photo by Pavlo Kubanov

Ukrainian national team WU-17 played the matches of the group tournament of the League B Euro-2022, which took place in Tallinn (Estonia), in one breath. Our girls have acquired the right rise in the class, defeating the teams of Northern Macedonia (3: 0), Moldova (7: 0) and Estonia (1: 0). 

- I am very pleased that my wards have coped with the task, - said the head coach of the girls' national team of Ukraine Serhiy Sapronov to the official website of the UAF. - In Tallinn, we were strong first of all as a team.

- The forces of the group members competing in the capital of Estonia turned out to be unequal. If we take into account the results of the matches, the players of Moldova and Northern Macedonia were significantly inferior in the level of training to the Ukrainians and Estonians…

- You know, it would be incorrect for me to speak about the reasons for the failures of these teams. Although in fairness it should be said that the Moldovans performed in a weakened lineup due to an outbreak of the virus in this team.

It was useful for us that in the matches with these teams we had the opportunity to check most of the players who were in the application to determine who will start at the start of the decisive match with the hosts.

- Because before the face-to-face confrontation the Estonians had a better ratio of goals scored and conceded'Ukrainians, in order to make it to League A, it was necessary'clearly win. What information about the hostess did you have?

- We had videos of their fights with Moldovans and Macedonians. The team is physically strong, skillfully acted during the drawing of standard provisions. That's why it was important to press hard, cover the flanks and not break the rules in your half of the field, as well as to act successfully on the heels.

- How was the decisive match?

- There were quite a lot of fans at the main sports facility of the country, A le Coq Arena. And we had our own support group - representatives of the Ukrainian diaspora in Estonia.

I will pay tribute to the wards, they made an effort to follow the coaching instructions. Before the break, after the hosts repulsed the ball from their possessions, it was picked up by our captain Myroslava Nevar and after a solo pass hit the top nine! This goal turned out to be a victory, moreover, in the second half we were closer to scoring for the second time than the hosts to escape defeat.

We are very pleased with the trip to Tallinn, had the opportunity to see what a beautiful city it is, especially its old part. And many of our girls had to travel by plane for the first time, so there were a lot of impressions…

- What's next?

- The draw will take place in November, and we will find out the names of the rivals in the group tournament of League A. Then we will plan where and when we will prepare for the new tests. Immediately after returning from Estonia, I went to Uman, where the final part of the Ukrainian championship among 16-year-old football players is taking place. I hope to find some potential candidates for the national team, because we need to be strengthened by a stopper, striker and flanking midfielders. In League A, the level of training of participants is much higher, but it is very difficult to stay among the best for a long time.