The national team of Ukraine drew in the friendly with Rijeka

18.05.2022 21:56

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With the friendly match against the Croatian Rijeka, the national team of Ukraine continued a series of matches in preparation for the 2022 World Cup qualifying play-offs and the June meetings in the Nations League-2022/2023.

In the third friendly match of May, the blue and yellow met Rijeka from Croatia. We will remind, earlier the national team of Ukraine defeated Borussia from Monchengladbach (2:1) and the Italian Empoli (3:1).

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Our footballers came on the pitch in a special blue kit. Before the meeting, Croats spoke in support of our country: Shakhtar Donetsk director Dario Srna and Dnipro-1 head coach Ihor Jovicevic. The anthem of Ukraine before the match was performed by the famous Ukrainian singer Svitlana Tarabarova.

The entrance to the Rujevica Stadium was free of charge for Ukrainians today. The funds raised at this and other friendly matches of the national team of Ukraine will be transferred to the United24 platform.

Due to the fact that only yesterday the blue and yellow played with Empoli, Oleksandr Petrakov put a new starting 11. Due to the injury received in the previous match, Popov could not help the team.

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The Ukrainians controlled the ball from the very beginning, for some time the game went without moments. In the 15th minute Vuk from Rijeka sent the ball near the post. Later, ball after Buyalskyi shot flew to the goalkeeper's hands. In the 24th minute, the advantage of the blue yellows was embodied in the goal - after Buyalskyi pass in the penalty area Garmash scored a powerful shot from the rebound without a chance for the goalkeeper.

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Before the break, the Croats began to come closer to possessions of Bushchan. In one of the episodes, Muric broke into the penalty area, but did not hit the far corner. And in the 37th minute, the hosts played back - after a positional error of our center-backs, Vuk hit in the post in the first attempt, and then Drmic was the first to tap in the ball into the net. Before the break, Garmash and Dovbyk had half moments, but the shots of our guys lacked force and accuracy.

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At the beginning of the second half, the Ukrainians sent the ball into the net, but Zubkov's goal was flagged offside. Riznyk, who replaced Bushchan after the break, soon managed to save Drmic shot. Subsequently, Kacharaba after Konoplya crossed from the corner kick did not find the almost empty goal.

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Later, the Ukrainians had a game advantage, while the Croats responded with a Drmic shot in the hands of Riznyk. In the 70th minute Garmash sent the ball higher after a good throw from a partner, later Besedin made a shot on goal.

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Towards the end, the pace of the game slowed down, the blue and yellow sat down a bit, but did not stop trying to snatch victory. They had half moments, but Garmash and Mudryk failed to beat the goalkeeper. In the 84th minute, Stojkovic responded hitting the post. In the dying time, the Croatian goalkeeper parried Buyalskyi's shot after the corner. So in the end the team was satisfied with a draw - 1:1.

Friendly match

Rijeka (Croatia) - Ukraine - 1: 1 (1: 1)

Goals: Drmic (37) - Garmash (24).

Rijeka: Zlomislic, Bodetic (Dujmovic, 81), Cestic, Muric (Prince, 46), Kresic (Stojkovic, 60), Vuk (Obregon, 60), Drmic (k), Copeland, 81, Solano (Posinkovic, 74), Busnja (Pavicic, 46), Stanic (Burcul, 81), Selahi (Lepinjica, 46).

Substitution: Labrovic.

Trainer: Goran Tomic.

Ukraine: Bushchan (Riznyk, 46), Konoplya, Bondar, Kacharaba, Syrota, Sydorchuk (k), Buyalskyi, Garmash, Zubkov (Tsygankov, 79), Sikan (Mudryk, 79), Dovbyk (Besedin, 46).

Substitutions: Stepanenko, Pikhalyonok, Yaremchuk, Shaparenko, Pyatov, Zabarnyi, Karavaev, Matvienko.

Trainer: Oleksandr Petrakov.

Referee: Ivan Bebek (Croatia).

Booked: Cestic (77) - Sydorchuk (57), Kacharaba (86).

May 18. Rijeka. Rujevica Stadium.