Oleksandr Petrakov: I am optimistic about the future, we will do everything possible to take first place

22.09.2022 01:43

Photo by Mark Scates - SNS Group

In the first September match within the Nations League, the blue and yellow lost to Scotland in Glasgow at the Hampden Park stadium - 0:3. Oleksandr Petrakov, head coach of the Ukrainian national team, spoke at the press conference after the game.

— Why did your team look different today than before?

— We didn't have the main players who were injured, so I gave a chance to other players to play. Zinchenko, Bushchan, Shaparenko did not play, Zabarny got an "extra"... Trubin played well. I gave other artists a chance, they failed. In the first half the team looked even more or less, and in the second we saw so much lack... Our football is a little different to British football. I warned the guys, told them about it. Yesterday, during training, I saw something wrong. Stopped classes, talked to them...

— Do you think that now Scotland has the best chances to win the group?

- First we will analyze the game. Nothing is lost yet. Ahead is an important match with Armenia, two matches in total. I am optimistic about the future, we will do everything possible to take first place.

— Why did you replace Stepanenko during the break?

- He had a yellow card. I talked with him during the break, decided to replace him.

— Could you comment on Bondar's game? You had a dilemma, who to cast — him or Kryvtsov?

— There is always a dilemma. Bondar came out in the "base" together with Matvienko. I decided to play with this lineup. Everything is decided by the head coach. The team wins, and one person loses - the head coach. It's my fault.

— Did you ask for the postponement of the UPL tour before the matches of the Ukrainian national team?

— I talked about it because we are not playing at home. There is a war going on in our country, do you know about it? We need to play a game, get on a train or a bus. It's not like before, when we got on the plane and flew.

— Will Trubin remain in the team location?

- I made a decision, I thanked him. He will go to help the youth national team of Ukraine. Kovalenko will also leave the location of the team. He had an MRI, he has an injury.