EURO friendly report card: Ukraine
Tuesday, March 29, 2016
Article summary
Despite the absence of Yevhen Konoplyanka, Ukraine won both of their March friendlies, Andriy Yarmolenko and debutant midfielder Viktor Kovalenko impressing.
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Results
Thursday: Ukraine 1-0 Cyprus (Stepanenko 40)
Boyko; Fedetskiy, Kucher, Putivtsev, Shevchuk (Kamenyuka 81); Stepanenko (Tymoshchuk 72), Rotan (Malyshev 46), Gusev (Petriak 46), Yarmolenko, Garmash (Kovalenko 46); Zozulya (Kravets 63).
Taras Stepanenko beat Cyprus goalkeeper Kostas Panayi in a one-on-one to win the game for Ukraine. One of five players given their Ukraine debuts in Odesa – along with Artyom Putivtsev, Ivan Petriak, Maksym Malyshev and Mykyta Kamenyuka – Shakhtar Donetsk's Viktor Kovalenko came closest to doubling the home side's lead, heading wide from Andriy Yarmolenko's cross. Pieros Sotiriou hit a post late on for Cyprus.
Monday: Ukraine 1-0 Wales (Yarmolenko 28)
Pyatov; Fedetskiy, Kucher, Khacheridi, Shevchuk; Stepanenko, Rotan (Sydorchuk 59), Kovalenko, Yarmolenko, Garmash; Zozulya
Andriy Yarmolenko's well-taken half-volley earned Ukraine their second 1-0 win in four days. The Dynamo Kyiv winger, playing on his home ground, turned adroitly inside the penalty area to fire Ruslan Rotan's lofted free-kick past Wayne Hennessey at his near post. Wales were once again without Gareth Bale, who is at home following the recent birth of his second daughter, and the injured Aaron Ramsey.
What we learned
1) Ukraine have two equally-good goalkeepers, but Shakhtar's Andriy Pyatov has the advantage over Beşiktaş's Denys Boyko since he plays regularly for his club.
2) Without Yevhen Konoplyanka, Ukraine lose some of their attacking potential, but Yarmolenko is just as valuable for the team.
3) Of the five players to win their first caps in March, Kovalenko performed best and can play in three positions.
Questions remain
▪ Ukraine's greatest strength is on the flanks, but are there any back-up options if Konoplyanka and Yarmolenko are absent? Or understudies for Olexandr Shevchuk (36) and Artem Fedetskiy (31) in defence?
▪ Can Kovalenko replace Denys Garmash as Ukraine's first-choice attacking midfielder and add mobility and aggression up front?
▪ Can Ukraine find a prolific striker who combines the energy of Roman Zozulya and the space-finding instincts of Artem Kravets?
Room for improvement
Lacking world-class performers, Ukraine's coaches have strived to give every player specific instructions to deal with standard situations; when Ukraine are in control they stick to plan, but they often look stumped in unfamiliar scenarios. Teamwork and fitness have helped Ukraine to play above their individual abilities in the past, but they will need to be physically sharper by the summer for this to happen at UEFA EURO 2016.
EURO certainties (if fit)
Goalkeepers: Denys Boyko (Beşiktaş), Andriy Pyatov (Shakhtar Donetsk).
Defenders: Artem Fedetskiy (Dnipro), Yevhen Khacheridi (Dynamo), Olexandr Kucher (Shakhtar Donetsk), Yaroslav Rakitskiy (Shakhtar Donetsk), Vyacheslav Shevchuk (Shakhtar Donetsk).
Midfielders: Denys Garmash (Dynamo), Oleh Gusev (Dynamo), Yevhen Konoplyanka (Sevilla), Viktor Kovalenko (Shakhtar Donetsk), Maksym Malyshev (Shakhtar Donetsk), Ruslan Rotan (Dnipro), Serhiy Rybalka (Dynamo), Taras Stepanenko (Shakhtar Donetsk), Serhiy Sydorchuk (Dynamo), Anatoliy Tymoshchuk (Kairat).
Forwards: Artem Kravets (Dynamo), Andriy Yarmolenko (Dynamo), Roman Zozulya (Dnipro).
Media view
Yevhen Gres, Komanda reporter and Futbol TV summariser
"The spirits lift when you remember that, with no Yevhen Konoplyanka on the pitch, it was Viktor Kovalenko who was our best attacker despite having never started an international match before. Yaroslav Rakitskiy will make the quick transition from defence to attack better when he is fit again as the lad knows how to make the first pass, and Serhiy Rybalka will improve the team's solidity, and not only in defence."