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The history of the Ukrainian national team at the World Championships/Getty Images
On the first day of summer 2022, the Ukrainian national team could reach the final of the World Cup for the second time in its history. In order to go to Qatar, the wards of Alexander Petrakov lacked just one step. Let's tell you a little modest history of the Blue-and-Yellows' performances at the World Cup.
- 1Good start, but without reaching the World Cup < /li>
- 2 Bundesteam was stronger
- 3 Historic entry to the World Cup
- 4The impenetrable Shovkovsky and the legendary performance
- 5Shock in the first game and defeat in the second
- 6Sheva's debut is not very successful
- 7Petrakov could be on a par with Blokhin
- 8How the national team reached the playoffs of the 2022 World Cup qualifiers
- 9Vbet bookmaker
Nice start, but without entering the world championship
< p> The combined team of Ukraine only once since 1998 made the way in a final stage of the World championship. However, she did it no less brightly. That year 2006 will remain forever in the memory of Ukrainian fans and not only, Channel 24 writes.
However, before that there were a number of disappointments. The World Cup in France could be the first tournament of this level for the Blue-Yellows. Then Ukraine finished the group round in second place in its group, letting the formidable Germany pass by. Therefore, the fate of a ticket to the Mundial was decided in the playoffs of the selection. Does it remind you of anything?
Croats, in the literal sense of the word, fell into the rivals of our team. The first meeting ended with the defeat of Ukraine with a score of 0:2. But the return match unfolded according to a good scenario, if not for the referee. Andriy Shevchenko and Vitaliy Kosovsky destroyed the opponent's advantage, which he scored in the first match. But the main referee of the match intervened in the game, who saw Kosovsky offside.
This moment changed the course of the match a little – the Croats equalized to 1:1. Unfortunately, Ukraine did not score more. As a result – 1:1. This world “buried” the blue-yellows' hopes for the World Cup.
“The Bundestim” was stronger
The fight for the 2002 World Cup followed a similar scenario to the previous one. The national team under the leadership of the legendary Valery Lobanovsky came out of the group from the second place – the already beloved playoffs were waiting for the “blue-yellows”.The opponent was quite unexpected – Germany. This is not an alien opponent to the Ukrainians, to whom they lost the first line in the group round in the selection for the 1998 World Cup.
This time the Ukrainian footballers failed again. In the home match, the “blue-yellows” managed to paint the world 1:1. But in the second meeting, “Bundestim” left no chance to the opponent. Shevchenko scored the only goal for Ukraine. At the same time, the team conceded four goals. As a result – 4:1, the Ukrainians again flew past the World Cup.
Historic entry to the World Championship
After this unfortunate fiasco, the national team was headed by Oleg Blokhin, who forever wrote down his name in the history of the national team. The Blue-Yellows started qualifying for the World Cup with a draw against Denmark, followed by two victories over Kazakhstan and Georgia.
Greece was able to break the winning streak of Ukraine by playing in the world. However, the crushing victory over Turkey gave Ukrainian fans a great chance to finally see the national team at the Mundial. Then there were three more victories.
To write their name into history, Blokhin's team needed to beat Georgia. Rotan made the national team one step closer to the desired result, but at the end of the match the Georgians made the score 1:1. Everything had to be decided in the last game against Turkey, but Denmark did everything to bring our team to the World Cup even before the match. Denmark equalized the score with the Turks to 2:2, which led the “blue-yellows” to the Mundial
Already at the first World Cup in the history of the national team, our guys showed their “teeth”, reaching the quarterfinals of the tournament.
Blokhin is a legend of the Ukrainian national team/Photo by Getty Images
Impenetrable Shovkovsky and legendary performance
The Blue-Yellows played their first match against Spain in Leipzig. “The first pancake is lumpy.” The powerful Spaniards defeated the Ukrainians – 0:4.
In the next match, the team met on the football field against Saudi Arabia. The weaker level of the opponent was already visible from the first seconds. Defender Andriy Rusol became the author of Ukraine's first goal at the World Championships.
Only Ukrainians scored in the game – Shevchenko, Serhiy Rebrov, and Maxim Kalinichenko (4:0) put a bright point in the match.
In the match against Tunisia, Shevchenko became the main character. Andrei successfully converted the 11-meter throw and led the national team to the 1/8 finals of the Mundial from the second place in the group.
At this stage, Switzerland became the rival of Blokhin's team. The main and extra time ended in the world, so everything was decided by the football fortune – a penalty shootout. Here Alexander Shovkovsky got down to business. The goalkeeper pulled all 11-meter opponents, and goals from Artem Milevsky, Rebrov and Oleg Gusev brought the team to the quarterfinals.
The national team advanced to the quarterfinals of the 2006 World Cup/Photo by Getty Images Italy confidently defeated the opponent – 3:0, Luca Toni scored with a double.
However, this performance of the Ukrainian national team is still the most successful in the history of the country's main team at the World Cup level.
Shock First Game, Defeat Second
After an unsuccessful selection for the European Championship, Blokhin left the post of head coach. On this, the team has never been selected for the final stage of the World Cup.
Although before Euro 2012, Blokhin returned to the team's coaching bridge. However, the second arrival did not bring the result that everyone was waiting for. But in October 2012, Oleg Vladimirovich went to the hospital, where he was operated on and retired from work in the national team.
In the selection for the 2014 World Cup, Ukraine again reached the playoffs. Uncomfortable France became her rival. However, the final result of the home match shocked not only the Ukrainians – the victory of Ukraine with a score of 2:0. Goals scored by Roman Zozulya and Andriy Yarmolenko.
Sheva's debut is not very successful
Everything fell into place in the second leg, when the French quite easily defeated the opponent – 3:0. Ukraine again flew past the Mundial.
In the selection for the 2018 World Cup, the national team was already trained by its former football player Andriy Shevchenko. But the debut of the owner of the “Golden Ball” failed somewhat. In the last match, the national team was supposed to defeat Croatia. However, the match at the crowded NSC Olimpiyskiy ended in victory for the Croats thanks to Kramaric's double.
Perhaps it's good that the team didn't make it to the World Championship, which took place in hostile Russia in 2018.
Petrakov could be on the same page as Blokhin
The Ukrainian national team was close to going to Qatar. To do this, the “blue-yellows” needed to win two victories in the playoffs of the selection for the Mundial. On June 1, Petrakov's team played away against Scotland. The main advantage of the home team was the native stands, but they did not interfere with the Ukrainians.
Even in the first half, our team took the lead. Zeros on the scoreboard were soaked by team captain Andriy Yarmolenko. The national teams went to the break with a minimal advantage in the account of the guests from Ukraine (0:1). No sooner had the commentator of the meeting announced the line-ups for the second part of the game, as Roman Yaremchuk doubled the lead of the “blue-yellows” – 0:2.
After the equator of the second 45-minutes, the guests seized the initiative. The Scots were able to avenge one goal thanks to the efforts of Callum McGregor. But according to a good tradition, Artem Dovbik put an end to the match. As a result – 1:3, Ukraine became one step closer to the World Cup.
Fatal own goal of the captain
In the final of the playoffs, Petrakov's wards had another away match. This time the Ukrainians had an exam against Wales led by Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey.
The score in the match was again opened by Yarmolenko, but, unfortunately, at this moment he did it in favor of the opponent. Andrei head cut the ball into his own net after a free-kick from Bale. No matter how hard our guys tried, they failed to break the reliable defense of the Welsh and their goalkeeper, who caught a luck that evening. An unfortunate 1-0 defeat, which closed the door to the 2022 World Cup for the Ukrainian team. The cursed circle of absences from the Mundial continues. But we believe that in the foreseeable future, Ukrainian football players will break this unfortunate series.
How the national team reached the playoffs of the 2022 World Cup qualification
For eight matches played, the team received 12 points. It is interesting that in all the fights Ukraine did not feel the bitter aftertaste of defeats – two wins and six draws. Our national team even began to be called the kindest team because of the number of world matches with rivals.
Ukraine started in the qualification with an encouraging world team with the future leader of the group, France (1:1). Then the “blue-yellows” played two matches in a draw – with Finland and Kazakhstan. These two fights were in front of native Ukrainian fans, they ended with the same score 1:1.
Ukraine national football team/Photo by Getty Images
In September, Ukraine played two more draws – away with Kazakhstan (2:2) and at home with France (1:1). Only in the sixth round did the Ukrainian football players manage to break this world curse. Ukrainians on the road defeated Finland with a score of 1:2. Roman Yaremchuk and Andriy Yarmolenko brought three points.
Three days later, the team returned to their favorite score of 1:1. Bosnia and Herzegovina took points from the Ukrainians. She finished her way in the group round with a victory over the same Bosnia and Herzegovina – 0:2. Alexander Zinchenko and Artem Dovbik became the heroes of the meeting as part of our national team.
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