Few soccer pundits see Ukraine qualifying in Group C of the expanded 24-team 2016 European Championship being played in France from June 10 to July 10. The majority opinion, says coach Mykhailo Fomenko, is that the national team comprises too many aged veterans, like left-back Vyacheslav Shevchuk and captain Ruslan Rotan. The former will be 37, the latter 34 by the time of the Euro Cup finals.
Hopes are high for a pair of attacking wingers: Sevilla’s Yevhen Konoplyanka on the left and creative Dynamo Kyiv wide man Andriy Yarmolenko on the right. These two stand out as quality performers on a squad full of average players. If the prevailing thought of a defensive focus in order to win and move on holds true, Ukraine’s cautious approach may earn dividends.
Fomenko has been criticized for his cautious strategy, preferring defense over attack. Yet as he continues to earn support of the federation with few problems in the dressing room (a skirmish between Yarmolenko and Taras Stepanenko in an early May match between Dynamo and Shakhtar will hopefully not carry over into Euro play) and all players buying into his system, the coach may need to qualify from the group in order to secure a new contract.
In Group C, Ukraine will play against Germany, Northern Ireland, and 2012 Euro Cup co-hosts Poland. Little competition within the current squad for starting positions is the primary obstacle the national team faces in its ongoing development.
They have hard-working midfielders Denys Garmash, Serhiy Sydorchuk and Rotan who will guarantee Ukraine will not lack any competitive spirit. The offensive attack is lacking with Dnipro’s Roman Zozulya the only striking option despite recently returning from an injury layoff.
Konoplyanka and Yarmolenko are clearly the attacking forwards. Both can dictate the game’s pace, are excellent dribblers and effective on the counterattack. Konoplyanka’s vision is outstanding, while Yarmolenko is the top sniper with 20-plus goals in 2016.
Many in Ukraine hope new assistant coach Andriy Shevchenko will upgrade the organization on the pitch and behind the scenes. The legendary striker is adamant the team will surprise the soccer pundits with its play in the group stage.
In an interview with Kyiv soccer correspondent Oleg Zadernovsky, Shevchenko recalled Ukraine’s strong side four years ago, which was unable to qualify from a tough group of England, France and Sweden. This year’s squad is taken from a larger group of seasoned veterans and some exciting young talent.
“Therefore, it will be ‘mission possible’ to qualify from the group and thus achieve better results than in 2012,” Shevchenko said.
Defense-minded approach
Coach Fomenko prefers a 4-2-3-1 formation, which clearly emphasizes defense. The No. 1 goalkeeper is the experienced Andriy Pyatov, with a central defense of Yaroslav Rakitskiy, Yevhen Khacheridi and Shevchuk (left backs) and Artem Fedetskiy on the right. Both wide players are familiar with attacking roles with their respective clubs, but Fomenko asks they first concentrate on their defensive assignments, limiting their potential to push forwards.
Konoplyanka and Yarmolenko play the flanks, often deep in their own half, instructed to mastermind quick counter-attacks. Both are adept and creative in passing the ball and leading the attack.
The midfield is patrolled by Stepanenko and captain Rotan. Both lack pace and are sometimes late on the tackle, risking yellow/red cards. Dynamo Kyiv attacking midfielder Garmash works hard behind a single target man. His assignment is to link the play, hoping to connect with Konoplyanka and Yarmolenko. Garmash reads the game well and is a solid decision-maker.
Fomenko has limited options in the forward department. Yevhen Seleznyov regained his status despite moving to a Russian club, Zozulya works hard though lacking a sniper’s instinct and 19-year-old Oleksandr Zinchenko is new to the international scene. Zozulya, the determined center-forward from Dnipro, appears to be the top choice thanks to his whole-hearted commitment and ability to keep running until the final seconds of the match.