Ukraine’s emotional quest to qualify for the World Cup in the midst of a war passed the first obstacle with a 3-1 win against Scotland in a tense playoff match on Wednesday.
Now all the team needs is one more victory to get to Qatar.
Andriy Yarmolenko, the veteran captain, inspired his country by scoring a brilliant lobbed goal in the 33rd minute and then assisting on Roman Yaremchuk’s 2-0 goal in the 49th minute.
Ukraine owned for much of a deserved win, but they had to hold off a Scotland recovery, with Callum McGregor scoring in the 79th minute after a risk-filled attack, before Ukraine substitute Artem Dovbyk raced through to score with the game’s final kick.
Dovbyk led his comrades to the stadium’s back corner, where they joined 3,000 Ukrainian fans in the 51,000-strong crowd in praising each other with their hands lifted high above their heads.
Armed forces in the battlefields and hospitals who donate their last drop of blood, and those in Ukraine who suffer every day, according to Ukraine coach Oleksandr Petrakov.
Ukraine will now face Wales on Sunday, with a spot in the World Cup on the line.
In November, the victor of the Cardiff tournament will travel to Qatar to compete in a group including England, the United States, and Iran.
Despite employing six starting who had not participated in a competitive game since December, Ukraine put on a strong performance.
The majority of Ukraine’s team plays for home-based clubs in a league that was suspended following Russia’s invasion, and the playoff in Glasgow were postponed in March. FIFA and the Scottish Football Association agreed to allow the Ukrainian team a fair chance to prepare for games that have become a source of national pride and identity.
Scotland lacked the required class, and its wait for a World Cup match has already lasted longer than the 24 years since it competed in the 1998 event.
Me, my coaching staff and the players are suffering more than anyone, Scotland coach Steve Clarke said. The game was won by the excellent team.
Ukraine’s victory may have been sealed sooner if Scotland’s Craig Gordon, 39, had not made early and often saves. When the Scots were looking for a way back into the game, John McGinn put a close-range header wide in the 67th minute.
As a victim of Russian aggression, Ukraine is riding a tide of worldwide goodwill, and its players’ fervent desire to repay the country with a spot on soccer’s grandest stage was apparent.
The Ukrainian players each carried a blue and yellow national flag on their shoulders as they entered the pitch.
The national anthem of Ukraine, “Shche ne vmerla Ukrainas,” was heartily applauded by Scotland fans during the warm greeting. Many of the same fans remained on the field after the game to applaud their winning opponents.
I also want to express my gratitude to the people of Scotland – an incredible, welcoming country, Petrakov remarked.
Some Ukrainian fans had traveled a long distance and had made plans to stay in the United Kingdom for the crucial playoff match on Sunday.
Before the game, George Butromeyev told The Associated Press that he travelled from Toronto with friends to offer his support for the players, who need to show the people of Ukraine that we are soldiers.
It’s not just about football, Yaroslav Grygorenko, a visitor from Amsterdam, remarked. It’s critical to stay on top of the debates here in Europe so that (people) don’t forget what’s going on in Ukraine.
Scotland-born Alex Demianczuk wore a kilt with Ukrainian yellow and blue colours and wished for the advancement of his parents’ country. He predicted that Ukraine’s participation in the World Cup will really get on (Russian President Vladimir) Putin’s nerves.
The wartime night-time curfew in Kyiv, which began at 11 p.m. local time, before the start of the second half, made it difficult for spectators to gather to watch the game.
The Beer & Meet bar in downtown Kyiv gets around the movement restrictions by allowing patrons to stay until 5 a.m., when the curfew ended.
Because of an air-raid warning, police stopped by the bar in a patrol car a few minutes before kickoff, urging fans who had congregated outside to go down into the drinking hole’s basement rooms.
Oleksii Safin, a 40-year-old voice actor, sang the national anthem while standing with his right hand over his heart. When Ukraine scored first, he and other supporters shouted with joy. The battle unfolding in the country’s east, however, was not ignored.
We look to be having a great time, but we aren’t, according to Safin. We’re attempting to keep a normal appearance, but we’re still aware of things in the east.
It’s a good fight, much like the one we’re having with the Russians right now, Safin said. We can demonstrate that we are capable.
