Ukraine achieved the greatest success in national football history by reaching the EURO quarter-finals, but the hunger has not been satisfied. Today (9pm) the blue and yellow, who were defeated by Austria 0-1 in the group stage, want to annoy a “giant”. “We know England are favorites, but we’ve made it this far, so we’ll fight as long as we can,” said midfielder Taras Stepanenko before the trial at the Olympic Stadium in Rome. “Football is unpredictable. We saw how Switzerland beat France. So anything can happen,” added the 31-year-old.
The central question is how the power reserves are doing. The match against Sweden (2-1 after extra time) demanded everything from star coach Andrei Shevchenko’s team. Former Ukrainian team boss Jozsef Szabo knows that too: “Basically, my feeling is positive. But I don’t know whether the boys will be able to recover in time. The game against Sweden was so physically and mentally exhausting. It was also very emotional – and they had only three days to process it, “said the 81-year-old.
The Ukrainians can live very well with Rome as the venue because England (temporarily) has to give up unconditional support from the Wembley Stadium. “We will demand everything from the Three Lions,” promised star striker Andrei Jarmolenko, legionnaire in the service of West Ham United.
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
