There are games that are much more than that. Ukraine had planned to play against Scotland its continuity in the playoffs ahead of the Qatar World Cup. But the Russian invasion changed everything. This Wednesday the Ukrainians will rush their World Cup options in a clash that now has completely different connotations for them.
The Ukrainian team met on May 6 for the first time since February 24, the day the war began. Given the impossibility of training in their country, they have done so in Brdo pri Kranj, on Slovenian soil. This Wednesday they will try to break Scotland at Hampden Park in Glasgow. The winner will compete on Sunday with Wales for the last ticket to Qatar.
Opponent’s Praise
“It’s been a long wait since November when we found out who we were going to play against. Obviously circumstances have changed for the Ukrainian team, but I’m glad they got the chance to go out there and play for their country,” he said. Steve Clark, Scotland manager. “They will want to represent their country well, and we are no different to them. We have waited a long time for this game and we are determined to get to Qatar.”
“I have great respect for the Scottish team and I am grateful that they agreed to postpone the original match without conditions until June,” he said. Oleksandr Petrakovwho took over from Andrey Schevchenko on the Ukrainian bench.
Three friendlies in half a year
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The first game since the invasion was against the Borussia Monchengladbach on May 12, in a friendly that not only served to start preparing the fight with Scotland but also had the purpose of raising funds for the beleaguered country. The Ukrainians wore t-shirts with the silhouette of their country and protest messages. Subsequently, they were also measured Empoly Italian and the Rijeka Croatian. They were going to play a final preparation match last Thursday against the Democratic Republic of the Congo but the African country ended up canceling it.
The 64-year-old Ukrainian coach tried to enlist when the invasion began. “They told me: ‘You’re too old and you don’t have any military skills. Instead, you better take us to the World Cup,'” he told Time magazine. This Wednesday he and his players will try to fulfill the wishes that come to them from the trenches.