The game between the two teams was postponed earlier this year due to the war in Ukraine. After half an hour of play, Andriy Yarmolenko opened the score on behalf of the visitors. He cleverly flipped the leather over goalkeeper Gordon. Scotland, incidentally, was lucky that it only went to the dressing room halfway with one goal against. Ukraine was clearly the parent.
Shortly after the break, Roman Yaremchuk doubled the score. At the request of karavaiev he headlined. The task for Scotland now became very difficult. The home team still tried and made the connection goal via Callum McGregor, but Ukraine did not let the Scots come anymore. Artem Dovbyk threw the game deep into the extra time.
And so Ukraine will face Wales on June 5 in Cardiff for a place at the World Cup in Qatar. Ukraine last participated in the World Cup in 2006 and then stranded in the quarter-finals. Scotland has been waiting for participation in the global title fight since 1998.
‘Now we have to play the game of our lives’
Oleksandr Zinchenko is one victory away with Ukraine from participating in the World Cup, later this year in Qatar. “Everyone knows the current situation in Ukraine and every game is a final for us, but as a team we have the dream to go to the World Cup,” he said after the win over Scotland.
“We have one game left, one final and we will win it,” said Zinchenko. “We have to play the game of our lives and that’s what we’re going to do.”
Zinchenko, a Manchester City player, burst into tears during an emotional press moment on Tuesday. “Every Ukrainian wants only one thing: that this war ends,” he said at the time. “We hope to give them football joy, because they deserve it.”