:quality(85)//cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/infobae/FACIP6BHWFDYDMNHHVYJNGDRLI.jpg)
The Ukraine leadered by Oleksandr Zinchenko faces will be seen this Sunday against the selection of Gales of Gareth Bale for the final of the playoffs for a ticket to the Qatar 2022 World Cup in what could be a sporting feat that would be a breath of oxygen for a people traumatized by the Russian invasion.
By winning on Wednesday in Scotland (3-1) in the semifinals of the European playoffs, the blue and yellow have already covered half the way. They, who play each game “like a final”, according to Zinchenko, they will be looking to give their hometown a bit of joy with a good result in Cardiff.
“On Sunday we will have to perform the best performance of our lives”, assured the versatile Manchester City player in the press conference prior to the duel. This former Shakhtar Donetsk footballer, who had to flee the war in Donbas in 2014 and who signed a contract with the Russian club FC Ufa before he signed for the Citizens a year later, he now spoke of football with warlike words.
“We all understand that the match against Wales will not be a matter of fitness or tactics, rather survival. Everyone will fight for it and to give everything”explained the 25-year-old, as if to send forces to the Ukrainian soldiers, in the absence of being able to support them by fighting shoulder to shoulder.
“I am more useful for Ukraine by being in Manchester and helping the Ukrainians as much as I can, sending material, money, or explaining to all the people who will listen to me what is currently happening in Ukraine,” said Zinchenko, who broke down in tears on several occasions during recent interviews and press conferences, such as last Tuesday. , 24 hours before the game against Scotland.
A moral leader, the midfielder will also have to carry most of the team’s game in Cardiff. Six of the eleven starters in Glasgow play for Ukrainian clubs, and before that game in Scotland they hadn’t played a competitive game in months. Only Yarmolenko (West Ham), Yaremchuk (Benfica), Malinovskyi (Atalanta) and Mykolenko (Everton) have been able to finish the season normally.
the welsh defender Ben Davies recognized that this playoff final will be an event full of emotionswhere a lot of people will expect good news for Ukraine, but we have to try to stay focused on the football for the full 90 minutes”.
The captain of Wales, Gareth Bale, he has expressed a lot of sympathy for Ukraine, but also a relentless sporting will to qualify. Will Bale apologize to Ukraine for depriving him of his dream of the World Cup? “Sounds horrible, but no”answered.
“It is a football game and a competition that we want to reach. Everyone sympathizes with Ukraine, but this match is a football match. It’s sport, it unites everyone. We understand what it means for Ukraine, but we want to go to the World Cup. This is not coming from a horrible place, but it is coming from our country, from our hearts. We want to fulfill our fans.”
It should be remembered that Ukraine last qualified for a World Cup in 2006.but Wales has had an even longer wait, since 1958.
The authorities gave 100 entries to Ukrainian refugeesin addition to 5% of the seats reserved for visiting fans established by the regulations, in a venue with 33,000 seats, the Cardiff City Stadium, which will have full capacity.
POSSIBLE FORMATIONS:
Gales: Wayne Hennessey; Ethan AmpaduJoe RodonBen Davies; Connor RobertsAaron RamseyHarry WilsonNeco WilliamsJoe Allen; Gareth Bale and Daniel James.
Ucrania: Georgi bushchan; Oleksandr KaravayevIllia ZabarnyiMykola MatvyenkoVitaly Mykolenko; Taras StepanenkoAndriy YarmolenkoRuslan MalinovskiyOleksandr Zinchenko; Viktor Tsygankov and Roman Yaremchuk.
HOUR: 16:00 GMT (13:00 ARG-URU-CHI / 12:00 VEN-PAR-BOL / 11:00 COL-PER-ECU-MEX)
TV: DirecTV 1622 / Star +
ESTADIO: Cardiff Stadium
