Euro 2012 Preview - Ukraine
Nickname: "Zhovto-Blakytni" ("The Yellow-Blues")
Absurd FIFA ranking: 52nd
Coach: Former European Footballer of the Year Oleg Blokhin
Match Schedule:
June 11 – Ukraine v. Sweden (Kiev, 2:45 p.m. EST)
June 15 – Ukraine v. France (Donetsk, 12 p.m.)
June 19 – Ukraine v. England (Donetsk, 2:45 p.m.)
Prospects: Co-hosts Ukraine come into this summer's tournament with the lowest FIFA ranking in the tournament and the realization that, but for their hosting slot, they almost surely would have missed out on Euro 2012. No one rates them, which might just take a bit of the home pressure off the side. Could an aging squad led by journeyman striker Andrei Shevchenko be a surprise package?
Key Player: 33 year old Bayern defensive middie Anotoliy Tymoshchuk will need to keep things tight.
Youngster to watch: Up and coming striker Anton Shynder could take some of the goalscoring pressure off the skipper.
Who Will Get the Goals: Those duties still fall to the skipper Andrei Shevchenko, now 35 and playing back at Dynamo Kiev.
Who Will Get the Cards: Shakhtar Donetsk hatchetman Oleksandr Kucher.
Prediction: Ukraine sadly don't even have the pomp and circumstance of an opening ceremony to stir the loins. Might nick a point off Sweden in the opener. Otherwise....bottom of the group.
posted by The Blue Devil @ 9:06 AM
3 Comments:
This side would not have come close to qualifying and has aged tremendously by football standards since qualifying for the 2006 World Cup. I don't see Sheva scoring as he lost quite a bit of pace since that disasterous spell with Chelsea. I agree that Tymoshchuk is probably their key player and I think he will pick up the cards as he will be expected to do the work of three players since most of them lack the quality to even lace his own boots. I agree that they might nick a point in similar fashion to Austria in 2008 when they needed help from the ref to get a soft penalty. I expect either Tymoshchuk to score from a set piece or Sheva from a phantom penalty.I don't think there are any youngsters to watch. I predict that they will finish bottom of the group and need to be out of the tournament ASAP.
Now these guys even lack intestinal fortitude: http://espnfc.com/us/en/news/1089557/ukraine-players-get-food-poisoning.html
And their replica shirts are toxic!
Wooden spoon for the Ukes in their group. Not a chance to advance.
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