Ukraine - Looking for a change

Ukraine 

 Being a result of the dismembering of USSR, their history isn’t particularly shiny, but they are always able to create danger. Despite that they seem to be a team that fail in the big moments, resulting in only one presence in World Cups and one in Euros (as co-hosts). One of the true question marks of the competition.

How they qualified

 Was a very average qualification, the one the Ukrainians had. They had a relatively easy group where they were clear candidates to 2^nd place, but the defeat against Slovakia in Kiev ended up being decisive in making Ukraine play the play-off. There they outshined Slovenia and confirmed qualification.

Squad

Goalkeepers: Andriy Pyatov (Shakhtar), Denys Boyko (Besiktas), Mykyta Shevchenko (Shakhtar).

Defenders: Yevhen Khacheridi (Dynamo Kiev), Bohdan Butko (Shakhtar), Artem Fedetskyi (Dnipro), Oleksandr Karavaev (Shakhtar), Oleksandr Kucher (Shakhtar), Yaroslav Rakytskiy (Shakhtar), Vyacheslav Shevchuk (Shakhtar).

Midfielders: Serhiy Rybalka (Dynamo Kiev), Denys Garmash (Dynamo Kiev), Serhiy Sydorchuk (Dynamo Kiev), Andriy Yarmolenko (Dynamo Kiev), Yevhen Konoplyanka (Sevilla), Ruslan Rotan (Dnipro), Taras Stepanenko (Shakhtar), Viktor Kovalenko (Shakhtar), Anatoliy Tumoschuk (Kairat), Oleksandr Zinchenko (UFA).

Forwards: Roman Zozulya (Dnipro), Pylyp Budkivskyi (Shakhtar), Yevhen Seleznyov (Shakhtar).

Andriy Yarmolenko

Club : Dinamo Kiev (UKR)

Age : 26 years

 Disconcerting player, with a great technique that can solve a game. Yarmolenko floats in the offensive, in both wings or in the center, using both feet with the same quality. Has been an icon at Din.Kiev, but it’s known throughout Europe due to his good showings in European competitions. 

Viktor Kovalenko

Clube : Shakthar Donetsk (UKR)

Idade : 20 anos

 One of the most promising talents that was formed in Shakthar Donetsk’s academy. 20 years old completed in February and has been playing for the first team since he was 17. Was the golden boot in the U-20 World Cup in 2015 and now is looking a strong candidate to start in the main national squad.

Mykhaylo Fomenko

 In charge of Ukraine since December 2012, had to battle through the stigma of being 3^rd choice – after Redknapp and Eriksson – started regenerating the ranks and almost qualified to the world cup, not missing out this time.

What to expect from them?

Fomenko is going to employ a 4-3-3 with Konoplyanka and Yarmolenko as false wingers that will flux the game into the middle, and waiting for support coming from the right and left backs.

 The Ukrainians always have a good set of names, but are never able to leave a great mark in the competitions, but they have a strong side with talent, and in this group they clearly have a chance. Their defensive area is the weakest, though, and it has to avoid a bad day 

FIL's Starting XI prediction