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WHY UKRAINE CHOOSE TO PLAY NIGERIA

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BY KUNLE SOLAJA

Coach of Ukraine, Andriy Shevchenko, has offered the reasons why his team decided to play Nigeria in the current FIFA international window. At a press conference on Monday ahead of the Tuesday evening match, the coach remarked:


“First of all, it is difficult to find a European team as a rival now, because everyone is involved in the selection cycle. There are very few national teams that do not play during this period.


“Some agreed in advance. So we found a very good team, that played well at the 2019 Africa Cup. The Nigeria national team is physically strong, with good performers, most of whom play in England. So the match will be very interesting.

– Yevhen Konoplyanka was a leader of the national team for a long time, but now in his position there is high competition. How psychologically motivates him?

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– Eugene’s condition is estimated by the coaching staff. I enjoy working with this team because all the guys are teaching at 100 percent.

“During the summer, Konoplyanka waited for a transfer, so he dropped out of the training process. We all know and understand his condition perfectly. I am very glad that he moved to Shakhtar.

“This is a plus for him, for the new team and for the whole of Ukraine. Eugene represents the national team, and it is important that he plays. But if he comes out on the field tomorrow, will determine the coaching staff. It is important that he takes shape.

Kunle Solaja is the author of landmark books on sports and journalism as well as being a multiple award-winning journalist and editor of long standing. He is easily Nigeria’s foremost soccer diarist and Africa's most capped FIFA World Cup journalist, having attended all FIFA World Cup finals from Italia ’90 to Qatar 2022. He was honoured at the Qatar 2022 World Cup by FIFA and AIPS.

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