Ukraine’s Zinchenko sees Wales decider as a game of survival

Oleksandr Zinchenko, one of several outstanding performers against the Scots, has no doubts that the team will be ready to take on a Wales side looking to secure their first World Cup finals appearance since 1958

GLASGOW, Scotland After a night that they will never forget, Ukraine’s players will waste little time reflecting on the emotions and exhilaration generated by their 3-1 win over Scotland at Hampden Park on Wednesday as a World Cup decider against Wales looms.

A squad that had not played together since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February now has just three days to get ready to go all out again on Sunday in Cardiff with a place in November’s World Cup finals the prize.

Oleksandr Zinchenko, one of several outstanding performers against the Scots, has no doubts that the team will be ready to take on a Wales side looking to secure their first World Cup finals appearance since 1958.

“There is no time to rejoice. It’s time to recover. Each of us is a professional who needs to know what he needs to do for this,” said the Manchester City player.

“However, we all understand that the game with Wales will no longer be about physical condition or tactics - it will be a game of survival. Everyone will fight to the end and give their all, because we will play for our country,” he added.

If the celebrations from the Ukraine fans in the stadium on Wednesday, over 2,000 of them drawn from around the U.K and even as far away as Australia, were not enough of a reminder of what the victory meant to the war-ravaged nation, the messages they received after the match made it abundantly clear.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky posted a picture of the team celebrating on the Telegram app, accompanied by a brief message: “Sometimes you don’t need a lot of words! Just pride… They went out, fought, persevered, and won. Because they are Ukrainians!”