Who can you name in Ukraine’s team apart from Andriy Shevchenko and Anatoliy Tymoshchuk?
he Kyiv Post has profiled all 23 players in Ukraine’s squad along with head coach Oleh Blokhin.
Blokhin kept everyone guessing while experimenting with some 40 players in the past year before finally molding his final squad.
On June 11 against Sweden, Ukraine will field a mix of experience and youth in its first appearance in the tournament finals.
Blokhin has said that exciting young players such as wingers Andriy Yarmolenko and Yevhen Konoplyanka will be crucial to the team’s fast, counter-attacking style of play.
Ukraine will rely on Tymoshchuk in midfield to break up the opposition before it gets as far as the Yellow-Blues leaky defense.
Lately, Ukraine suffered two surprising losses to Austria and Turkey in warm-up games ahead of the tournament on June 1 and June 5, breaking a run of six games without defeat.
The team had an illness scare ahead of the game against Turkey, when 10 players were struck down by food poisoning.
By June 6, however, they were all in light training again and are expected to be ready for the game against Sweden on June 11.
Oleh Blokhin
Coach
Age: 59
Caps: 112
Goals: 42
Oleh Blokhin has returned for a second spell as coach after leading Ukraine to the World Cup quarterfinals in 2006.
Known as a hard taskmaster with a sharp tongue, Blokhin was the Soviet Union’s most-capped player and top goal scorer.
He also won the Golden Ball as Europe’s best player in 1975.
Yevhen Konoplyanka
Winger
Age: 22
Caps: 17
Goals: 5
Dnipro Dmipropetrovsk winger Yevhen Konoplyanka is one of the youngsters that coach Oleh Blokhin is relying on to torture opposing defenders with his speed and skill.
Konoplyanka burst onto the scene as a 17 year old playing for Dnipro, immediately impressing with his raw pace and dribbling.
He’s now a fixture on the left wing for Ukraine’s national team, complementing Dynamo Kyiv’s Andriy Yarmolenko on the right.
Andriy Pyatov
Goalkeeper
Age: 27
Caps: 25
Goals: 0
At the start of the year, Andriy Pyatov wasn’t even the starting goalkeeper for his club, Shakhtar Donetsk.
But after Oleksandr Rybka was banned in January for doping, and Ukraine’s two other top ’keepers were struck by injury, Pyatov suddenly finds himself likely to start in goal for the Euro 2012 host.
A UEFA Cup winner with Shakhtar in 2009, Pyatov can be a good shot stopper.
But his game has been marred by mistakes, such as spilling corners and free kicks, which have led to goals.
Viacheslav Shevchuk
Fullback
Age: 33
Caps: 21
Goals: 0
Coach Blokhin has a straight choice at left back – experienced Shakhtar Donetsk defender Viacheslav Shevchuk or Vorskla’s Yevhen Selin.
Shevchuk has played more often than usual for championship-winning Shakhtar this season after dislodging Razvan Rat from the starting lineup.
With Shevchuk, who has won five Ukrainian championships and one UEFA Cup with Shakhtar, Blokhin knows what he’ll get: hard work, speed and discipline.
Oleksandr Horiayinov
Goalkeeper
Age: 36
Caps: 2
Goals: 0
Metalist Kharkiv goalkeeper Oleksandr Horiayinov has got the chance to shine late in his career.
At 36 and with only one cap to his name, Horiayinov wasn’t a contender for a place in the Euro 2012 squad just a few months ago.
But when injury and suspension took out the national side’s top three keepers, the veteran of more than 400 Ukrainian league and cup games was called into the camp.
Yaroslav Rakytskiy
Center back
Age: 22
Caps: 17
Goals: 3
Shakhtar Donetsk defender Yaroslav Rakytskiy is a powerful striker of the ball who loves to get forward and score goals.
That quality drew a compliment recently from coach Oleh Blokhin who then went on to chastise him for not doing his main job well enough – defending.
Ukraine’s defensive line is its weak spot. Whether Rakytskiy steps up to the task will be crucial in deciding whether Ukraine gets out of its group.
Bohdan Butko
Fullback
Age: 21
Caps: 7
Goals: 0
The right back position has been a problem for Ukraine for a while – but youngster Bohdan Butko may be the player to solve the problem.
The Shakhtar Donetsk fullback, who has been sent out on loan for the past two seasons, has already played seven times for Ukraine.
Quick and with good control, Butko will challenge Husyev for the starting slot.
Oleksandr Kucher
Center back
Age: 29
Caps: 29
Goals: 1
A tenacious defender who is good in the air, Oleksandr Kucher plays alongside Yaroslav Rakytskiy at the heart of Shakhtar Donetsk’s defense.
The understanding that has developed in their partnership will be tested to the full if they are the pair chosen to start the first match in the center of defense against Sweden and its star striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
Andriy Shevchenko
Forward
Age: 35
Caps: 108
Goals: 46
Andriy Shevchenko is Ukraine’s captain, all-time top goalscorer, and talisman.
After starting his career at Dynamo Kyiv, Shevchenko – known by fans as Sheva – moved to AC Milan.
At the Italian giant he won the Champions League, the Italian league title and the Golden Ball as Europe’s best footballer in 2004.
Following an unsuccessful four years at Chelsea, he returned to Dynamo in 2009.
Although slowed by age and injuries, Shevchenko still troubles defenses with his movement and quick football brain.
Anatoliy Tymoshchuk
Midfielder
Age: 33
Caps: 115
Goals: 4
Anatoliy Tymoshchuk is Ukraine’s most capped player and the rock at the heart of the midfield.
The tireless Bayern Munich midfielder will be responsible for thwarting the other team’s plans before the ball gets as far as Ukraine’s defense.
Tymoshchuk shot to prominence playing for Shakhtar Donetsk for almost a decade before transferring to Zenit St. Petersburg.
He won the 2008 UEFA Cup there before moving to Bayern, one of Europe’s top teams, in 2009.
He was a member of the team that lost in this year’s Champions League final to Chelsea.
Andriy Yarmolenko
Winger
Age: 22
Caps: 20
Goals: 8
Tall, fast, strong and a fine finisher, Dynamo Kyiv’s Andriy Yarmolenko could be Ukraine’s best player at the tournament.
Yarmolenko is a key part of Ukraine’s starting team, and his storming runs down the right wing have already seen him linked with a transfer to top European clubs such as AC Milan.
Expect even more clubs to be interested if he shows his top form at the tournament.
Yevhen Selin
Fullback
Age: 24
Caps: 5
Goals: 1
Vorskla left back Yevhen Selin didn’t take long to make his mark for the Yellow-Blues – he scored on his debut against Bulgaria in October.
Since then, Selin has been first choice in his position, pushing aside veteran Viacheslav Shevchuk.
He’s tactically astute and in good physical condition leaving Blokhin with a tough call – youth or experience?
Andriy Voronin
Forward
Age: 32
Caps: 72
Goals: 8
Andriy Voronin has had his trademark long blonde hair cut ahead of Euro 2012 and it seems to have brought him good luck.
On May 29, he scored his first goal in almost a year in a warm-up game against Estonia.
He made his name in Germany before an unsuccessful year at Liverpool.
He seems unlikely to start, given the competition to start up front, but if Blokhin needs someone to come on and get a goal, Voronin could be his man.
Maksym Koval
Goalkeeper
Age: 19
Caps: 1
Goals: 0
Maksym Koval was touted for great things at a young age.
After debuting for Metalurh Zaporizhia at the age of just 16, Koval shot to prominence when he saved a last-minute penalty to hand Metalurh a surprise draw with powerhouse Dynamo Kyiv.
Dynamo bought Koval, who impressed on his Champions League debut by keeping Ajax at bay almost single-handedly.
He has spent much of the last season on the bench as veteran stopper Oleksandr Shovkovskiy holds Dynamo’s No. 1 shirt.
But injuries and suspensions mean Koval could challenge for a starting role for the Yellow-Blues.
Yevhen Selezniov
Forward
Age: 26
Caps: 29
Goals: 5
Yevhen Selezniov was the top Ukrainian goal scorer in this year’s Premier League with a rather low total of 14 goals for Shakhtar Donetsk.
Coach Blokhin wasn’t impressed, but it’s hardly Selezniov’s fault.
He rarely starts for the champion and is mostly used as a substitute.
That’s probably the best he can hope for at Euro 2012 as well, but his strong physical build could prove useful up front when the occasion presents itself.
Oleh Husyev
Winger/full back
Age: 29
Caps: 72
Goals: 12
Usually a right winger, Oleh Husyev is likely to play at right back to accommodate Dynamo Kyiv teammate Andriy Yarmolenko.
Husyev has been one of the first names on the team sheet for Ukraine since he debuted in 2003.
He’s a tireless runner, so expect lung-busting runs forward to the crowd’s favorite chant: “Hu-u-u-syev!”
Oleksandr Aliyev
Midfielder
Age: 27
Caps: 27
Goals: 6
If Ukraine gets a free kick within shooting range, expect midfielder Oleksandr Aliyev to step up to take it – if he’s on the pitch.
A regular at the turn of 2010-2011, he has played less in recent games.
Critics say he doesn’t work hard enough when his team doesn’t have the ball and doesn’t offer as many defense-splitting passes as he should.
Aliyev is most likely to come off the substitute bench to have an impact with his long-range shooting.
Ruslan Rotan
Midfielder
Age: 31
Caps: 58
Goals: 6
Ruslan Rotan is the man Blokhin turns to when he wants a ball-playing defensive midfielder.
While he doesn’t start every game, the Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk player is often asked to come on to break up the opponent’s attacks and provide neat passes.
He could start alongside Anatoliy Tymoshchuk, as Blokhin may use two defensive midfielders to protect Ukraine’s weak defense.
Serhiy Nazarenko
Midfielder
Age: 32
Caps: 50
Goals: 12
A consistent goal scorer from midfield, Tavriya Simferopol’s Serhiy Nazarenko will provide valuable experience for the Yellow-Blues.
Mysteriously unused in the 2006 World Cup in Germany, Nazarenko has a prodigious feeling for the game’s rhythm and tempo.
He knows when to deliver one-off passes, when to hold back the ball, or when to take the initiative and strike at the net.
Nazarenko single-handedly gave England’s Fabio Capello his first competitive defeat in a World Cup qualifier in October 2009 with a sweet left foot shot.
And Germany certainly won’t forget his 30-meter rocket in their 3-3 November 2011 friendly in Kyiv.
Taras Mykhalyk
Center back/ central midfielder
Age: 28
Taras Mykhalyk is perhaps Ukraine’s most versatile player. Now primarily a centerback, he can also play as a midfielder. AC Milan was said to be interested in buying Mykhalyk in 2008, when he was nicknamed the “Ukrainian Gattuso” after combative Italian midfielder Gennaro Gattuso. Mykhalyk is returning from injuries that meant he only played seven games for Dynamo Kyiv this season.
Yevhen Khacheridi
Center back / central midfielder
Age: 24
Caps: 11
Goals: 0
Dynamo Kyiv central defender Yevhen Khacheridi first played for Ukraine in its stunning 1-0 victory over England in 2009.
Khacheridi, who is almost two meters tall, is fighting for a starting spot in defense.
He may lose out not only because of his tactical inexperience, but also for his volatility.
He was given a record fine by Dynamo after he was sent off for grabbing an opponent by the neck.
Marko Devic
Forward
Age: 28
Caps: 21
Goals: 2
Serbia-born forward Marko Devic transferred from Metalist Kharkiv to champion Shakhtar Donetsk earlier this month in the hope of getting more game time.
It’s good news for the national team that he has experience coming off the bench and hitting goals – it has a number of talented strikers in competition for the starting spot.
Devic may even start: Unlike Artem Milevskiy, he works hard and can come deep to fetch the ball.
Artem Milevskiy
Forward
Age: 27
Caps: 45
Goals: 8
Artem Milevskiy is Ukraine’s most frustrating player.
Tall and strong but with tight ball control and a soft touch, Milevskiy could be a top star.
But his lethargic style and tendency to dive infuriates fans – and, presumably, coaches and teammates.
Euro 2012 is a stage on which this talented player could make a name for himself on an international level.
The question is, will he be able to take his chance – and will Blokhin give it to him?
Denys Harmash
Midfielder
Age: 22
Caps: 5
Goals: 0
Despite his young age and small number of caps, Denys Harmash is a confident ball player with a tough streak.
He’s good at breaking up attacks but also starting up attacks for Dynamo, where he is a regular starter.
He’ll have a tough time making the starting 11 for Ukraine, though, where he needs to dislodge veterans Ruslan Rotan and Serhiy Nazarenko from the central midfield role.
