Ukraine바카라s soccer players feel a duty to represent their nation바카라s identity on a global stage and give pride to people back home during Russia바카라s war on their homeland. (More Football News)
Ukraine are now just one win away from a morale-boosting spot in the World Cup finals in Qatar starting in November.
Ukraine바카라s soccer players feel a duty to represent their nation바카라s identity on a global stage and give pride to people back home during Russia바카라s war on their homeland. (More Football News)
Mission fulfilled so far.
With Ukraine now just one win away from a morale-boosting spot in the World Cup finals, its players have been encouraged by messages from Ukrainians fighting the war back home.
The messages 바카라 from people facing daily risks to defend Ukraine 바카라 lifted the team before and after an inspirational first win in the World Cup qualifying playoffs on Wednesday.
바카라They text before the game,바카라 Ukraine midfielder Ruslan Malinovskyi said in the afterglow of Ukraine beating Scotland 3-1 in Glasgow. 바카라Guys, we are with you, do your job on the pitch, we do our job to protect our country.바카라바카라
The hugely impressive Ukraine team moved on Thursday to Wales where victory would secure its place at the World Cup finals in Qatar starting in November.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy posted thanks to the team on social media for 바카라two hours of happiness.바카라
The team바카라s performance and unity with people at home came 바카라from our soul, from our heart,바카라 said midfielder Taras Stepanenko, who has spent the past eight years playing for a Shakhtar Donetsk club exiled from its home city by Russian-backed conflict.
바카라I have maybe 100 messages from my friends, from my family, from our army who serve now in a very difficult situation,바카라 Stepanenko said after the game.
Stepanenko acknowledged he 바카라wanted to cry바카라 during the Ukraine anthem played minutes before kickoff.
He laughed while explaining one post-match message sent by a friend. A soldier stationed on the border joked that Scotland바카라s goal which barely crossed the goal-line had not really breached Ukraine바카라s territory.
바카라My very good friend, now he바카라s in a very difficult point of fighting every day. He said this ball didn바카라t cross,바카라 Stepanenko said.
The story seemed to confirm the players바카라 confident predictions that anyone who could follow the soccer game at home would try to do so. Bars in Kyiv stayed open behind locked doors through a curfew and during air-raid alerts.
바카라We did everything for the people we played for,바카라 coach Oleksandr Petrakov said at the stadium, 바카라for the armed forces in the trenches and in the hospitals, who give their last drop of blood, (for) those in Ukraine who suffer every day.바카라
바카라They will thank us and we will give them our gratitude,바카라 said Petrakov.
바카라Women and children (are) being killed by the Russians on a daily basis,바카라 said the coach, whose team has put Ukraine, and its famous blue-and-yellow colors, on a globally broadcast stage.
Petrakov바카라s purpose chimed with those who came to Glasgow to share the moment among 3,000 Ukraine fans in a near-50,000 crowd at Hampden Park.
바카라The more Ukraine you see on TV and news everywhere it바카라s better for us,바카라 said Yaroslav Grygorenko, who lives in Amsterdam with his wife and their three children. 바카라It바카라s more important than usual to be there (at the World Cup).바카라
Ukraine바카라s quest to qualify for the finals tournament 바카라 where its first game would be against the United States on Nov. 21 바카라 continues in Cardiff on Sunday.
Victory over Wales would give Ukraine five months to prepare for a tournament, with Iran and England also in Group B with the U.S.
Malinovskyi acknowledged the value of soccer keeping Ukraine in the news as the horrors of war gradually become normalized to the world.
바카라It바카라s already three months and some people are already tired from this. We all understand this,바카라 he said.
At age 29, and years after leaving Shakhtar and Ukraine, Malinovskyi spoke of a future further away from Russian influence for the country where his parents and brother still live.
바카라I live in Europe for six years, we need to go for this mentality. I live in Belgium 3 ½ years and Italy now for three years,바카라 the Atalanta player said. 바카라We need to go for this because the level of life is higher.바카라
First, the Ukraine team is doing its duty this week to raise the level of morale at home.