Ukraine national team coach, Andriy Shevchenko will be banking on back-to-fitness Andriy Yarmolenko (pictured above) and Viktor Tsyhankov to inspire his team’s win against the Super Eagles in an international friendly match in Kyiv on September 10, Completesports.com reports.
Ukraine are billed to take on Lithuania in an Euro 2020 qualifier on Saturday in Vilnius after which they will engage Nigeria on Tuesday at the Dnipro Arena, Kyiv.
29-year old West Ham striker, Yarmolenko has been a full international for Ukraine since 2009, scoring 36 goals in 79 matches and playing at UEFA Euro 2012 and Euro 2016.
Youthful star, 21-year old Tsyhankov who plays as a midfielder for Dynamo Kyiv is one of Ukraine’s future stars having progressed from national team youth ranks and now has 3 goals in 15 games.
Speaking at a training session watched by about three thousand fans, coach Shevchenko says he is looking forward to positive results and good football especially with the forms of both players ahead the Lithuania and Nigeria games.
“I’m very positive. Yarmolenko is an important player for us. Now he has recovered, played matches, and has officially scored for West Ham. Tsyhankov constantly plays and gradually adds. These are all positive points,” Shevchenko, a former Ukraine international, told reporters.
“My job is to prepare the team so that it not only produces results, but also shows quality football and we are all working to achieve that goal.”
By Sulaiman Alao
