Ukraine coach Rebrow moved by Italian gesture
After missing out on a direct ticket to the European Championship, Ukrainian national soccer coach Serhij Rebrow was moved by the gesture of peace made by their final group opponents Italy. "It was very emotional," said the former star striker after the 0-0 draw in the decisive group match on Monday evening in Leverkusen, which gave defending champions Italy a direct ticket to the European Championship in Germany.
Before kick-off, both the Italian players and the fans had clapped through the Ukrainian anthem. Even when the Ukrainian players, who still have a chance of a fourth consecutive European Championship appearance in the play-offs in March, gathered in the center circle after the game, the Italian players applauded them.
"They showed us respect and support," said the national coach, who also thanked the German hosts. "I love playing in Germany and I think my players do too," said Rebrow: "Everyone was very friendly to us. And we are very grateful that they gave us the opportunity to play in this great stadium and supported us."
Rebrow is very proud of his team, who only missed out on qualification for the time being because they lost the direct comparison on points with Italy. "We all know that the war in Ukraine is going on," he said: "It's pretty tough for the players. They are always looking at their cell phones and watching the news. It's not easy in this atmosphere. But all the players have shown that they have character and are fighting for their country." After being drawn in a group with last year's European Championship finalists England and Italy, "not many people believed in us, even in Ukraine. But we fought until the last game."
Despite not securing a direct ticket to the European Championship, Ukraine's soccer team is still in contention for qualification through the play-offs. Rebrow expressed his appreciation for Italy's sportsmanship during their group matches, particularly their show of respect by clapping during the Ukrainian anthem and applauding after the 0-0 draw.
Source: www.dpa.com
