Myron Markevych criticized Ukraine's tactical approach following their 4:2 defeat to Canada in Saturday's Canadian Shield 2025 friendly tournament match at WMO Field in Toronto.
"Everyone was surprised before this training camp why Serhiy Rebrov called up only one nominal striker," the experienced Ukrainian coach pointed out when analyzing the national team's performance.
Serhiy Rebrov's decision to rely solely on Roman Yaremchuk as the team's attacking option raised eyebrows among football specialists. The lack of offensive alternatives became apparent during the international friendly, where Ukraine conceded four goals against the Canadian hosts.
Markevych acknowledged the circumstances behind the limited striker selection: "Yes, Vladislav Vanat was released to the youth team, and Artem Dovbyk was probably injured. Nevertheless, of course, someone else should have been called up, at least to give them a chance."
The veteran coach refrained from further criticism, adding: "That's the head coach's business, why he decided this way. This question is better asked to him directly."
Interestingly, the match played on June 7th highlighted Ukraine's offensive struggles that many analysts had predicted given the thin forward line. With only Yaremchuk available as a true striker, Ukraine's attacking options were severely limited against the Canadian defense.
Will Rebrov reconsider his striker selection strategy for upcoming matches? The pressure is certainly mounting after this disappointing result on Canadian soil.
