Myron Markevych criticized the Ukrainian national team's striker situation following Ukraine's 2:4 defeat to Canada in a friendly match. The experienced Ukrainian coach questioned Serhiy Rebrov's decision to call up only one forward for the international fixture at WMO Field in Toronto on June 7.
"Everyone was surprised before this training camp about why Serhiy Rebrov called up only one nominal striker. Yes, Vladyslav Vanat was released to the youth team, and Artem Dovbyk was probably injured. Nevertheless, of course, someone else should have been taken, at least to give them a chance," – Markevych stated after the match.
The friendly encounter was part of the Canadian Shield 2025 tournament, where the Ukrainian squad struggled against the hosts. With Roman Yaremchuk being the lone striker in the squad, Ukraine's attacking options appeared limited throughout the game.
Interestingly, Markevych didn't directly criticize Rebrov's tactical approach but suggested the question about the striker shortage should be directed to the head coach himself.
"That's the head coach's business, why he decided that way. It's better to ask him this question," – added the veteran coach.
Ukraine's 2:4 loss raises questions about the team's attacking depth ahead of upcoming competitive fixtures. Will Rebrov reconsider his striker selection policy after this defeat? The answer might come sooner rather than later.
