With the beginning of the New Year 2023, the contract of Oleksandr Petrakov with the UAF as the head coach of the national team of Ukraine ended. What did he do at the head of the national team?
August 18, 2021 – December 31, 2022. These are the dates of Oleksandr Petrakov’s work at the head of the Ukrainian national team. What did he do during this time? What are the main characteristics of the national team of Petrakov’s period? We analyze figures, facts and paradoxes.
Alexander Petrakov spent 15 matches in charge of the national team. Won 6, drew 7, lost 2. Goal difference: 23-13 (+10). Scored 25 points, that is, about 55% of the total number of possible.
In terms of the number of matches played, Petrakov is the eighth in the history of the national team. Oleg Blokhin remains the record holder (64 matches). Alexander Vasilyevich did not catch up with Valery Lobanovsky (three matches were not enough), but he overtook Oleg Bazilevich (by four matches).
7 draws in 15 matches – almost half of all played. Only one coach in terms of the percentage of “football compromises” confidently overtook Petrakov – this is Yuri Kalitvintsev, who ended five of eight matches in a draw. At the same time, he also lost two matches (but having spent more than half as many games), therefore, Petrakov is the leader in the top 10 coaches in history in terms of defeats.
In 15 matches, Petrakov had seven jokers, which is a good indicator. Let’s say that Buryak, Lobanovsky and Mikhailichenko have fewer effective substitutions in more matches.
Oleksandr Petrakov – another coach-debutant after the century #choice
The first match is to be played at vic 64 rocky 26 days
The oldest is Mikhailo Fomenko (64 years 140 days)His final match MIF held in the city 67 years 275 days – to break his historical record, Petrakov pratsyuvati 3.5 years pic.twitter.com/zsEHHJ92xJ
— Artur Valerko :: Artur Valerko (@ArchieValerko) September 1, 2021
During Petrakov’s work in the national team there were a number of debutants and players called up for the first time.
So, 10 players played their first matches in the national team of Ukraine:
- On September 1, 2021, he made his debut in a match with Kazakhstan Daniel Sikan
- On September 8, 2021, they made their debut in the match with the Czech Republic Sergey Buletsa, Viktor Kornienko, Taras Kacharaba, Alexander Sirota, Vladislav Kochergin
- On November 11, 2021, he made his debut in a match with Bulgaria Dmitry Riznyk
- On 1 June 2022 he made his debut against Scotland Mikhail Mudrik
- On June 8, 2022, they made their debut in a match with Ireland Alexander Pikhalenok and Daniil Ignatenko
Separately, we note that in the September match with Kazakhstan, Vitaly Buyalsky played for the national team for the first time in two years (before that, he had played 8 matches since 2017). Unfortunately, under Petrakov, he did not fully find himself in the national team.
Petrakov suffered both of his defeats in the UK – with a minimum score from Wales (the decisive match for qualifying for the 2022 World Cup) and with a devastating 0: 3 from Scotland (this fight largely determined the negative result of the group stage of the League of Nations).
A lot from a suboptimal basket brought us the European champions – Italy, as well as England, North Macedonia, Malta in the selection for Euro 2024.
Actually, only the current contract has ended – it may happen that Oleksandr Petrakov will continue to work at the head of the Ukrainian national team. Then all these records, paradoxes and facts will continue. In the meantime, let’s summarize the incomplete year and a half of Petrakov’s work in the main team of the country.
Bogdan Gryschuk
Source: Sportarena
I’m Scott Moore, a professional writer and journalist based in the US. I’ve been writing for various publications for over 8 years now, and have been working as an author at athletistic for the past five years. My work has been featured by some of the leading sports websites and magazines across Europe.
