Ukraine Prepare for Their Match Against New Zealand

Ukraine’s senior men’s national team trains ahead of their match against New Zealand. Photo Credit: Mark Temnycky

Following a challenging match against Canada on June 7, Ukraine will aim to bounce back in their game against New Zealand on June 10. This will be Ukraine’s final fixture in the inaugural 2025 Canadian Shield Tournament. The Ukrainians will hope to put on a good show during their final outing in the June 2025 international break. They will also aim to give the Ukrainian-Canadian diaspora something to cheer for during the event.

Ukraine Manager Serhiy Rebrov and Defender Yevhen Cheberko answer questions from reporters during the pre-match press conference ahead of the New Zealand vs Ukraine match on June 10. Photo Credit: Mark Temnycky

Ahead of their second Canadian Shield Tournament match, Ukraine’s senior men’s national team manager Serhiy Rebrov held a press conference with reporters at BMO Field in Toronto. He began the discussion by stating that a few players had received injuries during the match against Canada and would, therefore, not be available for the game against New Zealand. Rebrov also stated that he would rotate players in the squad to ensure that they received some minutes in this fixture. Changing his lineup and tactics will allow younger players to prove their worth to the national team. He added that several players are fighting for their place in the squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification period, which will begin for Ukraine this autumn.

Rebrov then stated that it has been difficult to prepare his players for these games in June, as he has not received much time with them to prepare and train. The manager noted that, in particular, there will only be three days between the Canada game on June 7 and the New Zealand match on June 10. Given this short window, Rebrov said he needs to ensure that his squad is at its best. These games during the June international break will serve as warmups for the senior team ahead of their World Cup qualifiers this autumn against France, Iceland, and Azerbaijan, and Rebrov wants everyone to be prepared.

He came short of criticizing his players, however. When asked about the mentality and physicality of the team, Rebrov stated that every player has aimed to be at their best. He argued that the players are proud to wear the shirt of the national team, and they have demonstrated grit and spirit while training with him. Rebrov concluded that he was hopeful that the members would put on a good show in the match against New Zealand.

The manager was joined by defender Yevhen Cherberko. During the press conference, the young Ukrainian said that the national team needs to prove itself by earning results in their matches. He added that the players reviewed footage from the game against Canada to learn from the mistakes that were made. This way, they aim to address the areas that need improvement. Cherberko concluded by stating that he is looking forward to the match against New Zealand.

Members of Ukraine’s senior men’s national team conduct warmups at BMO Field. Photo Credit: Mark Temnycky

Following the press conference, members of the media joined staff from the Ukrainian Association to observe Ukraine’s senior men’s national team train at BMO Field. At the start of the session, the players completed some agility drills.

Members of Ukraine’s senior national team play against each other during their training session at BMO Field. Photo Credit: Mark Temnycky

After these exercises, the players conducted dribbling and shooting drills. Members of the national team were divided into two groups, where they played against each other. The objective was for the defending side to prevent the attacking side from scoring.

During the session, several players were focused on the task at hand, and the stadium was very quiet. The tenseness during these drills suggested that the players were hoping to make a statement in their upcoming match against New Zealand following their loss against Canada on Saturday. Time will tell how the national team will perform on Tuesday.

Mark Temnycky is a nonresident fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Eurasia Center and a freelance journalist covering Eurasian affairs.