The match was supposed to have been played in March, but was postponed due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
When the Ukrainian national team stepped out at Hampden Park in Glasgow, it was emotional.
The Ukrainian players entered the lawn with each Ukrainian flag around them. Between the Scottish and Ukrainian flags on the inner plane was a banner with the text “Peace” in connection with the national anthems.
The Ukrainian players during the national anthem.
Then the Dutch referee Danny Makkelie kicked off the postponed playoff semifinal to the World Cup in Qatar.
And it was the visiting Ukrainian supporters who got to cheer for just over half an hour into the match.
Team captain Andrei Jarmolenko ran deep into a pass from Ruslan Malinovskyj, Scotland’s goalkeeper Craig Gordon rushed out to disturb Jarmolenko, but the Ukrainian team captain sucked the ball down before lifting it into goal in front of an rushing shot.
Four minutes into the second half, the away section exploded again. Roman Jaremtjuk reached the top of a post and scored 2-0.
Both nations had several sharp chances the rest of the second half and with ten minutes left of regular time, the Scots created nerve after Callum McGregor reduced by the smallest possible margin.
But this was Ukraine’s night.
Ukraine sorted out the Scottish onslaught, eventually winning 3-1 after a goal in the closing seconds and will now face Wales in the qualifying final this Sunday, 5 June. The winner there is ready for the World Cup in Qatar, which will be decided between November 21 and December 18 this year.
– All matches are like a final for us now. We have one left and we have to win it – we have to take it because otherwise this means nothing, says team captain Oleksandr Zintjenko to Sky Sports and continues:
– We scored three goals, we could have scored even more. Sunday will be a big match for us. We must make the achievement of our lives.