Ukraine Qualifies for 2022 World Cup Playoffs: Reactions from Zelensky and the Coach, Play-off Matches

The play-off draw will take place on November 26.

The Ukrainian national football team reached the play-offs of the 2022 World Cup qualifiers. In the decisive match, the Ukrainians beat Bosnia and Herzegovina 2-0 away. We explain how the match went, how Zelensky and the coach reacted to the victory, and what play-off matches are. 

How the Match Went

The first half was mixed for Ukraine. In the last minute, the players nearly conceded, while in the first ten minutes Oleksandr Zinchenko and Ruslan Malinovskyi each had decent shots, but both times missed the goal. 

In the 58th minute, Ukraine scored. Viktor Tsygankov ran down the left flank and crossed into the penalty area, where Yarmolenko laid the ball off and Oleksandr Zinchenko fired into the Bosnia and Herzegovina goal (1:0). 

After scoring, the Ukrainians stopped and nearly conceded again. In the 79th minute, Oleksandr Petrakov's substitution paid off. Artem Dovbyk ran one-on-one with Vasil and scored the second goal (2:0). In the 88th minute he could have scored again: he beat the goalkeeper, but a Bosnian defender cleared the ball off the goal line. 

At the same time, the Finland vs France match was played, the result of which also determined which team would advance to the play-offs. Finland, which was two points ahead of Ukraine before the match, would have been satisfied even with a draw against the French, who had already secured first place in the group and their place at the 2022 World Cup. 

France beat the Finns 2-0. Thanks to the French win, the Ukrainians will be able to play in the play-offs, as Ukraine overtook Finland by one point in the race for second place. 

In the eight matches played in the qualifying tournament, the Ukrainian national team never lost, won two matches (against Finland and Bosnia) and drew six times. 

Zelensky's Support

President Volodymyr Zelensky congratulated the Ukrainian national team on reaching the play-offs. 

Volodymyr Zelensky
President of Ukraine

These guys have just won and reached the play-offs, where they will fight to qualify for the 2022 World Cup. We will fervently support these guys and shout ourselves hoarse when they succeed. Could it be otherwise? I believe not. Because these guys are the Ukrainian national football team!

What the Coach Said

Acting head coach of the Ukrainian national team Oleksandr Petrakov commented on the team's victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina. 

Oleksandr Petrakov
acting head coach of the Ukrainian national team

We are very pleased to have reached the play-offs. That we are not afraid of anyone is 100%. We will play. We want to go to Qatar. Whoever we get, I think we will beat them and go to Qatar. It's such a game... it's a nervous game. I knew it would be a very hard game. The team looked good. Somewhere we were nervous, things weren't working out, but I am pleased with how the guys played. They showed character. They did everything. Games like this are played very hard. It was a game for the result. We achieved it. That's all. 

Play-off Matches

13 European teams will take part in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. 10 of them are the winners of the ten qualifying groups. Three more teams will be determined in a series of play-off matches. 

Ten teams that finished second in their groups will enter, along with the two best teams among those that did not qualify for the 2022 World Cup. The 12 teams will be drawn into three groups of four, which will play mini-tournaments. Each mini-tournament will consist of semifinals (single match) and a final. The winner of each mini-tournament earns a place at the 2022 World Cup. 

The semifinals of the mini-tournaments will take place on March 24, 2022. The finals of the mini-tournaments will take place on March 29, 2022. 

The play-off draw will take place on November 26. The 12 teams will be divided into the first pot (seeded) and the second pot (unseeded). Seeded teams will be those that earned more points in the qualifying group stage. A team with a better seed will be able to host matches at home. 

It is known that Portugal, Sweden, Scotland, Wales, North Macedonia, Russia and Turkey reached the 2022 World Cup play-offs from second place. Czechia and Austria reached the play-off matches via the Nations League. 

Ukraine will definitely not play Russia because of the war in Donbas. The matches will take place in spring 2022.