Ukraine move closer to improbable World Cup berth

Ukraine beat Scotland 3-1 and will next face Wales for a spot in Qatar

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Soccer Football - World Cup - UEFA Qualifiers - Play-off Semi Final - Scotland v Ukraine - Hampden Park, Glasgow, Scotland, Britain - June 1, 2022 Ukraine's Artem Dovbyk scores their third goal REUTERS/Russell Cheyne
Soccer Football - World Cup - UEFA Qualifiers - Play-off Semi Final - Scotland v Ukraine - Hampden Park, Glasgow, Scotland, Britain - June 1, 2022 Ukraine's Artem Dovbyk scores their third goal REUTERS/Russell Cheyne

The Ukraine football team gave a much needed morale boost to their citizens after beating Scotland 3-1 in a FIFA World Cup qualifier.

They will next face Wales in Cardiff on Sunday with the winner earning a place in the FIFA World Cup in Qatar this November. The winner of the Ukraine / Wales match will be placed in Group B with England, the United States and Iran.

“Every game for us now is like a final,” said midfielder Oleksandr Zinchenko after the match. “We have one more game and we need to win it. We need to take it or this won’t mean anything.”

Ukraine hasn’t played a match since December 2022 and the game against Scotland was supposed to be played back on March 24, but the Russian invasion of Ukraine made soccer games an afterthought.

Soccer Football - World Cup - UEFA Qualifiers - Play-off Semi Final - Scotland v Ukraine - Hampden Park, Glasgow, Scotland, Britain - June 1, 2022 Ukraine's Roman Yaremchuk celebrates scoring their second goal with the fans Action Images via Reuters/Lee Smith     TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
Soccer Football - World Cup - UEFA Qualifiers - Play-off Semi Final - Scotland v Ukraine - Hampden Park, Glasgow, Scotland, Britain - June 1, 2022 Ukraine's Roman Yaremchuk celebrates scoring their second goal with the fans Action Images via Reuters/Lee Smith TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

Ukraine never trailed in the match against Scotland and will now have to compose themselves for a greater test on Sunday.

“Everyone knows the situation back in Ukraine, so it’s going to be a massive game for us. We need to show the best performance of our lives.”