FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Euro 2024 Qualifier - Ukraine Press Conference - Stadium Bilino polje, Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina - March 20, 2024 Ukranian coach Serhiy Rebrov during the press conference REUTERS/Amel Emric/File Photo
STUTTGART, Germany (Reuters) - After a desperate start that resulted in a 3-0 loss to Romania, Ukraine got their Euro 2024 campaign back on track but it proved too little, too late as they came up just short in their final game against Belgium and were eliminated.
How coach Serhiy Rebrov must rue that opening result, and the fact that he does not have a striker of the calibre he showed in his playing days as the Ukrainians created plenty of chances, but could not score when it mattered.
The shock of the Romania defeat, with all three goals coming before the hour mark, was quickly quelled by a 2-1 win over Slovakia to leave all four teams in the group on three points heading into the final round.
Rebrov - a player of immense intelligence, industry and guile - gambled with his line-up and his tactics against the Belgians.
The Ukrainian forwards, however, could not convert their chances and, after a 0-0 draw, they slid out of the tournament on goal difference with all four sides finishing on four points.
"I thanked the players for this game (against Belgium), but I said that unfortunately we did not qualify because of the first game that we lost in the game with Romania," Rebrov told reporters.
"We have a very young national team and I can see that they are optimistic about the future."
With the Ukrainians taking part in the Olympic tournament in Paris, the young players in the squad will soon have a chance to show they have learned harsh lessons at Euro 2024.
"It's like now, in life, you make some mistakes and then it's very important how you react. I think we reacted well, and unfortunately, even with four points, we are not going through," Rebrov said.
It may take time for some of his young charges to get over their disappointment.
"I'm empty. It's so hard to let our people down. We wanted to give them some positive emotions, but we've just not done enough," 21-year-old defender Illya Zabarnyi said.
His defensive colleague Oleksandr Tymchyk summed up his side's mix of pride and disappointment at not delivering for their war-torn country.
"I'm proud to be Ukrainian, there's no shame in our performance ... we gave our all for our country, we let them down and I feel deeply sorry," he said.
(Reporting by Philip O'Connor, editing by Ed Osmond)
