In the second round of the group stage of the UEFA Europa League, which ended last night, the Ukrainian team reversed Slovakia 2-1. After the match, Ukrainian midfielder Shaparenko, who was awarded the Player of the Match award, was interviewed by the official UEFA Europa League team, where he shared his team's victory and his own feelings.
Shaparenko started by mentioning the impact of the first loss against Romania on the team: "I would like to say that the first game against Romania taught us a big lesson. That loss made us more alert and well prepared for today's game. Everyone saw our mental strength on the field and I am very proud that we followed the coach's tactical instructions and strategic ideas to the letter."
He went on to talk about the key moments in the game: "When we equalized, the confidence and morale of the whole team was boosted. It gave us the motivation to turn things around and the support from the fans in the ground was very strong. We just need to keep the momentum going and keep going for more wins."
Shaparenko also emphasized the importance of trust in the team: "We have to believe in each of our teammates and in our ability to overcome any opponent. Our first game was a loss, but it provided valuable experience and lessons for the whole team. I believe we have recovered from the loss in Romania and showed color in today's game."
Finally, speaking about his Man of the Match award, Shaparenko said, "Individual honors are not the most important thing for me, my team winning is the key. This win allows us to still qualify to continue in this Eurocup, let's see what happens in the coming games."
