UKRAINE manager Aleksandr Petrakov last night thanked the people of Scotland for the support they have shown to his war-torn nation after their emotional Qatar 2022 play-off semi-final win at Hampden.
Petrakov revealed he had been touched by messages of goodwill he had received from wellwishers as he walked around the streets of Glasgow ahead of the rescheduled Path A encounter yesterday morning.
His national team booked their place in the final against Wales in Cardiff on Sunday with a 3-1 victory over Steve Clarke’s side in their first competitive fixture since the Russian invasion back in February.
“I have no emotions,” he said. “All my emotions are left on the pitch. This victory was not for me, was not for the team, it was for our country. This is a huge win for Ukraine.
“It was a team effort. It was a team victory. They did everything for the people they play for. They play for Ukrainians, for people watching back home, for members of our armed forces in trenches or in hospitals. They will say thank you to us and we return this gratitude.
“We played for those who fight in trenches, who fight with their last drop of blood. We also play for people at home who are suffering every day. This was a baby step towards our great aim. We will do everything in Wales that people expect us to do. We want to make Ukrainians proud.
“You have to bear in mind what the Ukrainians are going through - our women and children being killed by the Russians on a daily basis, our women being gang-raped by the orcs, as we call the Russian invaders.
“I cannot analyse the game. I am mentally and physically exhausted. I am totally empty. We want to extend our gratitude to the people of Scotland. To this great, hospitable place. Thank you Scotland. We will never forget this.
"I went out for a walk around Glasgow in the morning and a lot of people came up to me to wish me and the people of Ukraine well. I was touched by the support which my country has received."
