Ukraine national team loses another winger before decisive Nations League matches: Zubkov out, Shaparenko and Vanat called up

The Ukrainian national team has made personnel adjustments to its roster ahead of the final matches of the 2026/27 Nations League group stage. As reported by Sport RBC.UA, citing the official UAF website, Oleksandr Zubkov will be unable to bolster the team in November due to injury. In his place, the coaching staff led by Andrea Maldera has called up Dynamo Kyiv midfielder Mykola Shaparenko and Girona forward Vladyslav Vanat. The updated list marks the second adjustment at the winger position before the November fixtures.

Personnel losses on the flank

Oleksandr Zubkov sustained an injury in his latest match for the Greek side AEK and will not be able to participate in the November Nations League encounters. In the current tournament, the winger has played two matches for the national team: he started with the captain's armband against Georgia and came on as a substitute in the match against Northern Ireland. The player also missed the October match against Hungary due to injury. Thus, his absence deprives the team of a key attacker on the wing during the most critical segment of the group stage.

Tactical implications for Maldera's scheme

Since Andrea Maldera was appointed head coach of the Ukrainian national team, Zubkov had been operating as a right winger. Among the remaining players in the squad who can fill this flank are Oleksandr Nazarenko, Gennadiy Synchuk, and Oleksiy Kashchuk, leaving the coach with several tactical options. It is significant that the loss of Zubkov is the second at the winger position: it was previously known that Viktor Tsygankov would be unable to play due to an injury sustained in Ajax's match against Sparta. The combined absence of both players noticeably limits the attacking depth.

Roster for the November matches

In the updated roster, the goalkeepers include Anatoliy Trubin (Benfica, Portugal), Dmytro Riznyk (Shakhtar), and Heorhiy Yermakov (Kharkiv). In defense: Mykola Matviyenko and Valeriy Bondar (both Shakhtar), Eduard Sarapiy and Borys Krushynskyi (both Polissya), Ilya Zabarnyi (PSG, France), Taras Mykhavko (Dynamo), Vitaliy Mykolenko (Everton, England), and Ilya Krupskyi (Kharkiv). In midfield: Oleh Ocheretko and Yehor Nazaryna (both Shakhtar), Oleksandr Andriyevskyi (Polissya), Ivan Varfolomeiev (Lincoln, England), Yehor Yarmolyuk (Brentford, England), and the newly called-up Mykola Shaparenko (Dynamo). In the attacking line: Heorhiy Sudakov (Benfica, Portugal), Oleksandr Nazarenko and Ihor Krasnopir (both Polissya), Matviy Ponomarenko (Dynamo), Danylo Sikan (Anderlecht, Belgium), Roman Yaremchuk (Olympiacos, Greece), Oleksiy Kashchuk (Qarabag, Azerbaijan), and the newly called-up Vladyslav Vanat (Girona, Spain). The reserve list includes Oleksandr Pikhalyonok, Volodymyr Brazhko, Ruslan Neshcheret, and Heorhiy Bushchan (all Dynamo), Artem Dovbyk (Bologna, Italy), Oleksandr Drambayev (LNZ), Artem Bondarenko (Al-Ahli, Saudi Arabia), and Timur Tuter.

Fight for promotion to League A

Following the group stage, the Ukrainian national team continues its fight for promotion to League A, making it essential for Andrea Maldera’s team to earn points in the tournament's final matches. Amid the losses on the attacking flank, these matches will serve as a test of the squad's depth and the coaching staff's tactical flexibility. It was previously reported that Yehor Yarmolyuk had finally returned to the main Nations League list, which partially compensates for the personnel losses in the attacking lines.