World Cup qualifying match (European zone), in Baku: Azerbaijan 1-1 Ukraine. A frustrating draw for Serhiy Rebrov’s team, who dominated possession for much of the match but were punished by one of the few counter-attacks by the opposition. At the heart of the Ukrainian plan, I. Zabarnyi held down the right side of the central defense.
Ilya Zabarnyi – Calm and composed in possession, good distribution, effective in controlling the space behind the defense.
Positioned on the right side of the central defense, Zabarnyi’s performance can be summarized in two parts: securing the backline, and then initiating simple, low-risk passes out of defense.
Without the ball: managing the central area and the opponent’s long-ball game
Azerbaijan looked to exploit the spaces between the lines and win second balls. Zabarnyi responded with a proactive defensive approach: early interceptions to cover overlapping runs, and positioning his body to maintain control of the space and the player with the ball. Result: very few dangerous situations conceded in his area.
His clearances were used effectively to relieve pressure during periods of high opposition pressure, and his few tackles were made well away from the penalty area, a sign of successful preventative defending. Also noteworthy was his close monitoring of the right flank when the fullback advanced: well-coordinated sliding movements and effective closing of passing lanes into the half-space.
Collective impact
His stability allowed the defensive midfielder to push higher up the field and the fullback to attack more freely. When Ukraine was under pressure, Zabarnyi controlled the backline and forced Azerbaijan to play in front of him. The conceded goal came from a sequence where Ukraine lost the first press and was forced to retreat: his individual responsibility is not entirely to blame; the error was primarily structural (timing of the defensive shift and midfield coverage of the central area).
Conclusion
This 1-1 draw leaves a sense of unfinished business, but Ilya Zabarnyi’s performance remains textbook: security in the center, measured passing choices, and diligent defensive work. To overcome low blocks, Ukraine would benefit from more frequent use of long diagonal passes and line-breaking passes from the center back position—a skill set that Zabarnyi possesses, even if he uses it sparingly. Next step: maintain this reliability while increasing the verticality of his play when the game demands it. Key stats – Ilya Zabarnyi
Minutes played: 90
Shots: 0 • xG: 0.00 • xGOT: 0.00
Defensive play: Several accurate clearances, one or two key interceptions, very few duels lost in the center of the field
Build-up play: High volume of short/medium passes, high pass completion rate, attempted a few long passes to stretch the opposing defense
Discipline: No mistakes leading to a shot, no high-risk interventions noted
