Three Ukrainian footballers had strong performances at the League Cup matches on Sept. 27 in the U.K., bringing further attention to the country’s sports potential, Channel 24 reports.
The League Cup, officially named EFL Cup or Carabao Cup following a recent sponsor change, is an elite competition based in England that brings together football's Premier League and is considered one of the most prestigious tournaments in sports.
Chelsea's Mykhailo Mudryk, a native of Kharkiv Oblast, played 68 minutes against Brighton, though his team lost at the end.
Kyiv's Illia Zabarnyi, center-back for Bournemouth, scored two goals leading to victory over Stoke City.
Everton left-back Vitaliy Mykolenko, originally from Cherkasy Oblast, also saw significant playing time in a match against Aston Villa.
On Sept. 9 the Ukrainian national football team tied with England 1-1 in a Euro 2024 qualifying match, largely considered a big upset.
Football has recently stirred political controversy as Ukraine vowed to boycott UEFA competitions involving Russia.
Anastasiia Lapatina
