Shevchenko aiming for Euro 2020 as coach

KHARKIV, Ukraine: Andriy Shevchenko enjoyed an illustrious career as Ukraine’s greatest striker. Now as coach of the national team, he is on the brink of guiding the side to Euro 2020.

The former Dynamo Kiev and AC Milan star, nicknamed “Sheva”, was appointed Ukraine coach in July 2016, his first managerial role. On his watch, the team fell short of qualifying for the 2018 World Cup after a home loss to Croatia in the final round of games knocked them out of contention.

But ahead of next year’s European Championship, Ukraine need just a point from their remaining two matches to reach the final stages of the tournament. “I want to see this project through... to get to the Euros and perform well there,” Shevchenko told AFP ahead of Monday’s clash at home to Portugal.

Ukraine are unbeaten in qualifying with 16 points after six matches, the most recent a 2-0 win over Lithuania on Friday, and hold a surprise five-point lead in Group B. Shevchenko appears to have struck a balance between young talent and experienced players such as West Ham forward Andriy Yarmolenko and Shakhtar Donetsk winger Yevgen Konoplyanka.

Shevchenko took over from Mykhaylo Fomenko, who resigned after Ukraine were knocked out of Euro 2016 without scoring a single goal. “It was a very big challenge for me. I agreed to do it with my eyes open,” Shevchenko said of the managerial role. “The harder it is to succeed, the more it motivates me. I wanted to succeed with the national team and I believed in the players.”