\nAfter representatives of the teams in Group 2 of the 2006 World Cup qualifying tournament failed to reach mutual agreement on drawing up the match calendar for the entire cycle, a "blind" draw was held at the FIFA headquarters in Zurich. For the Ukrainian team it was more or less favorable. \n \nIt is worth noting that on the eve of the draw, FFU President Hryhoriy Surkis tried once again to find a compromise on this issue; however, Turkey expressed an absolutely categorical position regarding the Ukrainian variant. \n \nThe draw was conducted according to the following principle: in one basket were the teams of Group 2, in the other the letters - A, B, C, D, E, F and G. First a FIFA representative drew a ball with the name of a country, then a letter assigned to that country. After that, the name of the national team was entered into the pre-prepared calendar grid in place of the letter. Ukraine was involved in the draw under the letter G. \n\nAs for the Ukrainian national team, the start is not very attractive for our team. Blokhin's charges will play their first match away on September 4, 2004 against Denmark, and four days later they must already play in Asia against the Kazakhstan team. A flight of several thousand kilometers and a change of climate? clearly not in our team's favor. Although the Ukrainians should beat the Kazakhstan national team even at the North Pole. \n\nAfter that, everything is more or less good. It cannot be said that any of Ukraine's main rivals has significant advantages. After the visit to Kazakhstan, we host Greece and Georgia at home. Moreover, in 2004 the Ukrainian team will also play the Turks. For us this is the preferable option, because the season in Ukraine will not yet be over, and therefore there will be no need to worry about the players' match practice. \n\nThe Ukrainian team must also play an official match on February 9, 2005 away against the Albanians. Although FIFA has announced that it gives the teams a chance to agree on postponing the game to a later date. \n\nIn March 2005, when the national championship is just beginning, Ukraine will play only one match against the Danes. And this is also a kind of advantage - to play not two matches, but only one. Especially since on the eve the Scandinavians face a visit to Kazakhstan, and a few days later a game with Ukraine. \n\nUkraine's national team finishes the 2006 World Cup qualifying cycle with two home matches. On September 7, 2005 Blokhin's team hosts the Turkish national team, and on October 8 will play the final match against the Albanians. \n\nFFU President Hryhoriy Surkis also seems satisfied with the calendar; in the program "Our Football" he commented on the draw results as follows: \n\n"First of all I want to say that an attempt was made to avoid bringing the matter to a draw after all," said Hryhoriy Surkis. - But Turkey again remained unwavering, ignoring the principles of common sense. During the 5-hour meeting, even Mr. Blatter addressed us in an attempt to influence the Turks, but they were inexorable. In the end, around 18:00 we decided that the draw could not be avoided... From the two baskets balls were drawn with the names of the teams and letters. Ukraine was "drawn" third and assigned the letter G. As for the direct results of the draw, I will note that in 2005 no team has such a calendar - we finish the tournament with two home matches, although we also skip the last round. Noteworthy is the fact that serious problems await the Greeks - in Kyiv all the national teams accommodated their request not to hold matches involving Greece at the beginning of September - they will have problems with preparation because of the Olympics, and now they will be forced to play on September 4 in Albania, and on the 9th at home against the Turks. Among the positives is also the fact that on March 26 we rest, and against Denmark (which in turn will play its match on the 26th) we play at home on March 30. On the whole, I consider the calendar we received to be quite attractive, especially regarding the matches we will have to play in 2005. This is a serious advantage for the head coach of the Ukrainian national team, Oleh Blokhin, and his team. We begin 2005 with a game in Albania on February 9, however there is an option that we will be able to agree with our colleagues from the Albanian federation and postpone the match to more convenient dates," UA-football.com quotes him as saying. \n \nRound 1 04.09.2004 \nDenmark Ukraine \nTurkey Georgia \nAlbania Greece \n \nRound 2 08.09.2004 \nKazakhstan Ukraine \nGeorgia Albania \nGreece Turkey \n \nRound 3 09.10.2004 \nTurkey Kazakhstan \nAlbania Denmark \nUkraine Greece \n \nRound 4 13.10.2004 \nKazakhstan Albania \nDenmark Turkey \nUkraine Georgia \n \nRound 5 17.11.2004 \nGreece Kazakhstan \nGeorgia Denmark \nTurkey Ukraine \n \nRound 6 09.02.2005 \nKazakhstan Georgia \nGreece Denmark \nAlbania Ukraine \n \nRound 7 26.03.2005 \nDenmark Kazakhstan \nGeorgia Greece \nTurkey Albania \n \nRound 8 30.03.2005 \nUkraine Denmark \nGeorgia Turkey \nGreece Albania \n \nRound 9 04.06.2005 \nUkraine Kazakhstan \nAlbania Georgia \nTurkey Greece \n \nRound 10 08.06.2005 \nKazakhstan Turkey \nDenmark Albania \nGreece Ukraine \n \nRound 11 03.09.2005 \nAlbania Kazakhstan \nTurkey Denmark \nGeorgia Ukraine \n \nRound 12 07.09.2005 \nKazakhstan Greece \nDenmark Georgia \nUkraine Turkey \n \nRound 13 08.10.2005 \nGeorgia Kazakhstan \nDenmark Greece \nUkraine Albania \n \nRound 14 12.10.2005 \nKazakhstan Denmark \nGreece Georgia \nAlbania Turkey. \n \n