Ainaars Bagatskis wants his Ukraine men's basketball team to cut down on mistakes when they face Slovakia in their second World Cup 2027 pre-qualification match. The crucial game will take place this Saturday, August 9, at the Rimi Olympic Center in Riga, Latvia, with tip-off scheduled for 5:00 PM Kyiv time.
"If we want to succeed in this group stage and qualify for the next round, we must limit our errors," Bagatskis emphasized. "We need to eliminate poor decisions, play with greater passion, reduce turnovers, limit opponent offensive rebounds, and possibly improve our one-on-one defense. I believe this is where basketball starts."
The match carries significant weight for Ukraine after they stumbled in their opening fixture against Switzerland. Interestingly, their upcoming opponents Slovakia managed to defeat the Swiss team in their home game, putting them in a stronger position in the group standings.
Slovakia's player Lukáš Bolek acknowledges the challenge ahead but remains confident about their chances.
"We're expecting a very difficult match. We need to stick to our plan while avoiding unforced errors. If we can do that, we'll manage. Ukraine is under pressure after losing to Switzerland. We understand their strengths - they'll fight for every offensive rebound. We need to be careful not to give them second chances. We want to win," Bolek stated.
Fans can catch the action live on Kyivstar TV (available through Megogo) or through FIBA's official YouTube channel.
The bookmakers have installed Ukraine as favorites with odds of 1.36 for a victory in regulation time, while Slovakia's win is priced at 3.40.
Both teams have played one match each against Switzerland in this qualification round. Only the top two teams from the group will advance to the next stage of World Cup qualification. Can Bagatskis' men bounce back from their disappointing start? Saturday's performance will tell us a lot about their prospects.
