Oleh Yashchuk

Oleg Yashchuk (Ukrainian: Олег Ростиславович Ящук, born 26 October 1977) is a Ukrainian former professional footballer who played as a forward.[1][2] He spent most of his career in Belgium and also holds the Belgian nationality.[3] His last name is sometimes transliterated as Iachtchouk or Jasjtsjoek. He now coaches the U14 division of R.S.C. Anderlecht.

Oleh Yashchuk
Personal information
Full name Oleh Rostyslavovych Yashchuk
Date of birth (1977-10-26) 26 October 1977
Place of birth Hrybova, Ternopil Oblast, Soviet Union (now Ukraine)
Height 1.81 m (5 ft 11 in)
Position(s) Forward
Youth career
1990–1993 Lviv Sports School
1993–1994 Lviv
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1994 Lviv 2 (0)
1994 → Krystal Chortkiv (loan) 1 (0)
1994–1996 Nyva Ternopil 34 (10)
1996–2006 Anderlecht 119 (31)
2006–2007 Ergotelis 26 (3)
2007–2013 Cercle Brugge 146 (43)
2013 → Westerlo (loan) 13 (5)
2013–2014 BX Brussels
International career
1994 Ukraine U16 4 (3)
1995–1996 Ukraine U18 6 (2)
1998–1999 Ukraine U21 3 (2)
Medal record
Men's football
Representing  Ukraine
UEFA European Under-16 Championship
Third place1994 Republic of Ireland
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Club career

Iachtchouk was born in Hrybova[3] (Hrynky Rural-rada), Lanivtsi Raion, Ternopil Oblast then Ukrainian SSR. He first made a name for himself in the Ukrainian Premier League in the 1995–96 season. Playing for an unfashionable FC Nyva Ternopil side, then a 17-year-old, on matchday 1 he scored a hat trick at Shakhtar Donetsk helping his side to a shock 4–2 away win.[4] He finished the season as the club's top scorer with ten goals as Nyva narrowly avoided relegation.

Iachtchouk's talent caught the eye of Anderlecht and he signed for the Belgian club at the end of the season. He made a good start in the first team in the 1990s but then became injured for long periods of time. In some seasons he barely played at all because of recurring injuries, yet Anderlecht extended his contract in 2001 for another five years. In 2006, he left the club, having played 119 league matches and scored 31 goals during ten seasons.

He signed for Ergotelis in Greece for the 2006–07 season where he finally managed to shake off his injury problems.

On 14 June 2007, Iachtchouk returned to Belgium, signing a two-year contract with Cercle Brugge who had just appointed his former Anderlecht teammate Glen De Boeck as manager. In January 2009 his contract was extended until 2013, just days after he scored both of his team's goals in a 2–1 win against his former club Anderlecht.[5]

International career

Iachtchouk has played for all of Ukraine's youth national teams (Under-16, Under-18 and Under-21), including a spell alongside Andriy Shevchenko for the Under-18s. In 1994, he became his team's best scorer at the European Under-16 Championship in Ireland where Ukraine finished third.[6] One of the three goals Iachtchouk scored at the tournament was against Belgium.

However, Iachtchouk has not won a single full international cap due to persistent injuries. After he finally recovered he found that his dual Ukrainian/Belgian citizenship is a major obstacle to his call-up for Ukraine; while he did not see himself playing for his new home country.[7]

Awards and honours

Anderlecht

Individual

See also

References
  1. Interview with Oleg Yashchuk zbirna.com
  2. "Шахтер"? Нет, я за "Андерлехт". Олег Ящук - о жизни в Бельгии, войне на Донбассе и чемпионате, куда украинцам стоит поехать вместо России football24.ua
  3. "Loi accordant des naturalisations, 14 Janvier 2003". Staatsblad Moniteur. Archived from the original on 9 November 2008. Retrieved 15 August 2009.
  4. "Shakhtar 2–4 Nyva T". ukrainiansoccer.net. Retrieved 23 December 2007. (inconsistent link, not direct)
  5. "Oleg Iachtchouk prolonge au Cercle Bruges jusqu'en 2013". La Dernière Heure. Retrieved 15 August 2009.
  6. "Ukrainian Youth National Teams". ukrsoccerhistory.com. Retrieved 23 December 2007.
  7. "Yaschuk: I am not interested in playing for Belgium". ukrainiansoccer.net. Retrieved 26 December 2007. (inconsistent link, not direct)
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