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Podcast follows Ukrainian soccer team as it plays through the adversity of war and inspires a nation

Players of Shakhtar Donetsk enter the pitch ahead of a friendly charity soccer match. (Yorgos Karahalis/AP)
Players of Shakhtar Donetsk enter the pitch ahead of a friendly charity soccer match. (Yorgos Karahalis/AP)

A podcast called “Away from Home” from The Athletic spent half of 2022 following the East Ukrainian soccer team of Shakhtar Donetsk, who have been displaced by the war in the country. Two reporters follow the team and its youth academy with unprecedented access and stories of resilience and heartbreak.

Here & Now‘s Scott Tong speaks to Adam Crafton, one of the co-hosts, about the stories they uncovered and why it is so important for the team to keep playing in the midst of war.

This article was originally published on WBUR.org.

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