Oleg Fedorchuk: "In the confrontation with Benfica, Lucescu will have a huge advantage due to good game management"

Well-known Ukrainian coach and expert Oleg Fedorchuk shared his impressions of the return match of the 3rd qualifying round of the Champions League between Austrian Sturm and Dynamo Kyiv (1:2), which took place last Tuesday in Graz.

“It was hardly possible to expect that Sturm would immediately give up the initiative with a deficit goal”

‒ The winger problem was read in the composition of Dynamo, but Lucescu dared to change in the center of defense as well. Justified?

- Contrary to the unwritten rule, Lucescu dared to change the winning squad. Surely there were reasons for this. For example, the center of defense, most likely, was replaced due to some problems with Popov - we don’t know what the player’s condition was, but he had a replacement due to damage before. The exit of the Orphan is somewhere a necessary measure.

As for the winger, it's a plus for Dynamo that Tsygankov has returned. But it was difficult for us to understand what form he was in after the damage. To be honest, Karavaev’s exit was read - he played a number of matches this summer very well.

‒ What surprised the people of Kiev in the debut, and what surprised the home team?

‒ The decision made by the head coach of the hosts Christian Ilzer was surprising - it is unlikely that many would have expected that Sturm would give up the initiative with a deficit goal. But it worked, they lured Dynamo to themselves and got the space, which gave them an advantage.

- The goal was the result of a gross mistake ...

‒ But you can't call it random. Dynamo clearly felt the difficulties when they were forced to open up. There were several very gross oversights at once, Buschan helped out a couple of times. And when the cutting of Besedin began, when several players in a row did not interfere with the ongoing events at once, Heilund was in a good position and punched Bushchan with a clumsy blow.

‒ Who do we blame for this?

‒ It was a systemic mistake: starting from the unsuccessfully kicked Besedin, continuing with the support zone and defense. There Kendzera was “pushed through”, there Zabarny did not have time, there Sirota was late. Yes, and Buschan would have helped out in seven out of ten such moments - and then a rebound blow, not the strongest, simply took him by surprise. Sometimes it happens that the blow does not work out, and this makes it difficult for an experienced opponent to read the situation. It happened to us too.

Who did not like in the first half? There were very tangible problems with the right flank, and this is not only the merit of Sturm.

Kendzera plays much less successfully than Dubinchak, and this time both played unsatisfactorily.

He was simply "pushed through". A certain part of the blame for this is shared with Tomas by Tsygankov, who did not return to help his defender (especially in the first half). The fact that Lucescu eventually replaced both flank defenders (and this is rare) confirms that the game did not go well for them.

"Don't remove Lucescu Garmash, there would be a risk of finishing in the minority"

‒ Well, let the Sturm's starting plan turn out to be more effective. Why didn't Dynamo turn the game around during the match?

‒ For this, more sharpness was needed. But Dynamo still has the forward's problem - Besedin does not come out of the shadows, does not open, does not offer an address for transfers. Remember the moments when one of the Kievites shot through or punched - this is a chance for finishing off or a direct hit. Where is Besedin at this moment? Either he doesn’t run, or he ends up behind the goalkeeper at all. Which indicates a poor understanding of the game.

‒ That is, Garmash in attack is not the most stupid option?

‒ With his moment with hitting the crossbar, he perfectly showed the difference with Besedin. Aggression and understanding of the game is natural, it is difficult to train him. Another thing is that his rigidity and recklessness is not controlled - I understood Lucescu when he "removed" by the reverse replacement of Garmash. Otherwise, there was a real risk of finishing in the minority.

‒ Why did Vivcharenko, the flank defender, score this important goal?

- I think the answer lies in the fact that it was the flank defenders who participated in almost all the key moments of Dynamo's European Cup matches this season. Besedin withdrew himself from key moments. Verbic got injured and left. Tsygankov was injured and, to be honest, we didn’t know what to expect from him at all.

So the flank defenders enter the arena - Dubinchak, Karavaev, Vivcharenko. They are placed quite high, their average position is high. And most importantly, with the passivity of the forward, it is precisely those players who run from the depth that often intersect with the ball in good positions.

Plus, quite unexpectedly, there was a working competition - after all, Vivcharenko invariably successfully replaced Dubinchak, and in this game he earned both a goal and the removal of an opponent.

‒ Tsygankov chalked up a goal and an assist. Best?

‒ You can’t argue with the numbers, but Vitya in this match is just the personification of team actions and a worthy part of the overall game. For me, No. 1 is Buschan, because in the first half everything could have ended, and the goalkeeper saved Dynamo several times at once.

‒ Why did Dynamo improve so much in extra-times both in Istanbul and Graz?

‒ It is generally believed that physics is not Lucescu's specialty. But now the team is well prepared and plays with a margin. It is likely that a difficult June helped, when almost a dozen Dynamo players played for the national team in a rather exhausting schedule.

In general, it is very pleasant to note that all our teams at the start of European competitions looked very worthy and functional. This is a compliment to Lucescu, van Leeuwen and Skrypnik.

And a big thanks to the players for their professionalism and hard work, because in a situation where there were no matches for half a year, the guys took their work very seriously and were ready.

“For Yaremchuk, every match at Benfica will be the most important”

‒ What can Dynamo and Benfica expect?

‒ I think our team will gain momentum and become more competitive. But if we do not solve the problems with the attack, we will have huge problems.

‒ Dynamo clearly has not become stronger compared to last season, when Benfica beat us in the Champions League. Due to what can it be passed?

‒ Just because they also understand this, we have a chance. They don't expect much from us. And we do not perceive them as an insufficiently big name. That is, underestimation is more real on their part, and not on ours.

Benfica has losses - Nunes alone is worth something. In this team, game ties are still being established, because after the temporary replacement of Jesus, the new head coach still has to enter into the understanding of the team.

And most importantly, Dynamo has shown that now it is a strong-willed team.

Please note that in almost every match the Kyivans spend the first half weaker - and in the end come out the winners.

This means that Dynamo will try to start the game, neutralize the trump cards of the Portuguese and play pragmatically. Lucescu will have a huge advantage precisely due to the good management of the game.

- They say that the current Dynamo is Lucescu's most creative work. Do you agree?

- Yes. Lucescu revised a lot in the game and functions of Dynamo players. He played football that was not his own — at least not stereotypical for him. This is a sign of the creative work of a coach, when you find special solutions with a small resource and defeat stronger opponents.

‒ By the way, in terms of opponents, are we really going from weaker to stronger?

- Well, Sturm is a frankly weak team. With the exception of a few players, it is weaker than Dynamo in everything. Fenerbahce is a worthy opponent, but Jesus frankly did not have time to deal with personnel, he put them in the base, and put others in reserve. At this Dynamo played very well.

But regarding Benfica, I agree. It's like the "final boss" in a computer game. The team is of a completely different level compared to its predecessors. It's like Shakhtar had simpler teams, and then Roma.

‒ For Yaremchuk, the match against his native team seems to be a big challenge and a huge motivation. It was he who was one of the best in the Champions League match last season...

‒ For Roma, every match is the most important now. Nunez's record sale to Liverpool obliges him very much. Benfica left Yaremchuk in charge of attack, and now they will demand such performance from him as from Darwin.

Roman is a thorough guy, in Belgium he only added season after season. There is hope that this will also be the case in Portugal.

But in general, it is unlikely that he will focus on one match, even with Dynamo. He needs to think about the season as a whole, and then there is a chance to become the best forward of Benfica and Primeira.