Dnipro-1 midfielder Oleksandr Pikhalyonok commented on the team's entry into the Conference League playoffs.
— Oleksandr, when you received the ball at a key moment, did you already know what you were going to do next?
— I got free space in front of me and I already knew that I was going to strike, because my opponent was beaten and I dared to strike.
— Before the match, it seemed that "Apollo", which has nothing to lose and needs to play only for victory, will press from the first seconds. In fact, you immediately took the ball away and did not give the opponent a chance for the entire first half. Was this the instruction of the coaching staff?
— Yes, that was the plan for the game: keep the ball, don't let them press us high, play more forward and don't pass back, because they will press and they will succeed in pressing.
— Today in Dnipro, many performers missed the game due to injuries. To what extent was it possible to withstand the tempo that "Apollo" imposed, especially in the second half?
— In the last 30 minutes, it’s not that they got hung up, but they played more according to the score. Then the fresher guys came out and helped us win that match.
— Today, another concern was related to the temperamental Cypriot fans, but ours, along with the Slovakian ones, seem to have defeated them in the stands as well.
— Yes, of course, it was very loud in the stadium. We constantly heard "Dnipro, Dnipro!" and thank you very much to the fans for this support.
— Was there a complex that there is no way you can win here in Slovakia?
— No, we didn't bother with it. We tuned in to this match like any other.
— What are you feeling right now: relief, joy, fatigue, euphoria? What more?
— All at once (smiles).
— To whom do you dedicate this victory?
— We dedicate this victory to all Ukrainians. This is a very difficult and terrible time for our country, but we will withstand all these attacks and will definitely win.