The Ukrainian national team (U-20) won the World Championship in the summer of 2019, which was held in Poland.
Having successfully performed in their group, Oleksandr Petrakov’s wards defeated the team of Panama in the 1/8 finals (4:1), beat their peers from Colombia (1:0) in the quarterfinals, defeated the Italians in the semifinals (1:0), and in the decisive match they struck defeat of the South Korean team (3:1).
Dynamo Kyiv formed the basis of the "golden" team. There were five of them - goalkeeper Vladislav Kucheruk, defender Denis Popov, midfielders Georgiy Tsitaishvili and Sergey Buletsa, and forward Vladislav Supryaga.
On account of the people of Kiev 9 goals out of 13 scored by the players of our team. Three of them - in the final match, scored by Supryaga (twice) and Tsitaishvili. Three goals, and all with headers, were scored by our central defender Popov in matches with the USA, Qatar and Panama. The Silver Ball prize at the end of the tournament was given to Bulec, who was named the second best player in the world championship. The only goal scored by the Dynamo player against the Italian national team brought our team to the final.
Success came to the Ukrainian national team from the fourth attempt. Before that, three times - in 2001, 2005 and 2015 - our team left the group in the final tournament of the youth world championship, after which they dropped out of the fight for awards in the first playoff match.
Received the winning baton
The Dynamo-2019 players took over the winning baton from their teammates who were part of the 1977 youth team. At the first FIFA World Cup, which was held at the stadiums in Tunisia, four Dynamo Kyiv players played in the USSR national team - Sergey Baltacha, Vladimir Bessonov, Alexander Sopko and Yuriy Sivuha.
In the group tournament, our team defeated the national teams of Iraq (3:1) and Paraguay (2:1), and also tied with Austria (0:0). In the semi-finals, after a goalless draw in regular time in the game against Uruguay in the penalty shootout, success was on our side (4:3). And in the final against Mexico, which took place on July 10, also after a draw in regular time (2:2), a victory was won in a penalty shoot-out (9:8).
Vladimir Bessonov was the captain of our team, its leader and top scorer. According to the results of the tournament, he was recognized as the best player and was awarded the Golden Ball.
Victories that bring joy
Honored Master of Sports, bronze medalist of the 1980 Olympics, silver medalist of the 1988 European Championship, winner of the 1986 Cup Winners' Cup, formerly the famous Dynamo defender Sergey Baltacha lives in London, where he works as a children's coach at the Charlton Academy. Here is how he commented on the success of our team in 2019:
- I closely followed the matches of the World Cup in Poland. Of course, I supported the Ukrainian national team, because this is my native country. I liked Petrakov's team. The guys demonstrate a good game, they are talented. Undoubtedly, the representatives of my native Dynamo were in the center of my attention, I liked Denis Popov. I wish the guys to continue to develop, not to stop there, but to continue to work and work. There are many problems in Ukraine, so such victories are a great joy for the whole people.
Alexander LIPENKO for Dynamo.kiev.ua
