Over the course of the past week, domestic media most of all discussed the next batch of Premier League matches and the decree of the Ministry of Youth and Sports prohibiting the Ukrainian national teams from participating in competitions attended by athletes from Russia or Belarus...
Photo: fcdynamo.comDNIPRO THRESHOLDS
Announcing the matches of the 21st round of the UPL, the press unanimously brought to the rank of the central game at the capital's Dynamo stadium named after Valery Lobanovsky, where the third and second teams of the standings - Zorya and Dnipro-1 met. The fight fully lived up to expectations in terms of intrigue and intensity, and ended with the victory of the Luhansk team — 2:1.
Paying tribute to Zorya, the press most often mentioned the names of coach Patrick van Leeuwen and forward Nazariy Rusin. The Dutch specialist delivered good attacking football to the team and, according to the opinion, the media completely outplayed his counterpart on Saturday. And the young striker played perhaps the best match of his career, scoring a spectacular first goal and making an assist for Guerrero.
The contribution of van Leeuwen and Rusin to the success of Zorya is also confirmed by the decision of the UPL experts.
“Ukrainian Premier League, having experienced fakhivtsiv, like entering to the expert for the sake of it, appointed the best football player and mentor of the 21st round. Zora striker Nazariy Rusyn and Luhansk coach Patrick van Leeuwen won for a vote," the official website of the Premier League (Upl.ua, 16.04.23) reported.
According to journalists, another important factor in this confrontation was the injuries of two cornerbacks of Dnipro-1, due to which the head coach Oleksandr Kucher had to make two substitutions in the first half.
"Dnipro-1" was faster than the other half of the first half, but after a short period of time, having spent two extreme defenders - Pasich and Kaplienka. Permutations, like Oleksandr Kucher’s turn, were made after interruption, if it turned out that Zorya could easily crack the flanks of the superman herself, ”read the report on the Footboom website (Footboom1.com, 14.04.23).
However, hardly forced substitutions serve as a sufficient justification for Dnipro-1 and its coach. Dnipro, as noted by the media, had an unsuccessful duel. We lost the initiative, allowing Zorya to move the game away from their goal. Lost under the pressure of the opponent. They made a gross mistake at their gates.
And here it must be said that the spring Dnepr-1, in general, is more disappointing than inspiring. The team went on vacation as a leader, signed several seemingly good players in the winter, but after the resumption of the tournament, they lost eight points in six matches - more than in the entire first part of the championship.
“Over the winter, the team destroyed both the spirit and the yakіsnu group of the powerful gates. And Dovbik alone can’t go far,” Georgiy Groshev (Ua-football.com, 04/15/23) makes a summary that is unflattering for Dnipro-1.
Of course, no one excludes Dnepr-1 from the championship race. But it is clear that the failure in the game with "Zorya" noticeably "cut" the prospects and ambitions of Kucher's team. And, quite possibly, just the 21st round will subsequently be recognized as decisive in the context of the fight for the title. Since Shakhtar took full advantage of the misfire of the Dnieper, strengthening its leadership.
SHAKHTER'S MAIN trump card
During the reporting week, the miners met with PFC Lviv twice. On Wednesday, the teams played the rescheduled match of the first round, on Sunday they met in the 21st round. In both cases, Shakhtar won - 2:1 and 2:0.
The press notes that it was very difficult for the leader to get six points in the confrontation with the outsider. Especially in the first match, when everything was decided by Kelsey's goal already in stoppage time.
On this occasion, a rather interesting study was conducted by Igor Yaslik, who noted that the ability to carry out shock endings is one of the main trump cards of the current Shakhtar in the UPL.
The author gives a few more examples of such victories for the miners in the current championship:
- 1:0 over Kryvbas in the 2nd round (winning goal in the 77th minute);
- 1:0 over Rukh in the 3rd round (winning goal in the 79th minute);
- 2:1 over Chornomorets in the 4th round (winning goal at 90+6 minutes);
- 3:2 over Vorskla in the 15th round (winning goal in the 86th minute).
At the same time, only one reverse case was recorded: this was when Shakhtar lost a victory over Oleksandriya (2:2) at the end of the 10th round game.
Well, then - simple arithmetic calculations:
“Even taking into account the loss in the game with Oleksandriya, Shakhtar pulled out eight extra points in the last minutes. If they were removed from the table, then the Orange-and-Blacks would not only lag behind Dnipro-1, but would also be forced to look at their closest pursuers” (Sport.ua, 13.04.23).
“There can be a lot of complaints against Igor Jovicevich, but he knows how to motivate the team and charge it for the last minutes,” Yaslik concludes (Sport.ua, 13.04.23).
As for the claims regarding Shakhtar's game, in fact, there were not so many of them in the press. And certain difficulties in the confrontation with the main outsider and in previous matches (against Chornomorets 2:2 and Metalist 1:0) only confirm that any hastily assembled team, even if there are sufficiently high-quality performers, cannot consistently produce bright matches. Moreover, Shakhtar had to speed up preparations for the Europa League in the winter, where they received a very painful 0:7 from Feyenoord, and now they are at the peak of their form.
Undoubtedly, one should also take into account the factor of the opponents, who went against the miners with a special attitude. By the way, after all, the starting segment of the spring part of the tournament is always full of surprises. Some of the favorites suddenly lose "muscle mass", as happened with Dnipro-1. At the same time, teams from the bottom of the standings are suddenly eager to bring surprises.
“Before the hour of the first stake, it was easy to find out what season will be filled with representatives of the other half of the UPL table. І to choke on the yakіsny that gracious thunder, and not the "fighting yakos". All at once, everyone is cheering for Kryvbas by Yuriy Vernidub, Ingulets by Sergiy Kovalts and Chornomorets by Roman Hryhorchuk,” notes Dmitry Vatras (Ua.tribuna.com, 16.04.23).
Each of the teams he named not only gave fruitful tournament segments in the spring, but also took points from someone from the quartet of contenders for medals. And on Saturday, an application to receive a similar flattering assessment of the press over time was made by Rukh, which hosted Dynamo Kiev and achieved a draw (1:1).
REBUILD ON THE GO
Initially, Dynamo was perceived as the unequivocal favorite of the match in Lviv. On the eve of the game, many recalled that Rukh had never taken points from Dynamo, moreover, they had never scored against Kiev. Well, everyone thought that the Kiev club, having scored confident victories over Lviv and Minay (both 2:0), found its game.
Dynamo looked good on the floor, so you don’t want to criticize it yesterday,” wrote, for example, after the game with Minay, columnist Alexander Ryzhenko (Ua-football.com, 08.04.23).
"Dynamo" - "Minaj": the very same thing, if it seems "to win in class". The Dynamivits overcame their superman without any power, with a reserve," summed up Valeriy Vasilenko (Sport.ua, 10.04.23).
But a week passed - and this Saturday Kyiv again played average, so the result of the match, according to the press, looked, although unexpected, but natural.
Of course, it is necessary to pay tribute to the team from Lviv. It was clearly not the Rukh that the Dynamo players dealt with without any problems in the first round (3:0). The Lvovites boldly bent their line, and by all accounts it was felt that they were not particularly concerned about the authority of their opponent.
The media note that Vitaliy Ponomarev’s handwriting is already visible in the Rukh game, who showed himself excellently with the Rukh U-19 youths, and in March he accepted the main club team, in which he had previously assisted Leonid Kuchuk.
By the way, after the match with Dynamo, Rukh was paid tribute not only by journalists, but also by Kiev coach Mircea Lucescu:
“Rukh had more rank, they played a strong and aggressive match... It’s a good team, I don’t understand why the stink is so low in the tournament table. I am the enemy of their bajannya to overcome it and not give up. The stinkers won a good pressure and deserved a draw” (Sportarena.com, 04/14/23).
But with all due respect to Rukh, the press believes that the cause of the Dynamo misfire should still be sought in Dynamo itself. The media, in particular, note that the people of Kiev started the game successfully, however, having taken the lead, they slowed down.
The conclusion suggests itself that Vanat's quick goal played a cruel joke on the team - the Dynamo team decided that everything would follow the same scenario as the game with Minai.
“Even if the clubs didn’t strain themselves to the last, then after the scored goal, they relaxed, letting it go that the boulder was already crushed. І tse bula pardon Dynamo. “Rukh” looked timidly, looking that nothing had gone wrong, and continuing to grow like that, as if it had begun - quickly, assertively and with impudence," Andrey Fesun (Footboom1.com, 14.04.23) shares his observations.
If we look at the problems in the Dynamo game more globally, then we cannot but touch upon the large-scale restructuring that the capital club is currently undergoing. Mircea Lucescu has already spoken about it more than once, recalling that after the large-scale invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation, all standing legionnaires left Dynamo, and in general, over the past year, 11 players of the main clip left the ranks of the blue-and-whites. The press also operates on this factor.
Here is what, in particular, Georgy Groshev writes:
“Dynamo Kyiv sold two key gravels of the remaining rocks. Viktor Tsigankov was on suspicion to move to Europe, having signed a contract from Girona, as well as Zabarniy buv sales to the English Bournemouth. Spend, vіdzhuuuchi vіdnіst vhіdnih purchases, more serious. At the same time, during the whole season, other important details of Lucescu’s mechanism — Shaparenko and Buschan…” (Ua-football.com, 14.04.23) are rejoiced.
An indicative nuance: from the Dynamo squad that defeated Rukh last fall, only three left at the start this Saturday - Tymchik, Sidorchuk and Buyalsky. We add here the fact that the Dynamo coaching staff is quite actively introducing young pupils of the club into the main clip. And as a result, we get objective reasons for a kind of "swing": today the team can play a good meaningful match, tomorrow it suddenly forgets all the positive developments and starts as if from scratch.
At the same time, the media have no doubts: Dynamo has an excellent personnel potential.
“Over the past few years, Dynamo has consistently been in the top 5 or even top 3 clubs in Europe in terms of the number of its own pupils and domestic players in terms of playing time. Moreover, both according to CIES estimates in general for the highest divisions of the championships of the continent, and among the participants in European cups. This shows that Dynamo worked cool ten years ago in the academy and in early childhood scouting, and can work cool even further,” writes Artur Valerko (Fanday.net, 14.04.23).
“I understand that Dynamo won’t play at once,” Sergey Tishchenko develops the theme. — Against the backdrop of a stronger superman, problems can be blamed. Ale, perspective. An hour, if you don’t have a result, it will be rational. Dynamo juveniles are able to marry and take care” (Dynamo.kiev.ua, 10.04.23).
In his column, Tishchenko emphasizes that the main thing for the people of Kiev this season is not medals, but the prospect: the more experience young players get, the more chances for success in the future.
Of course, there is a rational grain here. But this does not mean that one cannot demand victories in each round from the current Dynamo squad. Here it is worth listening to the president of the club, Igor Surkis, who, in an interview with ProFootball Digital, made it clear that the team's performance and results do not suit him.
“See, you know what we’re going to do. It is important today to request someone to Dynamo. Otzh play young lads. Ale stink is guilty of understanding that they took away the chance. For fear that the war will end with our victory, we will suddenly turn to the foreign vector, ”the Xsport.ua website quotes Igor Surkis’s key message to the players (09.04.23).
It should be noted that the interview of the president of Dynamo, as always, was widely circulated in the media, scattered into quotes. In just a few hours after ProFootball Digital with Igor Surkis went on the air, more than 20 sites published materials with a link to the interview (31 materials in total). And the greatest interest, in addition to assessing the current situation in the team, was raised by questions about the possible return of Roman Yaremchuk to Dynamo and the sale of Viktor Tsygankov to Girona.
“We will speak with Yaremchuk. We would also like such an attacker in our team. In a new contagious hour, ale win in a skin football player. I gladly accepted bi-yogo at Dynamo. Vіn is a good person, patriot” (Football24.ua. 09.04.23).
“I realized that Tsigankov had wanted to drink for a long time. Yakby is not viyna, buv bi-civilization transfer. Yogo agents came home from Girona. Batko mav on a new great injection in this situation. We didn’t waste our financial plan. As a matter of fact, we will have sales at the top club, and we will have 50 thousand dollars per sale. Vin in sight in Girona. I will cheer you up for a new one, so that you will win a new rive" (Champion.com.ua, 09.04.23).
50 MILLION FOR UKRAINIANS
Speaking about Dynamo, the media pays a lot of attention to the social mission of the club. Many publications reported that in early April, the players visited the wounded Ukrainian military, who are undergoing treatment and rehabilitation in the capital's medical institutions. Such visits are regularly made by Dynamo players. We can say that such meetings have become a good tradition.
This time, the players talked to the fighters of the Omega unit, which recently celebrated its 20th anniversary. Then we visited the soldiers of the Azov regiment, many of whom had to endure the horrors of enemy captivity. And no one was left without warm words, smiles, a positive charge, as well as without autographs on souvenirs with club symbols.
“It’s important for us to welcome you, Heroes,” the captain of the team, Sergei Sidorchuk, addressed the servicemen. “Tse, to be honest, it’s important to be given daily psychologically. I can’t show myself how you are there. I am a wealthy father, and today I want to say something not only about myself and the dynamic club, but about my homeland. Thank you for those that my children can live in peace” (Podrobnosti.ua, 04/05/23).
And Maksim Dyachuk wrote on his Instagram page:
“It was an honor to ask and cheer our Heroes! History, as we felt, is only part of what happens on the front line. And it was really hot there: a skin day, a skin second. Friends, do not forget to donate and repost the collection for our defenders, do not hesitate to expand information about the exchange of military prisoners. With less sleepy zusils, we can win over! (Dynamo.kiev.ua, 07.04.23).
Once again, head coach Mircea Lucescu spoke about the war:
“Football is trying to get rid of the players, but in the minds, we can play without peeps, and trips are taken by bus or by train - it’s even more complicated. It’s even more important that people around the problems, like they have, take satisfaction from their favorite teams. Football helps.
It's still quiet in Kiev. People begin to walk away, live as they did, but I think that their thoughts are far away.”
The media also actively circulated a report on the charitable activities of Dynamo Kyiv and the Surkis Brothers Foundation. It is about a series of exhibition matches against foreign clubs.
“Govdyaki Pidrimtsi in the Bolivnikovs of his own svita for 15 matches of the two concerts of Bulo Ziprano, the 50 million hryvnias of the fіnancial dupomoga, a rescue for consumer Ukrainians, the yaki arranged viyi as the Rosiysky aggressor.
Додамо, що «Динамо» у співпраці з фандрейзинговою платформою UNITED 24 на кошти, зібрані під час благодійних телемарафонів Save Ukraine у Берліні та Амстердамі, було відновлено зруйноване відділення Чернігівської лікарні № 3 та придбано сучасні рентген-апарати«, — пишет сайт Ukrfootball.ua (12.04.23).
TIME TO VERIFY POSITIONS
The theme of the war and its impact on Ukrainian sports, one way or another, constantly appears on the pages of the domestic media. On April 12, the Ministry of Youth and Sports published Decree No. 2031 "On the participation of official delegations of the national teams of Ukraine in international competitions in Olympic, non-Olympic sports and sports with disabilities." This prescription prohibits official delegations of the national teams of Ukraine from taking part in international competitions in which athletes from the Russian Federation and Belarus take part. If any federation ignores the ban, it will be deprived of national status. At least such an issue will be put on the agenda.
The document caused a heated discussion in the media. On the one hand, the logic of power is absolutely transparent. The reason for such a tough position was the meeting of the Executive Committee of the International Olympic Committee on March 28, when the world sports federations received recommendations to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to participate in international competitions under a neutral flag.
Here is what Yuri Vishnevsky writes about this:
“Volodymyr Zelensky repeatedly publicly guarded against such a decision. “The IOC’s attempt to turn to the Olympiad of athletes from the Russian Federation and Belarus by legitimating malicious aggression against Ukraine. We are not allowed to use the sport of anti-humanity for military propaganda! ”- stating wine 2 fiercely. And repeating the 10th fiercely: “Yakshko, God forbid, the Olympic principles will be ruined and Russian athletes will allow to be zmagan chi Olympic mountains, less than an hour’s food, if the terrorist power zamusit їx pіdіgіrі war”.
In order No. 2031, it is clear that it was adopted with the method of “harder entry into the prevention of propaganda of the Russian Federation’s aggression against Ukraine in the middle of the international sports community.” That is the motive of the punishments of the very one Zelenskyy repeatedly spoke about: fight against the Russian propaganda of the war” (Dsnews.ua, 14.04.23).
But at the same time, both Vishnevsky and other authors suggest thinking about the fact that, in fact, a boycott of major tournaments can have detrimental consequences for domestic sports. Including for football.
The media primarily raises the issue in the context of the recently launched selection for Euro 2024. After all, UEFA suspended only Russia from participation in the tournament, while Belarus received admission and has already played two matches in Group I, losing to Switzerland (0:5) and Romania (1:2).
And now, if Decree No. 2031 in the proposed version passes the registration process with the Ministry of Justice, the Ukrainian national team, in theory, will have to withdraw from the Euro 2024 selection. Sports lawyer Ilya Skoropashkin confirmed this in an interview with FanDay.net.
How can this development of events turn out for our football? The answers are on the surface.
“It’s not only our head team that wants to fight! Igor Tsvik models the situation. - The UEFA squad did not side with Belarus, the new selection cannot start the youth football team of Ukraine, as well as the U-19 and U-17 teams.
So the whole development of Ukrainian football in the plans of national teams is put on pause. Can you tell me, what kind of gravitant checks us on the youthful level? How many young Ukrainian football players, who have moved to Europe, now accept the propositions of the teams of Poland, the Czech Republic, the Slovak Republic and others, so that they will fight for their lands, and not at the mercy of the Ministry?
And if you call on those who, behind the same forecasts, the war can take place in 2024 and inspire in 2025, the self-isolation of Ukrainian sports will be total” (Sportanalytic.com, 14.04.23).
“It can be assumed that Ukrainian sports officials, skeptical about the idea of a boycott of zmagan, can allow the Russian Federation and Belarus, rowed into one group of individual and team sports, of course, with an eye on the Olympics. Ale, that’s why, because the Ukrainian team in football at Euro 2024 cannot compete with the Belarusians in the same rank (and the Russian Federation took a ban from UEFA). In the club tournaments - the League of Champions, the League of Europe and the League of Conferences - Ukrainian clubs will now sing-songly be bred with clubs from Belarus (if you want to hear the stench hovering around at the early stages, and the clubs from the Far East have also had an hour-long ban).
Pevno, Ukrainian football should be put aside at such a time, the docks didn’t put a fat cross on a new fat cross by no more logical reason,” Arkady Kapelka believes (Footboom1.com, 04/14/23).
Thus, the reaction of the football community to Decree No. 2031 can be described as alarming and wary. But at the same time, there is reason to believe that things will not come to drastic measures. At least, such thoughts are prompted by the words of the Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports Matvey Bidny:
“The main decision to praise the federation is the UAF. I think that we can have enough time to see the positions. I know that stinks (choices of Ukraine and Belarus - Approx.) move around in different groups and do not overlap without interruption within the same run. Let's marvel" (lb.ua, 14.04.23).
Victor ZHURAVLEV
