Last week's Ukrainian championship matches again dominated the domestic sports media. The tournament's top four managed to avoid losses, although the victories were not easy. In the remaining seven rounds, any slip-up is fraught with unpredictable consequences. Particularly as Dnipro 1 are just two points behind Shakhtar, and Dynamo have not lost their chances of winning the bronze medal against Zorya.
Aleksandr Shovkovskiy (Photo: Yuriev)Another hot topic of news is the Ukraine national team's friendly with Germany, scheduled for June 12 in Bremen. Moreover, the House of Football made a resounding announcement that a new head coach will be in charge of the national team for this game, and for the games with Northern Macedonia (June 16) and Malta (June 19).
However, let's start again in order.
No one will let anyone joke with Dynamo
An away game with Metalist, which took place in Uzhhorod, for known reasons, was special for Dynamo Kyiv. For the first time the legendary Bilo-Syni goalkeeper Oleksandr Shovkovskiy lead the team as the acting head coach. Mircea Lucescu announced the switch to the bench after the previous game with Shakhtar.
Lucescu's sore throat prevented him from full-time duty, " commented commentator Serhiy Tishchenko. - In the last matches Mircea focused heavily and spent most of the time sitting, although he often remains on his feet. After the loss to Rukh it became clear that there was no point in postponing the operation. The season is effectively over. Lucescu will be able to get himself up to speed and begin pre-season preparation. Now he has the opportunity to look at the team's problems from the sidelines. Although it does not mean he will not take part in the team management. There is no doubt that Mircea will control all the key issues from his bed. Lucescu will undergo surgery in Kyiv in order tobe closer to the team"(Football24.ua, 25.04.23).
However, not everyone has taken the quite mundane situation associated with the illness of the head coach and the appointment of his temporary replacement for the team for good. The football mollifies, who have been breeding lately, including from among the promising journalists, started to put forward their own versions.
For instance, why Shovkovs'kyi, and not, say, Gusev, who has been on the coaching staff of Dynamo longer than his former partner? Or Emil Karas, who communicates with Lucescu on the same linguistic wave and has enough experience to work independently? Others have begun to delve into the personal life of the legendary goalkeeper. And some have gone so far as to say that Lucescu has been handed his resignation in this intricate way.
The best answer to all the speculations was Shovkovs'kyi's own words at the post-match press conference after the game with Metalist: "First of all, I want to say that we have a head coach. Unfortunately, it happened so that he has health problems now. We all wish him a speedy recovery. As for my first experience as the team's mentor, we were constantly in touch with our head coach. At the same time, there is a training system which cannot be changed " (Dynamo.kiev.ua, 28.04.23).
"Shovkovs'kyi is a man who has spent all his life in Dynamo. He has always told us what to do on the pitch. Garmash, Khacheridi, young players did not really hear what the coach was saying. But Shovkovs'kyi was an authority for everyone. He saw the whole team in front of him. It was clear he had the qualities to be a good coach, as well as the man who can create the right atmosphere in the team. I am sure he will not allow anyone to make a joke with Dynamo", - backed up his former partner Macedonian defender Goran Popov, who defended the colours of Kyiv from 2010 to 2014 (Dynamo.kiev.ua, 27.04.23).
And columnist Vitaliy Pasichnyi added: "Shovkovskiy is a man who in twenty-five plus years has built up such a reputation that you can call him 'saint' instead of his name.He did not go without faults, some of which became legendary, but also became part of the absolutely legendary matches of Ukrainian football. He did not take the bronze after a dozen championships and remained "in the lead" in the game. He was often the only one to approach the fans after a few matches. When he was on the bench, he did not express discontent with the coach's choice, but simply stated that he was thebest for the rivals. He has never complained that he was not released somewhere and for two decades he was a true fighter of the Kyiv club"(Football.ua, 25.04.23).
However, Pasichnyy believes that with Shovkovs'kyi Dynamo will not play like Manchester City in a wave of a magic wand, and even winning back five points from Zoria will be difficult. No one will refer to the goalkeeper's numerous regalia either - sport does not work that way. And then there are three away games in a row.
"Currently, there is a great understanding that coach Shovkovs'kyi at Dynamo is as normal as coach Lampard at Chelsea or coach Pirlo at Juventus. Whoever, but he deserves his chance".
Shovkovskiy`s start in Uzhhorod
Oleksandr Shovkovs'kyi's charges won confidently (3-1) over Metalist - judging by the scoreline and the game. But there are, as they say, the nuances. Despite an overwhelming advantage in the number of chances created, they opened the scoring only in the second half. They did not always intercept Kharkiv's attempts to get a move on. And after Popov`s mistake, they could have given away the second goal - Nesheret helped them out.
"Metalist with all the parameters is the weakest team in the championship, - Football24.ua said before the match. -Kharkiv are the last in points, have the highest batting average and are ahead of the opponents in terms of conceded goals. More often than on their goal they hitonly in the matches againstMetalist-1925 (28.04.23). In addition, the portal referred to worrying insider reports about internal problems at the club.
At the same time it reminded about Metalist`s draws with Aleksandria and Kolos, the fact that Kharkiv team held out for an hour in a match with Shakhtar, about a goal extravaganza in a duel with Veres (5:5), and the defeat by Vorskla was explained by two goals missed on penalties: "Well, underestimation ofMetalist may lead to disastrous results. Perici Ognjenovic's players must show maximum effort football".
It seems that there was no need to make Dynamo players confront the rival unnecessarily. At the same time Shovkovskiy did not change the starting lineup which was fielded in the game with the Pitmen. The Kyiv side took the initiative from the start, created a number of chances but failed to score. But Metalist did shoot back. Before the break Pryadun could score after one-on-one with Nesheret, and Demchenko could score after a free-kick.
"Ihor Semjon described the second half withhis running start. - Andrievskyi, Benito, Vivcharenko... However, the one, who was expected in the last place, shot. A long, sustained, wide attack was crowned by Sirota with a lucky shot to the top of the nine. The rest was easier. They just sat back and tried to close out the winner. Kabayev didn't score because Corral carried the ball off his line, but Vanat converted the chance"(Ua-football.com, 28.04.23).
And then there was Popov, who had just got on the pitch. He came out and made a mistake, in fact, handing the ball to Kartushov, who rolled the ball into an empty net to Pryadun. And if after that Powder scored from a free-kick?
"If we summarize Shovkovs'kyi's first game, he was
He had mixed feelings about it, - Oleksandr Sazhko commented on the outcome of the match. -On the one hand, both the game plan and players' desire to execute it were evident: they caused a lot of movement, tried to offer themselves, passed passes between the lines or by throwing up the ball. Such actions created trouble.
On the other hand, we failed to make the most of the space created on the right flank by overloading the left flank. Besides, the problems with the last pass and finishing did not allow to score until Metalist was out of the limelight. Therefore, it is impossible to make global judgments on the state of Dynamo. Currently we can only say that Shovkovs'kyi certainly did not fail his first match" (ua.tribuna.com, 28.04.23).
We controlled the game, but not everything was going right, " Oleksandr Shovkovs'kyi said. - In the first half we had chances which we should have realized. We understood what the opposition would play with. Something went wrong for Metalist - we conceded a number of attacks.
Then we scored two goals and everything seemed to work out. But an unfortunate mistake, conceded goal - and the team somehow got confused. We will examine why it happened. Everyone makes mistakes. The problem is not that someone made a mistake. The problem is that the guys got confused. There was some confusion in our actions, which lasted till the third goal"(Dynamo.kiev.ua, 28.04.23).
Shovkovs'kyi admitted that the emotions of a player and a coach are different things. That the individual skill in modern football must be demonstrated in every component of the game. That we will not score if we do not kick a ball on goal. And the main victory for him will be the victory of Ukraine over the aggressor, which on the night before the match with Metalist delivered another sneaky rocket attack on our cities.
The Serbian coach of Kharkiv Perica Ognjenovic (another former partner of Shovkovs'kyi in Kyiv "Dynamo") admitted that he was counting on chances of his team on the counterattack. But sending off defender Romanyuk at the beginning of the second half for a foul broke all his plans.
"He deserved to be sent off, " said Miroslav Stupar, a former FIFA referee. As for the Kherson referee, Paskhaal remarked: "Paskhaal was unconcerned. Probably, from the very beginning he thought Dynamo would play against Metalist. Therefore, in the 17th goal he missed the moment when Romaniuk played at the feet of Buyalskyy instead of on the ball. Although in the future there were no criminal moments that could say the competence or incompetence of the referee" (1927.kiev.ua, 28.04.23).
It is curious, the 41-year-old Igor Paskhal has officiated the match vs Kyiv Dynamo for the fifth time this season. In the previous game vs Shakhtar he was in charge of VAR. Back then, there were also questions regarding the actions of the match officials...
Vernidub was very pleased with Monzul
"Having lost four points to Dnipro 1 in April, Shakhtar had to win their away game against Kolos. However, after the first half Igor Jovicevic's side were trailing by one goal.
"Shakhtar had two problems, - Ua-football.com columnist Georgiy Groshev noted in his match report. - The first was the play at someone else's goal. Most of the attacks were made through Sudakov, while the right wing missed much. There were moments but minimum. And the execution lacked success.
Another problem for Shakhtar was the play in front of their own goal. "Kolos traditionally was poor on chances but made the most of it, scoring from a standard. Bogdanov sent in the thick of the crowd, Chobotenko won the game and Orikhovskiy, who somehow found himself without the defense, used another shot to send theball as intended" (28.04.23).
However, after the break, the situation on the pitch changed. According to the author, in many ways it was due to the fact that Jovicevic refreshed the flanks by fielding Zubkov and Konoplya. Also, the Pitmen added pace. Although they scored from the spot-kick awarded for handling Chobotenko, which, by the way, the culprit himself did not agree with. As for the second goal, the entire Kolos team had a claim against the referee Derevinski.
The thing is that during the attack Bondar in the middle of the field broke the rules, after which Bondarenko and Traore got on the scoresheet. But the referee ignored the moment. However, Shakhtar brought their lead to a logical end when, towards the end of the game, Kelsey converted a comfortable 3-1 win.
"Today we got three important points. I respect Kolos. This year they scored few goals and conceded few. Besides, the team has such an important quality, as the ability to apply the standards. But I want to commend my team for the character and for the second half, which showed that we are going the way we want to go to the end. So I urge the boys to play this way in the next matches and I know that they can do it. Each of the next seven matches is final for us", - Igor Jovicevic commented on the result of the match (Shakhtar.com, 28.04.23).
The spot kick was also required in the away game Dnipro 1 vs Inhults (2-0). Having realized it in the 58th minute, Artem Dovbik scored his 20th goal in the championship and strengthened his position in the top-scorer rating.
"It was not easy for us, -- admitted Dnipro's head coach Oleksandr Kucher. - The road was difficult, and there was some dissatisfaction in the team - we were afraid to let six or seven players onto the pitch. As for the game, the "Niguelets" were eager to play, were looking for their chance and didn`t get it in the second half when we could have paid for the mistake. But on the whole we controlled the game and played well in defense. So the game was over" (Scdnipro1.com.ua, 29.04.23).
Kucher also said that the wind hindered his team in the first half. After the break, Dnipro played in the wind, moreover, the rain soaked the pitch and it became easier.
Patrick van Leeuwen, the Dutch coach of Zorya made an interesting admission. Answering the question why his team after the break in Kyiv match with Chornomorets refused from intensive pressure at the gates of the rivals, the specialist said: "Weather conditions for football were very good, but some players haven`t seen the sun for a long time, not used to this heat andtired after a while.Besides Chornomorets did not always give the opportunity for press" (Zarya-lugansk.com, 29.04.23).
In general, according to van Leeuwen, his charges had no particular problem in the game with the Odessians. And there is always something to improve. In particular, there is always room for improvement.
And one more match on Matchday 23, which found itself in the epicentre of attention. "Kryvbas thrashed Alexandriya (2-1) at home, and it is possible that the battle for a fifth European Cup berth from Ukraine will develop between these teams. At least Ruslan Rotan's first defeat at the helm of Oleksandriya gives the Currie players some hope.
Yurii Vernidub, the always emotional head coach of Kryvbas, was complacent this time. He thanked his charges for their commitment and fulfilled the game plan. Although he reproached them for the two previous defeats, where the team, according to him, should have earned points. He gave credit to Oleksandriya, a young, interesting team with fast, skilled performers. He glorified referee Kateryna Monzul.
"Today I saw the judge, who really is a professional of very high level. Kateryna is the only judge in Europe. And it is not by chance. She is a woman who knows much more about football and officiating correctly than all the men in Ukraine. Because they judge in the light of "something or other" and Monzul goes out and honestly does her job.
She does it very interesting and brilliantly, I have no doubts about her. Even if there are some mistakes I know a hundred percent that these actions are not biased. Anybody can make a mistake. And when other arbitrators - I will not say their names - judge a little differently, it is amazing. That's why I am driven out: in this championship I have already had two penalties. That`s why I don`t want to talk about it anymore"(Fckryvbas.com, 29.04.23).
You can agree or disagree with Yuriy Vernidub. But it happens so often in our football: after winning matches and with an impartial refereeing one opinion, otherwise - quite another...
Charity match in Bremen
On 24 April UEFA official website announced that the Ukraine national team will play a friendly with Germany on 12 June. The match, which will be the 1000th in the history of the Bundesliga club, will be played for charity at the Weserstadion Bremen. With the charity game, the German national team will continue the social mission of the German Football Association (DFB) to support people and organisations in Ukraine who have been affected by the Russian invasion war.
"1,000 international matches is a history that wewant to celebrate with peace. Our national team has played many important matches in its biography. Playing our 1000th international friendly match with Ukraine we clearly demonstrate that the football familystands firmly with our Ukrainian friends. We are celebrating this anniversary together with Ukraine and for Ukraine, " German Football Association president Bernd Neuendorf said(Uaf.ua, 24.04.23).
And the sporting director of Bundestim, the famous former forward Rudi Feller added: "Thanks to the 1000th international match of the national team, DFB can look back on a sublime history. "Weserstadion offers ideal conditions for this special anniversary game, through which we can not only demonstrate our support for Ukraine, but also provide very concrete assistance and collect donations.
It should be noted that since the beginning of the Russian aggression, the DFB and the German national team have been involved in various activities to help the war victims in Ukraine. Last year, the DFB Foundation Egidius Braun and its partners allocated over €10m to social projects in Ukraine.
In addition, in cooperation with the Federal Government Commissioner for Migration, Refugees and Integration, it supports football clubs that help children, young people and women displaced from Ukraine. The profits from the charity match will also go to the DFB Foundation, which will continue to help people affected by Russian military aggression.
Hans-Dieter Flick, the coach of the Bundestimm-Bund, also shared his concrete plans for the game with Ukraine: "We will have this very special match, and then we will be joined by two more strong teams - Poland and Colombia. In these friendlies we want to develop what the team demonstrated in the second half of the friendly against Belgium. If the team learned the lessons correctly, the supporters support us. We want to take this momentum into the next games"(Uaf.ua, 26.04.23).
Last week, there were two more important messages from the House of Football. Despite an order from the Ministry of Youth and Sports stipulating that Ukrainian athletes must not take part in tournaments featuring representatives of the aggressor country and its appeaser Belarus, the Ukraine national team will not be withdrawn from the UEFA Euro 2024 tournament. This has been made possible thanks to a letter from the ministry, which gives a clear explanation of the situation.
"Taking into account the decision of the Executive Committee of the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) from 27.05.2022 on the separation of the Ukrainian and Belarusian football teams in the draws of international competitions under the auspices of the organization, implementing point 5 of the aforementioned order, the structural units of Ministry of Youth and Sports, whose competence includes coordination of football development in the country, will monitor the participation of Ukrainian teams in international competitions, in which Belarusian teams will also participate.
In the case ofrevealing the facts of possible cases of full-time meetings between Ukrainian and Belarusian football teams, the requirements of paragraph 1 of the above order of the Ministry of Youth and Sports should be applied to solve the issues related to further participation in the competitions," Sport.ua (24.04.23) quoted the document.
As for the Russian teams, they are known to be completely banned from taking part in competitions under the UEFA aegis.
And the second piece of news is that the Ukrainian national team will finally have a mentor. The Ua.tribuna.com website informed about it, quoting high-ranking officials: "The national team will be represented by a new head coach prior to the friendly with Germany and before the next game of the selection for Euro 2024" (24.04.2023).
Who will be the new head coach? Let us have patience. We've been waiting longer...
Leonenko's refractory maxims
Andriy Shevchenko, the best footballer in independent Ukraine, continues his social and charitable mission. Recently in an interview with a reputable British publication The Guardian he once again shared his feelings about the war in our country and its consequences. In particular, he spoke about meeting a 6-year-old girl, Marina, whose leg had to be amputated by doctors.
In May 2022, a Rashist shell hit a house in Kherson region, where Marina's family lived. It resulted in severe injuries to the little girl. Life was saved, but disability could not be avoided. She later underwent prosthetics at the 'Okhmatdet' clinic in Kiev. There, in early April, Shevchenko met Marina and told English journalists about it.
"Spending time withher is an extraordinary emotionalmoment for me. I saw her laughing. The doctor came up to me and said: "Andrew, she's been here for four months and we've never seen her laugh."And now she's in a humble mood, playing withthemeat, andshe even gave it to me. She was full of enthusiasm", - Ua.tribuna.com (29.04.23) quoted the famous football player.
"I saw a lot of kids in the children's hospital, and many of them were in a very important condition. The next day I went to another hospital where I met the soldiers. They are really 18-19-year-old boys and they do not have legs or arms. I want the world to know about it, I want to share what the Ukrainians feel. It is important that the whole world helps us. We continue to have a strong spirit - and this spirit will help us to defend Ukraine andeventually win the war" - Shevchenko told The Guardian.
Andriy also talked about the initiatives which he is implementing together with the Arsenal player Oleksandr Zinchenko: "We are working on a number of different projects. At the moment we prepare proposals together with the Football for Ukraine foundation in order to receive aid for Ukrainians. We have a project in Irpentogether with United 24, which raised the money for the construction of the football stadium.
Zinchenko is incredible. I am very fond of him because he is so young and has a young family and a child, but he supports Ukraine so much. He not only collects money but also speaks vocally about our country.
When we talk to each other I say: "Do not tear down emotions, let them flow. We must show the truth. We are here to show the world what Ukrainian people feel. We must help our people, because they need it. We must pay attention to the war" (ua.tribuna.com, 29.04.23).
The warm relationship between Shevchenko and Zinchenko was also evidenced by another interview with the 'Golden Ball' winner given to the CBS Sports website. Assessing the play and leadership qualities of the Arsenal player, Shevchenko particularly said: "Zinchenko is charisma, determination, responsibility. I made him the youngest captain in the history of the Ukrainian team, because he deserves it. He sets an example".
"He is easy on the ball, has good technique. Wasn't afraid to take responsibility, even when he first started in the national team. When he came on, I remember he looked like a kid. But he developed and grew so much that he became a real captain and one of the best in his role this season. And all thanks to his passion for football, discipline, his desire and ambition," Fanday.net (25.04.23) quoted Shevchenko as saying.
Of course, it is great that we have such ambassadors, both on and off the football field. But as it turns out, not everyone has healthy feelings about it - either narrowness of outlook gets in the way, or an excess of brown stuff in the head. That is how Viktor Leonenko, a former striker with a solid beer experience, does not think Zinchenko is a serious footballer and even scoffs at his feelings. And he does not see him as a left-back.
At the same time he bullies Shevchenko. "How is it, Andriy, with the best left defender?" -- asked Leonenko, essentially blaming Zinchenko for Arsenal's defeat to Manchester City in a key match at the English Championship finish. - Failed there as well as there. Didn't fight against Holann, stood his ground in his own area. So Holann scored. Zinchenko always plays that way: he missed there, ran forward there. As a result, where is he?"(Xsport.ua, 27.04.23).
At the same time, he manipulates: of course, it is difficult for people who do not understand football to find his mistakes, because the team is always holding the ball. Naturally, it's possible to walk like that. Therefore, Shevchenko should be ashamed of his assessment of Zinchenko's game.
But Leonenko was especially cynical about Shevchenko's latest interview: "I read that they have a lot of projects with Zinchenko. Guys, I am only glad. Well done for helping, although it should be normal. When there is so much money, I would even build a couple of hospitals. If you want, I will help you too"(Fanday.net, 29.04.23).
The saddest thing is that such tight-fisted maxims of pseudo-experts with artificial intelligence are willingly replicated by media, creating for "truth-tellers" a wide advertisement. And serious analytics and journalism are pushed aside farther and farther to the periphery...
Victor ZHURAVLEV
