Unfortunately, the regular European Cup matches of the Ukrainian representatives, which marked the reporting football week, did not bring positive emotions...
However, while Dynamo has every reason to hope for a favourable outcome in its clash with Greek side Aris, Dnipro-1 can only hope for a miracle in its duel with Czech side Slavia.
"If your arm is cut off..."
Dnipro, having made an unsuccessful debut in the Champions League draw, moved on to the Europa League qualifiers, facing an opponent that is hardly inferior to Oleksandr Kucher's previous opponent, Greek Panathinaikos. On the eve of the visit to Prague, Dnipro-1 lost two of its leaders: forward Dovbyk was sold for €6 million to Spanish side Girona, and creative midfielder Pykhalionok fell ill and was not included in the starting line-up.
"Dovbyk's move to Girona? If your arm is cut off, will it affect your health and strength? Theanswer is obvious," said Vyacheslav Zakhovailo, a well-known manager and expert (ukrfootball.ua, 9.08.23). "The loss of Dovbyk for Dnipro-1 is like an amputation for a healthy person. A huge problem for Oleksandr Kucher. It will be very difficult to find a worthy replacement for this player."
There were questions about the condition of several other leading players of the team. Already at the start of the game, in the 11th minute, Tretyakov left the field after being injured on the terrible pitch. Probably, even with such personnel changes, it was too tough to get three "dry" goals from Slavia. However, the score, as they say, is according to the game.
Against the background of the Prague team, which was motivated by its home stands and acted in a well-coordinated and organised manner, Dnipro-1 looked really pale. According to O. Kucher, his wards did not do anything of what the coach and players had planned for the match. The coach suggested that the difficult journey and the effects of poisoning in Athens before the meeting with Panathinaikos had taken their toll.
"For some reason, the guys got scared, started to just hit forward and give the ball to the opponent, which is why we conceded aquick first goal. There was some fuss in the first minutes and a lot of mistakes," footboom1.com quoted Kucher as saying at the post-match press conference (10.08.23).
According to Football 24 columnist Mykhailo Yukhymenko columnist Mykhailo Yukhymenko, the first half was the worst of the season for the Ukrainian vice-champion, effectively determining the fate of the match.
"There is nothing to say about Dnipro's football before the break. " Almost all the passes from the centre-backs went into the 'milk', and there were no touches to the ball in the Slavia penalty area at all. And not just touches - in the first half, Dnipro-1 lost 0:6 on shots (0:3 on target) and 0:5 on corners. Probably, the Czechs also outplayed the Ukrainians in martial arts (and definitely in high ball returns). It was no less difficult in defence..." (football24.ua, 10.08.23).
The journalist draws attention to Dnipro's old defensive mistakes, which their team stubbornly refuses to correct and concedes a quick goal for the third consecutive match in the European arena. Similar goals after flank shots occurred in both meetings with the Greeks. And this is despite the fact that Kucher has national team players in his defence, who, according to the media, are being hunted by clubs from major European leagues.
The situation on the pitch was not changed by either the removal of Slavia's player or the appearance of Pykhalenko. The newcomer to Dnipro-1, who was acquired to replace Dovbyk, also failed to live up to expectations.
"Thenew 'ten', Oleksandr Filippov, was far from perfect. After St. Trooden and a loan spell at Latvian side RFS, it will obviously be difficult for him to play at the high level he showed at Desna," suggests Liubomyr Sirskyi (ua-football.com, 10.08.23).
However, it was not Dovbyk's absence that was the key to the defeat, but the defence, according to an anonymous analyst from footboom1.com.
"It was the defensive actions that led to the disaster that everyone saw on the scoreboard," the resource writes (10.08.23). At the same time, it was obvious that the team was playing with a margin. No one had turned on the maximum speed yet... As a result, we have a terrible result with a terrible game. It was the night when nothing worked at all. Even if Dovbyk had been on the pitch, the prospects would have been minimal."
Having created the only more or less sharp moment, but not realising it and missing the opportunity to reduce the score, the visitors managed to concede for the third time in the majority and put their future prospects in the Europa League in doubt. Now, apparently, Dnipro-1 will have to move to the Conference League, where they will also have to pass one more qualifying barrier on their way to the group stage.
A tough nut to crack for Dynamo
Dynamo also made their debut in the third-ranked continental tournament. By and large, a draw would have been a much fairer outcome of the Kyiv team's match in Thessaloniki against local side Aris. However, the hosts managed to snatch a narrow victory, scoring the only goal from the 11-metre spot. But the referee did not award a penalty, although there was every reason to do so when Buyalsky was fouled at the end of the first half with the score tied at zero.
"The referee had every right to award an 11-metre penalty," the former FIFA referee analyses the episode. "The home defender pushed the Dynamo player in the penalty area when he was rushing towards the goal. By the way, the referee was clearly inconsistent in this episode. If he didn't award a penalty, he should have shown Buyalsky a yellow card for simulation. This did not happen.
Of course, if the VAR system had worked at the match in Thessaloniki, the referee would have had the opportunity to correct his mistake, and then justice would have prevailed ," Sport.ua, ua-football.com and dynamo.kiev.ua quoted Stupar as saying (11.08.23).
The voyage to the Aegean coast for the white and blues was even longer than for Dnipro-1, taking almost a day. There were also losses in the main line-up: the main forward Vanat was unable to play due to fever, and was replaced by the only Dynamo legionnaire in this match, the Nigerian Benito.
"Aris, on the other hand, did not use a single Greek for more than 90 minutes. This international team, having finally found their chance to find other people's mistakes, proved to be quite stubborn in the process of destroying Dynamo's attacks.
"Shaparenko and Yarmolenko had two great chances to turn the game around. They didn't take advantage of them," states Pavlo Bulakh, a columnist for FootBoom, " So even when sending rays of 'gratitude' to the Australian referee, we shouldn't forget about our own missed chances, and aboutDarida 's shot that was saved by Bushchan before the appointed 'point'. And about Fabiano's moment from Matarrita's cross, and Menendez's chance in the last minute.
Five episodes even without that "point". And Dynamo had the chances of Shaparenko and Yarmolenko, plus Buyalsky's fall in the first half, plus Yarmolenko's shot with a ricochet after Tymchyk's chest rebound" (footboom1.com, 10.08.23).
The author suggests that Kyiv lacked creativity in the centre of the pitch. Obviously, conductor Shaparenko has not yet returned to optimal condition after a serious injury, Yarmolenko is gradually fitting into the formally old but completely new team, Sydorchuk and Kabaev are not stable, and the efforts of the agile Buyalsky are sometimes not enough.
And yet, at least Dynamo seem to have played for a goal. Hopefully, Fortuna will give our countrymen their due in a week's time, in the return leg in Bucharest.
"0:1 is not a tragedy," says Leon Voorhaft (UA-Football, 10.08.23). " Aris has lost at home in its entire European Cup history (33 matches already) only once, albeit to a Ukrainian team - Kolos. They are much weaker away from home, and that's where they get eliminated. We just need not to be afraid, to press more actively, to play faster, to use Yarmolenko as in the league, to restore Vanat, who had a fever today, to find Buyalsky's connection, to make substitutions in time. Only..."
And yet - and this is the unanimous opinion of the national press - Dynamo should concentrate on putting things in order in defence.
"Thematch in Greece confirmed fears about Kyiv's defensive performance," we read on the terrikon.com portal (10.08.23). - In theUPL, all this can be corrected by effective attacking actions. At least in the matches against Minai and Obolon, it was the case. "Aris was the opponent who did not let Mircea Lucescu's men run wild."
Indeed, Sirota, Popov, Dubinchak and their defensive partners did not escape annoying positional and technical errors, forcing goalkeeper Bushchan to demonstrate miraculous reactions in some situations.
"Thequality of the defence blocked all chances of a positive result," football24.ua said (10.08.23).
Mircea Lucescu also acknowledged this, confirming it in a commentary after the match: "Our problems in the second half were the result of our mistakes..." And rewarding the opponent with a compliment: "Aris deserved this victory..."
It is hoped that the experience of the Romanian specialist, who now has a very well-coordinated, qualified and motivated ensemble of performers at his disposal, will play a decisive role, and next week Dynamo will delight their fans with both the result and the game.
"Nothing has been decided yet in this pairing, because Aris doesn't look like an impenetrable monolith ," says P. Bulakh. "Gav catches in defence as well as Dynamo's players, in attack he acts quite linearly, and doesn't set any difficult tasks. This is sometimes enough for Dynamo's current defence, but the task for the return match is quite reasonable and feasible. A little stricter at the back, a little more careful in front. A little here, a little there. And the result is at least 1-0 and extra time. But that 'little bit' needs to be added..." (footboom1.com, 10.08.23).
Traditions and ambitions
As for the difficulties in defence, namely in the central zone of the defensive redoubts, they are mentioned by both journalists and the Dynamo coaching staff. While the issue of possible personnel reinforcement of this area is being considered, the press is discussing the facets of the urgent problem.
"Oleksandr Syrota has just arrived from the youth Euro. Infact, he had no rest," Serhiy Tyshchenko delves into the issue (dynamo.kiev.ua, 6.08.23). " Christian Bilovar is playing his first season at this level. Maksym Dyachuk has a little more experience, but clearly not enough. Somehow Denys Popov will reach the level of stability. Perhaps it just takes time for the main pair of defenders to play together. They have gained experience, got into the rhythm of the season and gained confidence.
Each of the four available central defenders can progress. The oldest of them is under 25 years old. The opportunities for the reserve are obvious."
The well-known journalist Ihor Linnik shares his vision with the football community.
"A fire in the rear of the DC occurs regularly, out of the blue, out of nothing, in any combination of changing central defenders," footballgazeta.com quoted his post on Facebook (6.08.23). " The obvious imbalance will, of course, manifest itself during the season through a lack of points and other tournament losses - if the problem is not resolved promptly. Perhaps through the acquisition of at least one better centre-back or the transfer of Brazko or Sydorchuk to the centre of defence... The coaching staff knows best."
Once again, we have to appeal to the football wisdom and experience of Lucescu, who is highly motivated to set the team up for a successful season. And not only because of the failures of the previous sporting year.
The Mister's immediate prospect is a date in the next round of the Conference League qualifiers with his former club, Turkish side Besiktas. On Thursday, the Istanbul team confidently overcame Baku's Neftchi away (3-1), virtually securing a ticket to the next round, where, according to the draw, they will meet the winner of the Dynamo-Aris match.
Another incentive for the world's oldest practicing coach is to secure an honourable position in the register of the most successful coaches, where he is second only to one colleague with 38 titles.
"The Romanian specialist remains in second place in the list of the most titled football coaches of all time," footclub.com.ua and upl.ua (8.08.23 ) cite statistics. " Alex Ferguson leads this register: the Scotsman has exactly 50 official titles over four decades (1974-2013) of his career.
We can only hope that Lucescu will increase his list of victories, getting closer to Ferguson and not allowing Guardiola to overtake him. Moreover, the Romanian himself is still full of desire to work and win!"
And finally, Mircea can remain in Dynamo's history as one of the authors of a truly significant victory. The fact is that if the national championship is won, a third golden star will shine above the club's logo diamond in honour of the 30th triumph. No doubt, any coach dreams of such an identification, regardless of their track record.
However, the return leg with Aris is still on the agenda, where Lucescu hopes not only for the ambitions of his players but also for the support of the stands of the football arena in his native Bucharest, where the club hopes to have many Ukrainians.
"The avatar of the official Instagram features a photo of Mircea Lucescu against the backdrop of the poster for the return leg of the third round of the Conference League qualifiers against Aris," ua.tribuna.com reported (12.08.23 ). Below the photo, the club asks fans for support. Recently, Dynamo has started to pay much more attention to working with fans on social media."
Mircea Lucescu, at the end of his coaching career, was really lucky to work at a club with a well-built vertical of feeding the main team. We already see young players from junior teams in the main squad. The rest of them perform tournament tasks. For example, the U19 team won another crushing victory, crushing Metalist-1925 with a score of 7-0.
"The starting line-up of the hosts included the sons of the former president of the capital's club Hryhorii Surkis and the coach of the main team Oleh Husev - goalkeeper Viacheslav Surkis and defender OleksiiHusev," states fanday.net (12.08.23 ).
Kyiv striker Matvey Ponomarenko scored a hat-trick. Dynamo (U-19) has played three matches this season, each of which ended in a major victory, and leads the standings. Earlier, Kyiv defeated Minai (3-0) and Obolon (7-0)."
The fact that the youth team has several footballing names on its roster further emphasises the reverence for tradition at the Kyiv club, which is trying to combine the past with the future.
"Dynamo Kyiv continues to expand its network of children's football schools throughout the city," reads Shurik's website, " According to the club's telegram channel, in the near future, namely on 19 August, Dynamo together with its partners from Dynamo Kids will open a school at 6 Stepan Rudnytskyi Street (formerly Williams Street, 6), where children aged 2 to 7 will study" (Dynamo.kiev.ua, 8.8.2023).
The return of Andriy Yarmolenko to the white-and-blue team is also related to this story, as he has proven himself to be useful to the team. While Dynamo's rivals in the domestic league are letting go of their leaders (for example, Shakhtar sold national team goalkeeper Trubin to Portuguese side Benfica), Kyiv are strengthening, maintaining the overall level of the national Premier League. In particular, through transfers of their own pupils.
"The terms of Bohdan Lednev's transfer from Dynamo to Dnipro-1 SC have become known," football24.ua reports (11.08.23 ), citing journalist Mykhailo Spivakovsky. " The midfielder signed a full contract with the Dnipro club for three years and has already made his debut for Oleksandr Kucher's team in the Europa League match against Slavia Prague (0: 3).
For the transfer of 25-year-old Bohdan Lednev, Dynamo received 500 thousand euros. The Kyiv club will also be entitled to 25% of the player's future transfer fee."
"Dynamo also claims a share in the sale of Viktor Tsygankov. He currently plays for Spanish side Girona alongside his Ukrainian national teammate Artem Dovbyk. The Ukrainian duo scored in the first round of the national championship, setting a historic achievement.
"The footballers became the first Ukrainian pair to score a goal and an assist in the same match," says Mariana Polishchuk (kp.ua, 13.08.23 ), " Since 1991, none of the Ukrainians has made a successful pass to another in the elite division of these tournaments. This was reported by Suspilne Sport.
On the evening of 12 August, 26-year-old Dovbyk made his debut for the Spanish football club in the Spanish La Liga. He came on the pitch after an hour of playing time and scored a header ten minutes later. The cross to Artem Dovbyk was delivered by Tsygankov."
Parliamentary initiative
While our countrymen are promoting Ukraine and human values in European arenas, Ukrainian parliamentarians are supporting the athletes with legislative initiatives.
As we predicted, the Verkhovna Rada condemned the disqualification of Ukrainian fencer Olga Harlan and called on parliaments and governments around the world, the Olympic Committee and international sports federations to condemn the actions of the International Fencing Federation (FIE).
The document was voted for by 320 MPs.
The Parliament called on international sports federations to amend the rules of sports competitions by cancelling the obligation to shake hands or bow in competitions involving Ukrainian, Russian or Belarusian athletes.
In addition, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine appealed to the leaders and parliaments of foreign countries to restrict the entry of Russian and Belarusian athletes and sports delegations to their territory.
In its appeal, the Verkhovna Rada notes that in Russia and Belarus, sport is "a component of state propaganda of war". "Most of their athletes are representatives of law enforcement agencies, and some of them are involved in combat operations in the war of aggression against Ukraine," the text reads." (rada.gov.ua, 11.8.23).
The drafts of both appeals were submitted for discussion in the parliamentary session hall by the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Youth and Sports. We hope that government support will allow our sport to maintain its international standing and strengthen the country's reputation.
Orest LELEKA
