On Sunday, 20 August, in the match of the 4th round of the Ukrainian championship Dynamo Kyiv lost away to Chornomorets Odessa with the score 2:3. The meeting was held in Odessa at the stadium "Chornomorets". Here is the post-match press conference of the head coaches of the teams.
Mircea Lucescu. Photo - A.PopovMircea LUCHEU, Dynamo head coach:
- What was the most difficult for your team today, apart from the heat?
- Our own mistakes. I apologise for my emotions, I am very angry now. It was very difficult to get to Odessa from Bucharest, very difficult to play in two days on the third, very difficult to play in such a heat, but all this is no excuse, we had to win today.
- When Sirota was sent off, did you regret that by that time you had already used all the substitutions?
- Last match we played 120 minutes. It was very difficult for Yarmolenko and Sidorchuk to continue the game today, especially in this heat. And they asked for substitutions. Those who came on as substitutes should have improved, and we should have won. But unfortunately, it did not happen. Dyachuk's mistake is just unbelievable! We have very young players in our team, they lack experience, and they can not realise everything that the team requires from them, everything that I require from them.
But I must say that Chornomorets played in an organised manner. They have been preparing for this match for a whole week, unlike us. We dominated the first half, had many chances. In the second half, in principle, we also dominated. The opponent played counterattacks and realised them very well. I am not sure, but perhaps in one of the episodes there was a penalty, which could also affect the game. But I need to watch the replay of that moment, I'm not sure.
- You have been talking for a long time about young Ukrainians in the squad and that it is a problem. But there are no acquisitions. So, the club has no transfer budget?
- We'll see. We are looking for defenders. I have a conversation with the club president on this topic. In the meantime, we give young players a chance to prove themselves. But they need one or two years to reach the level of Dynamo Kyiv.
We were not very lucky in the sense that we lost Popov. This is a very important player for us. He is out for two matches. We will see how he will feel in the next few days.
- 18 August was the day of Prokopenko's memory. Can you remember him?
- He is a fantastic man, a legend. I always had a good relationship with him. I had nothing bad to do with him. He is a legend of Shakhtar and Ukrainian football.
Roman GRIGORCHUK, Head Coach of Chornomorets:
- I respect Dynamo and its coach. I believe that this is a top team. I cannot say that Dynamo planned to beat us today at the expense of class - I do not agree with this opinion. I think that Dynamo had to play much harder today than they expected. They had to be under pressure a lot, because of it they could not play their game. They had difficulties in this.
I received a yellow card, but I remain in my opinion. Yes, there was a foul in that episode, but it was a completely ordinary foul, which in no way it was a yellow card.
Our play was pretty solid, but not without mistakes, two of which led to goals. It would be logical if Dynamo scored more, they had the chances to do so. Take the same Vanat's shot.
But all this outweighs the result. For me this victory is one of the most important in my life. I will remember it forever. That's true. I'm glad that I see a lot of happy people now. For me, this is football happiness.
Alexander POPOV from the Chernomorets stadium
