On Monday, 18 September, Dynamo Kyiv defeated Poltava Vorskla 2-0 in the match of the 7th round of the Ukrainian championship of the season-2023/24. The meeting took place in Kyiv at the Dynamo stadium named after Valeriy Lobanovskiy. Here is the post-match press conference of the head coaches of the teams.
Mircea Lucescu. Photo - Y.YurievMircea LUCHEU, Dynamo head coach:
- A very difficult match. We scored a quick goal, we wanted to score more. We had a lot of opportunities for this, especially in the first 15 minutes of the game. But then our side started to make mistakes. We tried to play fast, but we often made mistakes in technical aspects and positioning.
In general, we completely controlled the match. But "Vorskla" has always been a difficult opponent. Today's game was no exception.
In the second half we also had a lot of chances, we could score much more than one goal. But in this match our players got good experience. Now it is important that they properly analyse their mistakes.
We really wanted to score the second goal, but Vorskla also tried to play aggressively to equalise.
- How would you evaluate the game of Brazhko, who played a full match for the first Dynamo team for the first time today?
- He is a very good football player, and that is why I demand a lot from him. He alone can change the rhythm of the game. However, he is not the only one.
Sidorchuk was a good captain of our team, we are grateful to him for everything. I am glad that he signed a long-term contract with Westerlo. I can only wish him good luck.
Shaparenko, Shepelev, Tymchyk, Vivcharenko are not small losses for us, they are important players, but we played a good match without them, the guys who came on the pitch today got good experience and got a good victory.
- During the match you often voiced your complaints about Voloshin. What were you dissatisfied with in his game?
- He made a lot of mistakes, especially in counterattacks. That's why I replaced him. Today he had good chances to score more than one goal.
But Voloshin's mistakes are not a problem, because he is a young player who learns from his mistakes. He played well in the first half, he had a lot of space. His combination with Buyalskiy was memorable. Voloshyn is very young, he is learning, so his mistakes, I repeat, are not a problem.
- What do you think about the episode when the Vorskla defender kicked in the face of your ward?
- It is an obvious red card. At the international level, such a thing always leads to a suspension.
- Do you know when three postponed matches of Dynamo in this championship will be played?
- We will have time to make a decision. We remember that in Odessa we had a very difficult game with Chornomorets after moving from Europe. So, I think, we made the right decision not to play with Metalist 1925. It allowed us to better prepare for the return match of the Conference League qualification.
With Metalist 1925 and Zoria, I think, we will play soon. With "Veres" - a little later. Maybe in December.
Viktor SKRIPNIK, head coach of "Vorskla":
- First of all, I want to congratulate Dynamo with the victory. I was a little angry with my team for the way they played in the first minutes of the match. No matter how you try to get through to the players, the name "Dynamo" plays a big role for them.
In general, the score is according to the game. Probably, Dynamo could have scored more goals. But this match will be a good experience for the young players of our team. We had good phases in terms of play, but there were also moments when we had to play more man-to-man, not to concede in one-on-one battles. But I repeat, the score was the result of the game.
Виктор Скрипник. Фото — Ю.Юрьев- Today we saw two different Vorskla: one in the first half, the other - in the second. What did you say to your charges at half-time?
- I said that I was not satisfied with the first minutes. We were afraid of the opponent, we conceded a goal. If not for VAR, the score would have been 2:0. There was no pressure from our side. "Dynamo" played their football. And from us there was not a single counterattack, there was no constructive, which we strive for in our game. Besides, I calmed the guys at halftime.
In the second half we already had good phases of play. The substitutions that we made cannot be compared with those of Dynamo. Players, who were released by Kyivians, can play in the main squad of any team. But for our young players this match will be a good experience. Only yesterday they played for the second team, and today - for the first one, and even against Dynamo.
- What was your plan for the game? How were you going to use Dynamo's problems?
- Every team has its pros and cons. We wanted to play confidently against the ball. We have individually strong attacking players, with the help of which we wanted to reach the last third of the pitch. But it didn't work. Ball control is calming, but it doesn't give you anything more - you have to work without the ball. Moreover, Dynamo counterattacks are always speed, always dangerous. We knew that Buyalskyi is an unpredictable world-class player, he makes the difference in any game.
But we are satisfied that our guys got the experience of such a match. I am sure that they will be a bit better after this game.
Oleksandr POPOV from Valeriy Lobanovskiy Dynamo Stadium
