On Saturday, 25 November, Dynamo Kyiv met Rukh Lviv in the 15th round of the Ukrainian Youth Championship. This match was a home match for our team and took place on the pitch of Dynamo's training base in Koncha Zaspa.
U-19 Championship, 15th round
"Dynamo-Rukh 2:0 (0: 0)
Goals: Ponomarenko (84), Yanchyshyn (90+2)
Warned: Kitela (4), Shtokal (87).
"Dynamo: 71.Surkis, 20.Gusev, 3.Balaba (K), 2.Mikhavko, 6.Kotukha, 14.Ishchenko, 22.Osipenko, 18.Salenko, 19.Pashko, 16.Yanchyshyn (15.Dykyi, 90+3), 11.Ponomarenko (9.Lobko, 90+3).
"Rukh: 1.Vanivskyi, 11.Kvas, 5.Boyko (14.Shtokal, 74), 9.Denysov (17.Panchenko, 74), 75.Kitela (K), 2.Popovskyi, 15.Kasarda (18.Koval, 85), 4.Kholod, 77.Turko, 7.Stolyarchuk, 8.Rusiak.
It should be noted that in the previous rounds, the White and Blues scored 32 points and finished second in the standings. Rukh had two fewer points and was in third place. So the reporting match promised to be interesting and unpredictable.
The first half ended with no goals scored, and at the end of the second half Ponomarenko and Yanchyshyn scored in stoppage time.
During the first minutes, Dynamo controlled the ball more, though they did so more often in their own half of the field. Kyiv also took a promising free kick, but the ball flew past the goal. Lviv responded with a corner kick - Surkis made a good save, knocking the ball out with his fists.
Pashko was active on the right flank, but after the ball was delivered to the penalty area, no one managed to dispose of it properly. The teams took turns possessing the ball, the game took place mainly in the middle of the field, and suddenly Osipenko brought Ponomarenko to the goal with a great pass from deep in the field, Matvey barely reached the ball and in a fall pushed it past the goalkeeper, but also past the goal.
Rukh made several potentially dangerous attacks near the opposite goal, but the Kyiv defence acted reliably and did not misfire, blocking all the opponent's attempts. In general, the pace of the game was slow, with the threat arising mainly from long passes forward. The teams hardly created any bright and spectacular moments, with only a shot from the left into the home team's penalty area, but Denisov wasted this opportunity by failing to close the pass. Boyko also miraculously missed the goal from a good position and grabbed his head - Surkis reliably took the ball away, and the visiting player was offside.
At the beginning of the second half, Dynamo earned two dangerous free kicks, but Ponomarenko's attempt was saved by the goalkeeper, and Osipenko shot just over the goal. In general, it was noticeable that the teams were acting somewhat cautiously, because the price of a mistake was too high. At one point, Yanchyshyn brought Osypenko to the goal with a good pass, Kyrylo could have scored himself, but he gave a pass that none of his partners could close.
Yanchyshyn struck a sudden shot, but it was inaccurate. Ponomarenko had a great moment, but he slowed down a bit in the attack and failed to finish it with an accurate shot. Yanchyshyn's opponent was a moment ahead after Osipenko's serve. A moment later, Osypenko struck himself after the ball bounced to him in the penalty area - past the post.
11 minutes before the end of regular time, the match had to be interrupted due to an air raid in Kyiv and the region, which lasted just over half an hour. After that, the teams did a quick warm-up and continued the game. The closest to scoring was Ponomarenko, who, after receiving a pass from his partner from deep in the goalmouth, failed to beat the Lviv goalkeeper.
But very soon, the Dynamo player achieved his goal: having received the ball on the left flank, Matviy beat the opponent, went to the goal, moved to the centre and left the goalkeeper no chance with an irresistible shot from the penalty area - 1-0. Later, Panchenko had a chance to equalise, but he failed to beat Surkis. And when stoppage time came around, the hosts launched a great attack, in the final stage of which Ponomarenko put Yanchyshyn one-on-one with the goalkeeper, and Nazar masterfully converted his chance, setting the final score at 2-0.
It should be noted that this victory put Dynamo at the top of the standings, although Shakhtar, who are second, played a game less.