On Saturday, 27 April, in the match of the 26th round of the Ukrainian championship Dynamo Kyiv defeated Dnipro-1 away with the score 2:1. The meeting took place in Dnipro at the stadium "Dnipro Arena". Here is the post-match press conference of the teams' head coaches.
Oleksandr SHOVKOVSKY, Dynamo head coach:
- First of all, I would like to thank our defenders and defencewomen for giving us the opportunity to go on the pitch and give us such necessary emotions, which are very much lacking now. There is a war in our country, and only our defenders and defenders are doing everything possible to ensure that our football does not disappear. So, once again, we are very grateful to them. For our part, we will help them in any way we can.
As for the game, the matches with Dnipro and Dnipro-1 have always been interesting, they have always been very difficult. It goes back to the times when we were in another country. It has always been interesting with this team, but it has always been difficult. Yes, our clubs are friendly with each other, but friendly relations end as soon as you go to the football field.
We tuned up for a tough match, we understood what the opponent plays at the expense of, we told the guys that a lot of running work awaits them, that they will have to endure a lot, that it will be very important to fulfil the set-up for the game both in defence and in attack. And, of course, we told them what to do to find their chances in attack.
Unfortunately, we conceded an unnecessary goal, we can say that we gave this goal to the opponent. Our centre-backs have no right to play in such a way and let the opponent score such goals. But I am grateful to the whole team that they pulled together, showed character, squeezed the opponent and snatched the victory.
- Why were there such different halves in your performance: the first without chances, and the second - with a lot of scoring opportunities?
- We played against an opponent, who was also preparing, studying us, studying how we build our game. At halftime we had to make certain adjustments so that the guys found their chances and used them.
We had chances in the first half - at standard positions, and we could have scored. But at halftime we made remarks to the guys, and they fulfilled all our instructions in the second half, they were patient. In football you have to be patient until the end and play until the final whistle.
- There was a lot of talk about moving this match to Kyiv. How can you comment on this?
- The team is preparing for the game, for the opponent, studying his tactical actions, studying his players, their movements on the pitch during the game. I as a coach prepare the team for the match on the pitch. Everything else happens without my participation. Therefore, to comment on something here... I hope we will continue to play according to the regulations.
- What is your opinion about Tymchyk's suspension and the episode in which your team demanded a penalty?
- As for the episode you are talking about, it seemed to me that in it the opponent held Brazhko and threw him over with a wrestling hold. Our players also saw this moment.
I do not approve when they do not play to the end, do not throw the ball out of the field. In principle, we brought the penalty to ourselves. Although, Tymchik was reaching for the player, he did not jump on him from behind, he was trying to get the ball. That's what it looked like to me. I could be wrong.
We were unhappy with neither the penalty nor the red card, but we continued to be patient and realised that if we remained psychologically resilient, we would have a moment to score. And so it happened.
- What were your words to the team at halftime?
- You must understand a simple thing. What happens in the locker room will always stay in the locker room. I will never talk about tactical changes, I will never talk about any psychological attitudes.
After the break, the team realised that we had to start from 0:1, that there were moments that were to our advantage. We restructured our actions a little bit. Of course, we had to add speed, so that the opponent spent more energy - when this happens, the opposing team gets a little bit distracted, the discipline is not completely fulfilled. It's normal and objective, it's a peculiarity of any person. So you should always be patient until the end, until the last moment and believe that you will fulfil the tasks that are in front of you.
Yuriy MAKSIMOV, head coach of Dnipro-1:
- Why has Dnipro-1 so often recently failed to bring the game to victory, leading in the score?
- The reason is in the coach, he is responsible for the result, so all questions to me.
- Dnipro-1 played a great first half. Why did you manage to set the team up for the game?
- Kyiv Dynamo is always an irritant. The guys played for themselves and for the city. They can play football. We tune up for every match, but we play differently. There are questions. But right now they will not be solved.
- Can we say that this autumn Dnipro-1 showed its maximum?
- I have already talked about this topic. We had a lot of losses in the off-season. Yes, we took Ocheretko. He is a very good player, he helps the team, but there should be rotation. Again, the coach is responsible for the result. I thank the guys for the game, for their attitude to work, and I wish them further success.
- Was it fair to count the first goal of Dynamo when Volynets pointed out that Vanat hit his hand?
- We have referees responsible for this. There is also VAR, where you can look. There was a goal - so there was a goal.
- After the suspension of Dynamo, your charges literally ran to score. Did you say something to them?
- The players themselves wanted to win. The score was tied, every player wants to win.
Oleksandr POPOV from Dnipro
