Former Vorskla Poltava midfielder Ivan Kryvosheenko assessed all the highlights of the Dynamo vs. Partizan Champions League match.
- Were you looking forward to Dynamo Kyiv's first official match of the 2024/2025 season with confidence or fear?
- I was waiting for the first game with interest. Three good players joined the team, I mean Pikhalenko, Rubchynskyi and Ceballos. I think these are players for the main team. It is clear that Rubchynskyi is currently defending the colors of the Ukrainian Olympic team, and Seballos was injured during the training camp in Austria. For our giants, Shakhtar and Dynamo Kyiv, the litmus test is their performance in the European Cups. Everyone watches these games, and they are very important for the club coefficient.
- How did you assess Partizan's trip to Russia for a few sparring matches?
- This shouldn't happen nowadays. Wouldn't Partizan have found someone to spar with in Europe? Everyone knows that there is a war against Ukraine, all the clubs of this country are suspended from European competitions, and you are going there. It is well known from history that Serbia had a war for several decades, and they did not learn any lessons. That's why Shovkovskyi's statement the day before the match was correct, and the fact that there were no handshakes was also correct.
- Did Dynamo's starting lineup surprise you?
- Now we can see that Shovkovsky's coaching hand is already noticeable. He has no authority. In the spring, he, Yarmolenko and Buyalsky left the entire starting lineup. Here we see that Tymchyk did not play because of an injury. He was replaced by Karavaev, and Malysh replaced him at half-time. For Shovkovskyi, whoever is stronger today plays. And this is true. As for the center of defense, the pair of Popov and Dyachuk are somewhat similar players, and in the match against Partizan there were practically no difficult tasks for them. With Shakhtar, they make mistakes much more often. That's why it's interesting to see Ceballos in action.
- What did you think when the Brazilian Saldanha converted a penalty in the middle of the first half?
- First, I'd like to say that Kyiv started the game well. They tried to combine in the center of the field, and when they lost the ball, they immediately entered the fight. Yes, Karavaev made a mistake. We can recall several of his unsuccessful actions in European competitions in recent years. But Sashko made amends at the end of the first half when he managed to score a goal against Partizan.
- How would you assess the fantastic five minutes at the end of the first half, when Dynamo players scored three goals?
- It was all the skill of our team players and teamwork. Throughout the match, Dynamo players had the advantage and forced the guests to make mistakes. It is obvious that the Serbian players were very tired and simply could not keep up with the fast movements of Dynamo players.
- Ivan, which three midfielders do you like better - Brazhko, Shaparenko and Buyalsky or Brazhko, Shaparenko and Pikhalonok?
- It all depends on the strategy of the match. I really like Oleksandr Pikhalonok. He plays outside the box, he has class. Of course, he will increase competition in the midfield of the capital's club. In general, I can praise Oleksandr Shovkovskyi here. With the score 3-1, at halftime, he made two substitutions, which were not obvious to many. But they worked - Malysh and Pikhalonok were very useful.
- Now many experts and fans are saying that this is the best European Cup match for Dynamo in the last ten years. Do you agree with this?
- I think so. The statistics of this match clearly indicate this: shots 24:3, total control of the ball, six goals scored, good pressure throughout the 90 minutes of the game. "Dynamo is our brand, it is clear that everyone wants Dynamo to play in the UEFA Champions League group stage. Our guys should be praised for this match.
- Why didn't we see Vanat, Dynamo's only forward, in this match?
- We know Vladyslav's good qualities mostly from the Ukrainian championship. Yes, he scores here, but football in Europe is of a different level. So far, Vanat has not shown himself in the Old World. But we don't know what task Shovkovsky gave him. Vlad pressed a lot and willingly, blocking areas.
- What can we expect from the second match?
- It's good that the match in Belgrade will be held without spectators. We all know how violent Partizan fans are. I wouldn't say that there will be a serious battle in Belgrade, but it will be a good preparation for Dynamo before the third qualifying round of the Champions League against Glasgow Rangers. So far, Dynamo's performance has been encouraging for all of its fans.