Former Dynamo Kyiv and Chornomorets Odesa striker Oleksandr Kosyrin talks about the 3-0 match against Partizan in the Champions League qualifiers.
Oleksandr Kosyrin- For the return game, we didn't see Volodymyr Brazhko and Vladyslav Kabaev , the team leaders who played well in the first match against Partizan, in Dynamo's starting lineup. Were you surprised by the choice of Shovkovskyi?
- No, I wasn't. Look, after a confident victory in the first match, Dynamo could have taken to the pitch in Belgrade with any lineup. Globally, everything was decided in Lublin. On the contrary, it would be good to let the other players feel the tone of official matches.
- Did Andriy Yarmolenko's goal kill the intrigue of the second match?
- After that goal, everything fell into place. The Serbian team accepted defeat, and Dynamo controlled the ball even better.
- At the beginning of the second half, defender Dyachuk got injured. Do you think the center back will be out for a long time?
- Most likely, yes. He fell down badly and may have a shoulder problem. Maksym was screaming a lot. I wish him a speedy recovery.
- What do you think of Oleksandr Pikhalenko's performance in the center of midfield? Was he able to integrate into the game of a new team for him?
- Not everything is working out for him yet - it takes time. It will be interesting to see Pikhalenko play against stronger opponents.
- What is your opinion of Partizan? Before the first match, their players said they wanted to make it to the Champions League group stage.
- Yes, I remember there was a lot of talk on their part. All these words are about nothing. Everything must be shown on the football field. As for their wishes, let them play in the Serbian championship now. Dynamo Kyiv just rolled over them like a skating rink.
- What do you think of Andriy Yarmolenko , the most titled player in the capital's club?
- Obviously, Andriy is not moving at the highest speed on the football field. Still, age takes its toll. You can't fool nature. And yet Yarmolenko is trying his best. The coaching staff sees Andriy's condition at training every day. I am sure that there is a test, and it shows what condition Yarmolenko is in. It seems to me that he will easily withstand the half. His experience will help Dynamo Kyiv.
- Next week, Dynamo will host Scottish Rangers in the third round of the Champions League. What do you think of the team from Glasgow?
- Of course, Glasgow Rangers are stronger than Partizan. I know that the Scottish Championship starts on August 3. And it's good for Dynamo that Rangers have not yet played official matches. And Dynamo have already started the season. I read that the Glasgow Rangers squad has been very renewed. And newcomers need time to play together. I think that Dynamo has a good chance to qualify for the playoffs of the Champions League.
- In your opinion, does the current Dynamo team match the level of the Champions League group stage, or would they be better off playing in the Europa League group, where they have already qualified?
- You always need to strive for the maximum. Soon the Ukrainian Premier League will start, where our guys will be able to play even better.
"Glasgow Rangers is not Liverpool. And there they will still have to go through one opponent in the playoff round and that's it. Players, fans, club managers are waiting for the Champions League. It's prestige and big money. It's early August, and many teams have undergone big changes and lack chemistry. So, everything is in the hands of Dynamo players. From what we saw in the games with Partizan, Oleksandr Shovkovskyi's team can continue to make noise in Europe.
