In the first match of the Conference Football League playoffs, Kryvbas lost to Spanish Betis in Kosice, Slovakia, 0:2. In an interview with Sport.ua, former Ukraine and Kryvbas player Oleh Shelayev told what helped the guests celebrate the victory:
- Betis was considered the undisputed favorite. And, as they say, in such cases, Kryvbas could only gain, because, by and large, it had nothing to lose. In my opinion, yesterday Kryvyi Rih put up a stubborn fight against a formidable opponent.
- Given the superiority in class of the opponent, shouldn't the nominal hosts have taken care of a reliable rear and waited for their chance to counterattack?
- I don't have any information about Yuriy Vernydub's setup. Perhaps the emphasis was on playing as a second team. However, due to a quick goal, Kryvyi Rih had to make adjustments. By the way, when the guests opened the scoring, it was a collective mistake by our defenders, and there was a lack of safety net during the second goal.
- Kryvyi Rih's diligence and dedication cannot be denied, but it was not enough to control the course of events in Koschytsia.
- Yuriy Vernydub's team should be commended for their desire to challenge the eminent guests. But the forces of the opponents were too unequal.
First of all, the guests did everything faster, we are talking about taming the ball, playing combinations, playing ahead. And Kryvyi Rih cannot yet boast of a balanced lineup for matches of this level. That's why the gaps in the center of defense and the supporting area were striking. There is still work to be done.
- So there are no chances for Kryvbas to take revenge on Betis next week?
- They are negligible. And not only because in Kosice, Betis won without much difficulty, even when they were not playing with their optimal lineup. "Against Kryvbas, Betis looked like a team with no weaknesses, which can add more if it wants to. In particular, I remember how the guests skillfully took advantage of the fact that the Kryvyi Rih fullbacks, after joining the offense, did not always have time to return to their positions.
And yet, despite the crushing defeat, I am convinced that the Kryvyi Rih team will take advantage of interesting home-made preparations from Betis' arsenal. They will definitely come in handy in the domestic arena, because, unfortunately, they will most likely have to say goodbye to the European Cups next week.
Oleg Didukh