Dynamo Kyiv midfielder Mykola Mykhailenko shared his impressions of his team's 2-0 win over Zorya Luhansk in the 6th round of the Ukrainian championship.
Mykola Mykhailenko. Photo by Yuriy Yuriev- It was a tough game and difficult weather conditions. But I think we won a confident victory. We had more chances and could have scored more. I thank Zorya for the game. I am very glad that we were able to win today.
- It is said that matches like this, when you can't open the opponent's defense for a long time, last until the first goal. Was that the case today?
- I would not say so. "Zorya is not a team that plays until the first goal. Even when they concede, they do not slow down and try to regain the advantage. Therefore, it was very important for us to score another goal to feel more confident.
- What did the coaching staff tell you at halftime? Did you need to make any changes, given that you created a lot of chances in the first half?
- They pointed out small nuances, but in general we did not deviate from our game. We did a lot of things, we just couldn't realize the chances we created. In the second half, it was better, so we managed to win.
- Today you played in the center of the pitch, while Volodymyr Brazhko played in the center of defense. Did such changes come as a surprise?
- The coaching staff planned it that way, and I can't comment on it. Of course, I was glad to be in the main lineup today, to be given a chance - I tried my best to do everything possible to win.
- There was a lot of fighting on the pitch during the match, isn't it too much for a match?
- The whole game was like that today. That's because both teams had a great desire. And it was very important for us to win in desire. Individually, we have very strong players, and if you add desire, we could not achieve anything else but victory.
- How difficult is it to return to club football after the international break and national team matches?
- I don't think it's a problem, it's just that there are logistical nuances that are difficult for the guys, because they have to travel a lot. That's where I see the problem. But there are no problems with attitude or motivation.
- Did it become easier psychologically with the 1-0 score? Did you feel confident in the victory?
- I can't say that we felt psychological pressure even with the score 0-0. We know what we want. We played our game, created chances and were sure we could score. It's good that we managed to score twice, but we could have scored more.
- On Wednesday, you will play the postponed match against Vorskla, what do you expect from it?
- Every game is a small step. We only need victories. I think it will also be a serious game, because Vorskla is a good, fighting team. We will prepare carefully, try to recover properly and show our best game. Of course, after the victory, we will prepare with a joyful mood.
- In the first half of the season, according to the calendar, Dynamo has most of its matches in Kyiv and the region, is it good that you don't have to travel far?
- Of course, it's always nice to play at home or close to home. In some ways, it's easier, but we don't forget that in the second round we will still have to travel to away games, so I don't think there is much difference.
