The 1954 season is memorable for Dynamo Kyiv fans. Their favorite team was victorious in the Cup of the former USSR.
On their way to the final, the Dynamo team defeated Spartak Vilnius 4:2. Then they defeated Spartak Moscow 3:1. With the same score they defeated CSKA Moscow in extra time. Then also in extra time, our Dynamo were stronger than Leningrad "Zenit" - 1:0.
And on October 20, 1954 in Moscow, at the stadium "Dynamo", was played the final match, which met Dynamo Kyiv and "Spartak" (Yerevan). The match was attended by 65,000 spectators!
A thick fog descended on the city
On the day of the final, nature put the participants of the match to a real test. In the morning there was snowfall, and in the evening a thick fog descended on the city. But as it was stated in the posters, the match would take place in any weather. A large number of fans from Yerevan and Kiev came to support their teams.
It was extremely difficult to keep an eye on the ball. The first 20 minutes of the match were spent in mutual attacks. Goalkeepers Sergey Zatykyan and Oleg Makarov were nervous.
And closer to the break (on the 35th minute) Viktor Terentyev from Kiev opened the set - 1:0.
At the end of the first half in the locker room, Dynamo coach Oleg Oshenkov said to his charges: "45 minutes of intense struggle are ahead. One scored goal is not enough, guys. Do not relax in Kyiv they are waiting for you with the Cup!".
Mikhail Koman's "Crystal Goal"
Immediately after the rest Yerevan started to attack sharply. In the 49th minute the ball got stuck in a puddle at the gates of Kyiv. Makarov tried to reach it, but Yerevan's Viktor Merkulov was ahead of everyone and set the balance - 1:1. Yerevan fans were jubilant. However, these were the last moments of joy for them.
Gradually the fog began to clear, which benefited the Ukrainian club. Pavlo Vinkovatov, having received a pass, passed it to Mykhailo Koman without delay. Mikhail Mikhailovich liked such passes behind the back of defenders very much. And only the opponent's goalkeeper Sergiy Zatykyan was in front of the left midfielder of Dynamo. Nerves did not fail the Kyivan - Koman shot confidently and accurately - 2:1. This goal was called "crystal".
Oleg Makarov, Mimhail Koman, Viktor Terentyev, Pavel Vinkovatov, Vitaliy Golubev, Arkady Larionov, Tiberiy Popovich, Viktor Fomin, Andrey Zazroev, Ernst Yust, Oleksandr Koltsov, Vladimir Bogdanovych and their mentor Oleg Oshenkov made their first cup lap of honor for Dynamo Kyiv.
The train with Dynamo players, in which they were returning to their hometown from Moscow with the Cup, was met by hundreds of fans on the platform with a sea of flowers.
Those players, who won the first serious tournament, wrote their names in the glorious history of FC Dynamo (Kyiv), which will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the club on May 13, 2027.
After the cup triumph in 1954, Dynamo Kyiv players won the prestigious trophy eight more times in that country, which no longer exists.
Oleksandr LIPENKO for Dynamo.kiev.ua
