— Why did Oleksandr Shovkovskyi choose such a scheme - with three defenders? And how did he justify it?
— The coaching staff knows best what the plan for the game should be. That’s why we tried to bring all their instructions and suggestions into the game. I believe we played a good match against a worthy opponent. Let’s see how it goes further.
— You played on the flank, Tymchyk operated very high in attack, and you were closer to defense. Did you both have different tasks as wingbacks?
— No, we had the same tasks. But it was a bit unusual to play, and perhaps there was little time to readjust. However, I think we played well.
— Dovbyk converted the penalty, but he didn’t have any other significant moments. Was there special attention given to preparing for him?
— Of course, since Artem is good at holding the ball, plays well with his body and arms. Therefore, it’s very hard to play against him. But our central defenders handled him well.
— After Shaparenko, Brazhko, Kabaiev came on, was there a feeling that you could push and snatch a draw?
— Yes, we felt after the first half and before the break that we could do that. In the first half, there were some good moments, but unfortunately, we didn’t capitalize on them.
Konstantin Vivcharenko against Tommaso Baldanči. Photo — A. Popov
