— I started watching the match from the 20th minute. I was surprised by the lineup at first, but I understand that Shovkovsky decided to save the core team for the Shakhtar match and give a chance to the guys who play less. In principle, the game was even. Roma had more possession of the ball, but Dynamo had several moments. I didn’t see that Roma created a lot of chances.
— Did Shovkovsky’s decision to play with a semi-reserve and three central defenders justify itself?
— I can't say for sure. It probably would have justified itself if they had played to a draw. The guys who played yesterday... I wouldn’t say that Roma tore them apart. The only thing is the result — zero points. So whether it's justified, only the coach knows. We will understand after the game with Shakhtar. If Dynamo wins, then it's justified. Although I will say again, the game with Roma was even.
— Taras Mikavko made another impactful mistake. What does this indicate — lack of experience or unpreparedness to play for the first team?
— I don’t think he is unprepared. Of course, he’s a young guy, still lacks experience. When I saw him live for the first time in a game about a year ago against Veres, I liked him. He’s not afraid to make mistakes, he plays forward a lot, not sideways and backwards.
Perhaps a lot is resting on him right now. Maybe he’s gotten a bit overwhelmed. He made some mistakes, and suddenly everyone is saying: "Here’s Mikavko." But Mikavko is only 19 years old, he needs to gain experience. I understand that everyone looks to Europe, but even in Barca, guys play at 18 years old and make similar mistakes. Taras must go through this and become stronger. I like how he plays and how he develops.
— Next, Dynamo has an important confrontation with Shakhtar in the Ukrainian championship. What kind of match are you expecting?
— It will be interesting because of Shovkovsky’s decision to rest the main players. We understand that Shakhtar had more time for recovery. Logistics, travels. The guys are right when they say that there is a war now, and logistics are not a priority, but you can’t deny that it takes 20 hours or more on the road.
— What result would be positive for Dynamo, considering their lead in the table and a six-point gap from Shakhtar?
— Here, the coach knows better. In the table, a draw seems to be a not bad result. But everyone always wants to win. This is a derby, a rival with principle.
— How critical will the absence of Yarmolenko and Pihalenko be for Kyiv?
— Yarmolenko is experience, no matter how hard it is for him now. He still gives the team confidence just by being on the field. One hundred percent. And Pihalenko has also integrated well into the team. So, this is a loss as well.
— What score do you predict?
— 1:0, Dynamo will win.
Bogdan Andriyuk
Taras Mikhalik
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