Former head coach of Alexandria Yuri Gura shared his impressions of the match of the Ukrainian championship, in which Kyiv's Dynamo faced Donetsk's Shakhtar (1:1).
Yuri Gura— The match was tense, just like in the best years of encounters between these opponents, — he said. — Unlike Shakhtar, which didn't start the 2024/25 season well, Dynamo is among the leaders, dominating in the championship. Therefore, taking this into account, I wanted to see the same kind of game from the Kyiv team in the main Ukrainian derby. But for the hosts, it was tough. Honestly, I expected a brighter performance from Dynamo. However, it turned out that for the most part of the match, Shakhtar dominated. The Donetsk team showed their character and had many moments, but they converted only a few of them. And the fact that the match ended in a draw is, in my opinion, a good result for both teams. In the second half, when the miners led 1:0, a substitution worked for Dynamo: Karavaev came on and scored. For a derby, 1:1 is a normal result.
— The fact that Shakhtar had the advantage for a long time in this match speaks of a special mood for the main competitor in the fight for the championship?
— A derby is a derby, and you always expect something special from them, as, for instance, was the case that same day in the Spanish La Liga match Real — Barcelona. You think: now the opponents will "shut down" — and here they show open football. It was the same in the Ukrainian classic. Shakhtar aimed to dominate, to show their character. The miners wanted to prove that they are stronger, and they partially succeeded in the first half and at the beginning of the second. But then Dynamo got their act together, and after Kryskiv's dismissal, the advantage was on the side of the Kyiv team.
— How do you assess Dynamo's performance in defense?
— When a football player goes onto the field, he must be focused on the game one hundred percent. There was a defender in Dynamo's squad, Dyachuk, and this guy seemed to show himself well. Therefore, I would like him to announce himself loudly. And Bilovar, Mikhavko, and Popov are those people who are currently fully involved in Dynamo's defensive formations. Each of them needs to approach each match with full responsibility. And not only in the club — our national team also needs skilled players in the defense line. An example for those who are still on their way to the main national team can be the midfielder of Alexandria, Kaluzhny. He proved himself — and Sergey Stanislavovich Rebrov took him into the team.
— Was Kryskiv's dismissal deserved?
— That's at the discretion of the referee. Some representatives of Themis could interpret this as a foul worthy of a yellow card, while others could see it as a red. But the fact that Kryskiv jumped into the opponent's leg is indisputable.
Andrei Pisarenko
