Former player of Kyiv "Dynamo" Vladimir Sharan shared his thoughts on the central match of the 11th round of the Ukrainian championship between "Dynamo" and "Shakhtar".
Vladimir Sharan— After what we saw in the match "Dynamo" with "Roma" in the Europa League, when there was a change in the lineup of the Kyiv team, everyone understood that the priority for them is the desire to regain the championship, taking it away from "Shakhtar". The scheme was different, and other players started.
Perhaps some people do not understand the specifics of preparing a team for a match, when you have to wait at the border for three hours until the bus passes, and then also make a flight. So, if someone is not aware, let me note: this is very hard for the players involved in European cup tournaments. This applies to both "Dynamo" and "Shakhtar".
Shakhtar had two more days to prepare for the match against the Dynamo players. And what we saw in the Ukrainian classic was indeed a good game, at a high level. Open football by both teams. Despite the difficult situation in Ukraine, personally, I enjoyed this match. It was confirmed that "Shakhtar" looked fresher, more mobile and faster. The Donetsk team was definitely better until the guests had Kryskiv sent off. After that, the Dynamo players had to catch up, and they did well to recover.
As the final part of the match showed, the substitution of Karavaev was absolutely the right decision. This player is one who is always focused on attack, getting closer to the opponent's goal. Despite his position as a full-back, he always has moments. I repeat: I liked the game. Only positive emotions remain from it. God willing, there will be more such matches.
— You mentioned Alexander Karavaev, who has long been a key player for both "Dynamo" and the Ukrainian national team. Why do you think he does not have a stable place in the starting lineup?
— I haven’t spoken about this with Alexander Shovkovsky (smiles). I think it all comes down to the fact that Tymchyk, who plays in the same position, is a more mobile player, he has many offensive contributions. As for Karavaev, he is much more experienced. This player is older and has played more. By the way, he and Tymchyk are somewhat similar in style. I cannot say that they are super technical players, but the amount of work they do is impressive. They, as full-backs, very often join attacks and participate in almost each of them. Perhaps, given the coaching staff’s requirements, Karavaev is not enough for an entire match. Apparently, that is why they trust Tymchyk more.
— Before the match, many said that if "Dynamo" won, the question of the championship would likely be resolved, but if "Shakhtar" won, the intrigue in the battle for the gold medals would only increase. What do you say about the draw recorded in this match?
— The battle for the championship is still ongoing. Despite the fact that there are still many rounds left until the end of the championship, I believe that three teams will compete for first place— "Alexandria," "Dynamo," and "Shakhtar".
Andrei Pisarenko
