The head coach of "Dynamo U-19", Ihor Kostyuk, commented on his team’s victory in the return match against the Slovenian "Maribor" (3:1) in the UEFA Youth League and their advancement to the next round of the tournament on aggregate (1:1, 3:1).
Ihor Kostyuk— You saw that the scenario of today’s match was essentially the same as in the first match. We dominated, created chances, and we are glad that we scored at the end of the first half.
At halftime, we made adjustments, expecting that the opponent’s team would open up, and we would have many chances. And that’s what happened — there were many free areas, we created opportunities, scored our goals, and could have scored more. I told the guys that today they conquered their team play. They showed patience, especially after scoring three goals, adjusting well in the middle and opening space behind the opponent’s back. We created moments and could have increased the score further.
— It seemed that the first minutes were calm, with the teams observing each other. How much did the goal at the end of the first half from Redushko influence the subsequent game and the two quick goals at the beginning of the second half?
— As I just said, it was good that we scored, creating moments, but there was no finish, and when we scored a goal "in the locker room," the opponent’s team adjusted, and we had opportunities and more free spaces. Overall, what we executed, what was necessary to play and open up the opponent’s defense, worked today.
— There were also many moments in the first match, but the ball didn’t go in the net. Today, it seemed there were fewer chances, but we scored more, is that fair?
— Today there were no fewer moments, but even more, and I am glad that both Matviy scored his goals and Redushko. What we worked on, the players did: they covered their zones, were where they needed to be, and in principle, if the team discipline adheres to the instructions, then the result doesn’t make you wait.
I tell the guys that they should enjoy how they defend and how they restructure. Apart from the goals scored, we didn't allow the opponent to create a single chance. Only in the first half were there episodes that we slightly missed.
— Tell us what happened after the game when the team approached a small group of our fans? Could you hear them, even though the game took place away?
— Today there were more of our fans who organized to support the team than organized fans of "Maribor". We are glad that people come to support us in such a tough time, that they find some free time. For the guys, this is a great support; you saw how they interacted emotionally with them after the game.
