The head coach of "Dynamo U-19" Ihor Kostiuk commented on his team’s convincing victory in the first match of the 3rd round of the "Champions Path" of the UEFA Youth League against "2 Koriku" (5:0) from Kosovo.
Ihor Kostiuk— We anticipated an aggressive start from the opponent, they changed their tactics, and played differently than in the previous match, so our guys were not entirely prepared for such a model of play, but we guided them, and they quickly adjusted, and after the 15th minute, they already had the advantage and scored their goals. They created many more chances, but their game preparation left much to be desired. However, I am glad that during the match we managed to readjust, take control of the game, and achieve victory.
Because our players were caught up in the emotions of the match, they did not immediately notice the opponent's team restructuring, which in the previous match played with five defenders and closed the zones. Once we pointed it out, everything started to work out — Osipenko broke into the free zone, which led to a scored goal, and Salenko created many opportunities from the other flank. There is a set of tactics; it’s good that we are using them, and the guys understand it.
— Was Osipenko's goal a turning point? After all, before that, there was a certain confusion…
— We prepared for the fact that the opponent would not use any one tactic, played according to the moment; it is difficult to counter such opponents because they are aggressive, but do not build up play, instead relying on long passes. Because there is no specific structure, they are impossible to press. So we readjusted, fell back, created free zones for ourselves, opened them up, and that paid off.
— Many goals came from crosses from the flanks; how well did they work, in your opinion?
— In fact, we prepared for this — creating an advantage on the flanks so that we could use that to conduct our attacks. In the previous game, the opponent closed the midfield very well, and I was surprised that today they somewhat rashly failed to cover the zones and did not congest their penalty area, which we took advantage of.
— How would you evaluate and comment on Ponomarenko's hat-trick? Is this an important event?
— Forwards need to score, but there is also a benefit to the team play; today we will overlook it.
— The final point was added by Ivan Andreiko, who had made many crosses before deciding to shoot himself…
— He earned that goal today, as he was very active in the first and the second half. He could have scored even more, and overall, he played a useful game for the team: he drove the opponent into the penalty area and created moments for himself through individual actions.
— With a five-goal advantage, can you feel confident before the return match?
— The UEFA Youth League brings entirely different emotions, and there is no need to relax. The next match will be played at the opponent's home; we saw how they acted in the first 15 minutes of the match and at the beginning of the second half, readjusting to play with two strikers and acting aggressively.
— You gave many players the opportunity to play; how important is it for them to experience the level of the UEFA Youth League?
— Yes, there was an opportunity since we secured a comfortable score for ourselves, and the players are ready to play in such matches; it is a breath of fresh air for them, which will help them progress, to feel and experience this tournament. Therefore, I am glad that many players debuted in the UEFA Youth League.
— For you as a coach, is it better to win confidently, as today, or when it's an equal game and the victory is minimal?
— For me, it is better that the players follow the instructions, remain disciplined on the field, and play from the first minutes as we agreed, not readjusting during the match.
