Forward of the youth team "Dynamo" Matviy Ponomarenko shared his impressions of a confident victory over "Veres" (4:1) and assessed the fact that he has become a record holder in the U-19 championship.
Matviy Ponomarenko (photo: fcdynamo.com)— Matviy, congratulations on the victory. Are you going on vacation in a good mood?
— Of course, in a good mood; it’s always nice to win. Especially in the last game of the calendar year.
— "Veres" is one of the few teams that has taken points from "Dynamo" in this championship. Did you discuss this among yourselves in the team, did you prepare in a special way for the opponent?
— We discussed it, of course; we can't lose points, so all the guys were focused on this game. The coaches warned that it would be a hard game, everyone was geared up — hence such a confident score.
— Throughout the championship, you were recovering from an injury. How difficult was it to return and regain your condition?
— It’s always hard to regain form after injuries, especially since I missed about two months. Morally, it was tough to get injured at the beginning of the championship, but I pulled myself together; my loved ones supported me, for which I am grateful, and little by little, I regained my form and now help the team.
— You are already training and playing for the first team. Do you feel additional responsibility?
— Responsibility is always present; it doesn’t matter where you play — for the first team or the youth team.
— Today is a significant day for you — you became the top scorer in the history of the U-19 championship. What does this achievement mean for you?
— Honestly, I wanted to achieve this, and in general, I knew before the match that if I managed to score, I would become a record holder. This is very pleasing to me, as a forward should score goals. I succeed in this primarily thanks to the team, for which I am very grateful. If it weren’t for the team, this record wouldn’t exist.
— Now you need to set new goals for yourself?
— Of course, I always set goals for myself and will strive towards them.
