Renowned Ukrainian goalkeeper Igor Shukhovtsev recalled his matches against Kyiv’s "Dynamo" and Donetsk’s "Shakhtar".
Igor Shukhovtsev— Which team was better: Lobanovsky’s "Dynamo" or Lucescu’s "Shakhtar"?
— These are two different continents. Kyiv was a machine that could overlook you, whether you were a pedestrian or not. Kyiv crushed you, while Lucescu’s "Shakhtar" would outplay you anywhere. There were almost no chances there.
When I played against "Shakhtar", I always tried to stand out. I thought, maybe they would take me after all. (Smiles).
— Who was more difficult for the goalkeeper: Shevchenko or Rebrov?
— Rebrov was unpleasant. Sergey Stanislavovich could quietly hit from a distance into the "nine". He did everything based on individual qualities.
And Shevchenko was lucky. He just found himself where he needed to be. He didn't even need to hit hard. That was the difficulty. Andriy Mykolayovych knew where to hide, where to open up. His "Ballon d'Or" was not given for nothing.
Vanya Hetzko (113 games in the top Ukrainian league, 5 games for the national team, — ed. note), for example, was a "machine", crushing everyone. But Andriy Mykolayovych was intellectual: he could bounce off a defender and place his foot in the corner.
I didn’t like Selya (Yevhen Seleznov), as a goalkeeper, of course. He was unpleasant. He could run, fall, and strike. He put his legs in, fighting till the last.
Vasya Sachko (68 goals + 23 assists in UPL, — ed. note) would always awkwardly put his head or his leg in, and the ball would fly somewhere.
— Which national team do you like more: Shevchenko’s or Rebrov’s?
— Shevchenkо brought a European mentality to us. Anyone could make it to the national team. He liberated the players, helping each to feel at a top level.
Anton Terekhov
