On Thursday, January 23, Kyiv “Dynamo” played another friendly match during their mid-season training camp in Turkey. This time the opponent of Oleksandr Shovkovskyi's team was the Kosovo football club “Llapi”.
Friendly match
“DYNAMO” (Kyiv, Ukraine) — “LLAPI” (Podujevo, Kosovo) — 2:2
Goals: Pikhalenok (38, pen.), Voloshin (51) — Taqiri (69, pen., 89, pen.)
“Dynamo”: Bushchan (Morgun, 46) — Karavaev, Dyachuk (Meparishvili, 76), Okon, Dubinchak, Salenko (Osipenko, 76), Rubchynskiy, Bragaru (Herich, 76), Yarmolenko (Voloshin, 46), Pikhalenok (Shaparenko, 46), Guerrero (Ponomarenko, 46).
“Llapi” (starting lineup): Chorich, Blakori, Yashari, Rama, Vokri, Namani, Pechi, Baftiu, Gashyan, Veliu, Taqiri.
The head coach of “Dynamo” Oleksandr Shovkovskyi somewhat surprised with the starting lineup for today’s friendly match, involving many players who took part in the Europa League match against “Galatasaray” just a couple of days ago.
Considering the combat-ready lineup of the “white-blues”, they had no trouble seizing the initiative from the first minutes of the game. Moreover, already in the second minute, Bragaru could have opened the scoring: receiving a pass from Yarmolenko in the opponent’s penalty area, the midfielder delayed his shot, allowing the defender to win the duel. A few minutes later, Bragaru fired from a tight angle, but the ball flew over the goal.
Towards the middle of the first half, the entire game took place exclusively on “Llapi's” half of the field, and by the 38th minute the Kyiv team managed to score the first goal. After a foul by the nominal guests’ defender on Yarmolenko in his own penalty area, the referee immediately pointed to the “spot”. The penalty kick from eleven meters was successfully executed by Pikhalenok, hitting the center of the goal — 1:0. This concluded all the key events in the first half.
At the very start of the second half, the Dynamo players managed to completely eliminate any questions regarding the winner of the match with a goal from Voloshin. Nazar received an excellent pass from Salenko in the “Llapi” penalty area and decided to shoot hard from a few meters — the ball flew into the top corner of the Kosovo club’s goal — 2:0.
After the second goal, the game’s picture did not change at all — the “white-blues” continued to dictate their terms to the opponent. Salenko, Voloshin, and Ponomarenko were active in the attack, constantly finding themselves in advantageous shooting positions, but “Llapi’s” goalkeeper saved them several times.
It seemed that Dynamo’s advantage would lead to a rout, but the Kosovo club managed to unexpectedly score their first goal in the 69th minute: after a foul by Bragaru in his own penalty area, the referee assigned a penalty against Morgun, which Taqiri converted. 2:1.
A real sensation occurred just a few minutes before the final whistle. Despite having a significant advantage, the Kyiv team managed to concede a second goal, again from a penalty! After a series of mistakes by our defenders, the ball hit the crossbar of Morgun's goal. The goalkeeper, clearing the ball, struck the opponent — a penalty, which Taqiri successfully converted again. 2:2 in the end!
We remind that “Dynamo” will play their next match again in the main round of the Europa League. On Thursday, January 30, Oleksandr Shovkovskyi’s team will meet with RSHF. The match will begin at 22:00 Kyiv time.
Vladimir BOBYR