In the Champions Cup, Champions League, UEFA Cup, and Europa League, Kyiv Dynamo has played many matches. Many of them were bright and memorable. I attended many of them, which Dynamo played both on the opponents' fields and on their own stadiums.
“Dynamo” — “Spartak” — 3:2One of the matches, in Kyiv, on September 14, 1994, at the Republican Stadium, is very memorable. For the first time, Kyiv residents faced Moscow’s "Spartak" in a European Cup. The strongest clubs of Ukraine and Russia ended up in the Champions League group. They were joined by Munich's "Bayern" and French PSG. According to the draw, Dynamo's opponent in the opening round was "Spartak". For the first time, football Ukraine was up against football Russia. This added significance to the game, which garnered great interest. There were no empty seats in the stands of the Republican Stadium.
Not so fast
The game started unsuccessfully for Dynamo. In the 12th minute, after a header from Pisarev, the ball ended up in Shovkovsky’s net. In the 25th minute, Tyapushkin saved a penalty shot from Mihailenko. And 13 minutes later, Tikhonov scored the second goal for Spartak. 2:0. The stands fell silent. Was Dynamo finished? But not so fast. It is said that during the halftime break, the always emotional head coach of Dynamo, Yozhef Szabo, unexpectedly spoke in a quiet calm voice and said to his players: "Guys, if you continue to play like this in the second half, you will not lose. The game is in your hands. Gather yourselves, there are 45 minutes ahead, give it your all, leave all your strength on the field, show character – and you will win".
These words inspired his players. Throughout the game, the "Dynamo machine" picked up speed, and the stands actively "earned". And unexpectedly for Spartak, they faltered. Two goals in the 48th and 76th minutes found their way into Tyapushkin’s net after shots from Viktor Leonenko, and the final point in the match was scored by young Sergey Rebrov in the 86th minute. 3:2! Oleg Romantsev’s charges left the field of the Republican Stadium with their heads down. And all of football Ukraine celebrated the victory over Spartak.
I will name the creators of that memorable willful victory: Shovkovsky, Luzhny, Vashchuk, Lezhentsov, Shmatovalienko, Khomin, Kovalyets, Kosovsky, Skachenko, Rebrov, Mihailenko, Prizetko, Leonenko.
Since the fall of 1965, Kyiv Dynamo has been performing in European cups. There have been many bright victories and painful defeats, but that game on September 14, 1994, in Kyiv against Moscow’s Spartak will stay with me for a long time. And I am sure it will stay with not only me.
Alexander LIPENKO for Dynamo.kiev.ua
