The defender and captain of Poltava’s Vorskla, Igor Perduyta, summarized the results of yesterday’s match of his team against Kyiv’s Dynamo (1:1) in the 19th round of the Ukrainian championship.
— After four consecutive losses, Vorskla simply couldn’t afford to retreat. That is why, despite the tournament situation of the opponents, we went to the capital for points.
— Did the quick goal conceded from Kyiv’s Buyalsky have any effect on the actions of the Poltava team?
— Unlikely, as there were no tactical changes. The score only made us play more actively. It was important to adhere to the instructions: cherish the ball, act compactly, and not allow the Dynamo players to launch rapid counterattacks.
In the middle of the second half, we leveled the situation and I believe we deserved the point earned. Apparently, the Dynamo players and their fans were expecting a completely different outcome, but if we had lost, it would have been unfair.
— When, towards the end of the match, Vorskla found themselves in the minority, were there any fears for the result?
— You know, we managed a lot, and I believe it was we who controlled the course of events on the field, and therefore we confidently held onto the draw.
— Did the absence of the suspended coach Yuriy Maksymov in the technical zone make itself felt?
— In the whirlpool of the fight, there was no time for that; the main thing was to implement the game plan. When some problems arose, we heard hints from Maksymov's assistants. To be honest, I don’t even know where our mentor was observing the match from.
— Despite earning one point against the leader, Vorskla’s tournament situation remains difficult going forward.
— We are well aware of this and therefore cannot afford to relax. Otherwise, the significance of the achievement in the capital is immediately diminished.
Andriy Pysarenko