The youth team of "Dynamo" has started quite successfully in the second part of the season. Initially, Ihor Kostyuk's team lost to "Atalanta U-19" in the youth UEFA League only by a miracle (3:3, penalties — 6:7). The Kyiv team had every chance to avoid extra time and penalties, but they actually lost to themselves, not the opponent. Then they won 3 matches in the Ukrainian championship, effectively nullifying the gap from "Shakhtar U-19," which was 5 points after the first part of the season.
Photo — fcdynamo.comOver the winter, the team saw little change in personnel. We will not see any new faces. Some players have left for various reasons.
The main goalkeeper remains Vyacheslav Surkis. There are issues with the goalkeeping position. After Georgiy Bushchan’s transfer to the Middle East, Surkis is already working with the first team, receiving only game practice with U-19. There is simply no alternative for him.
In reserve are Artem Syomka and Maxim Roienko, born in 2007 and 2008 respectively. Both have never played at such a level. In terms of Ukraine's youth national teams, they also cannot boast of anything. Competition is very important, as it provides opportunities for growth. However, there are problems with rotation.
In central defense, Vladyslav Zakharchenko and Yehor Syzyonuk started. The match against "Atalanta" revealed problems in central defense. Zakharchenko was on the list for the first team's match in the Europa League against RFSh. This is his first full season as a main player for the youth team of "Dynamo." Syzyonuk is spending his last year at the youth football level. Despite all the problems in the first team, Yehor has not appeared in the UPL or European competitions. He has long since fallen out of the 2005 age group national team.
In March, the captain Nazar Balaba said goodbye to the team as he moved to "Veres." In my opinion, this decision was delayed by half a year. Balaba has been plagued by health issues.
Fedyr Kolomiiets, who once was in the "Barcelona" system, has stopped playing. If he had serious prospects, he would not have returned to Ukraine. I saw him last autumn in a match against "Obolon." Kolomiiets lasted for one half, then he was substituted.
The third central defender is expected to be Dmytro Tretiak. He returned to the team after half a year on loan to "Zoria." Considering that Syzyonuk will certainly leave in the summer, Tretiak needs to be given more playing time when the score allows it. In the match against "Atalanta," Tretiak entered the game quite well, although he missed the decisive penalty. This is a prospect for the next season. The player needs to gain the necessary experience.
On the flanks, there are troubles. The main right-back at the start of the season was Oleksiy Rybak. Then he suffered a serious injury. Kostyuk moved central defender Maksym Korobov to this position. He has good physical qualities and anthropometry, but he lacks coordination and speed. Rybak has now started playing again. He has well-developed speed qualities. A modern flank defender. If he regains his form, he can address the right back issue for the youth team for a few seasons. With all due respect, Korobov is still a central defender, no matter how they place him on the flank.
On the left flank, Denys Dykyi got injured. There is no alternative for him. Kyrylo Huhenko has started playing there, who occasionally played as a right-back in the autumn. The thing is that Huhenko has always played as a winger..
In the summer, they took Bohdan Romaniuk from "Atleta" for the left-back position. But he was born in 2008. He is still not adequate for this level.
Unfortunately, the midfielder Danilo Ishchenko is out due to injury. The Georgian Aleksandre Paikreashvili can play in the holding zone. Volodymyr Ozymay has also finally started to play regularly.
In the insider position, Roman Salenko is getting game practice, and he is already training with the first team. Pavlo Liusin, born in 2008, is playing steadily. Plus, Davyd Bilyi. Unfortunately, in the match with "Karpaty," the leading midfielder Kyrylo Osypenko got injured. Bohdan Redushko can play both as a winger and a central midfielder.
There are problems on the flanks of the midfield. Andriy Matkevych went to "Zoria" to gain experience but has not played at the UPL level so far. Dmytro Kremchanyn has remained. For him, this is the last season at the youth level. Unfortunately, Ivan Andreyko has suffered a serious injury and will stay out for a long time. Therefore, Redushko can play on the flank. Bohdan has now gained very good form.
There is a process of taming the unruly. Kyrylo Pashko and Vladyslav Kalyn were given no less hope than Matviy Ponomarenko. But the two wingers have gotten lost. They believe they deserve more than a youth team. In winter, both failed to pass the trial in "Dynamo" (Tbilisi). Kalyn played the first part of the season for "Chornomorets," but did not impress there. Pashko was dubbed "the new Tsygankov." In the summer, he went to training camps with the first team but quickly got injured. Pashko and Kalyn now have something to prove. At almost 19 years old, they should be playing at the young championship level.
In attack, there are 4 forwards — Matviy Ponomarenko, Fedyr Zadoročny, Vladyslav Lobko, and Vladyslav Herich. Ponomarenko scored against "Zoria" in the UPL match. He now has chances to fight for a place in the first team. Therefore, the opportunities for Zadoročny, Lobko, and Herich are quite good. Fedyr scored a lot for the youth team of "Zoria" in the first part of the season. He became the best winter scorer of the youth championship and even played in the UPL. Herich scored a lot early in the season. This is his last season at the U-19 level. Lobko is not impressing so far and is losing competition.
It's very important this season to defend the championship title, as it provides a direct path to the Youth UEFA League. One can no longer rely on the first team, as there is no direct ticket to the group. A lot will be decided in the direct match between "Dynamo" and "Shakhtar" regarding the title race. Last season had a similar story. In the spring, Oleksiy Belyk's charges do not look very convincing.
Serhiy TYSHCHENKO
