Famous former coach and now expert Oleg Fedorchuk shared impressions of the events in the current season of the Ukrainian Cup and made predictions for the semi-final confrontations in this tournament (“Bukovina” — “Dynamo”, “Polesie” — “Shakhtar”).
Oleg Fedorchuk— There were no sensations in the quarter-finals: the teams that specialists considered favorites won. Although I did not think the struggle in each pair would be so intense. In particular, in Rivne, the players of “Veres” were closer to victory, but they could not realize their scoring chances.
— How do you explain that, unlike other participants, the Dynamo players fielded an experimental squad from the very beginning of the match against Rukh?
— In my opinion, the Kyivans took a great risk starting without leaders. The Lviv team had enough opportunities to punish the guests for their carelessness. But time and again, the charge of Vitaliy Ponomarev’s charges was off target at crucial moments.
Overall, the decisive role was played by the high individual skill of the “stars” of the winning clubs in certain episodes. In the same “Alexandria”, the squad is balanced, but it lacks a leader who would decide the fate of the match at the right moment. Although it should be acknowledged that the “citizens” have improved compared to last season.
— Who do you prefer in the semi-final pairs?
— Despite the fact that “Polesie” has become a difficult opponent for “Shakhtar” and will play at home, the chances of victory are still higher for the “miners” — 55 to 45.
As for the confrontation between “Bukovina” and “Dynamo”, the favorite here is obvious — Kyivans, especially since the Chernivtsi team will have to host the giant on neutral ground due to their local stadium not meeting the required standards.
— By the way, will the coaches of “Dynamo” and “Shakhtar” remember when determining the lineups that in three days their charges will meet in another Classic — in the 26th round of the UPL?
— Everything will depend on what legacy the Dynamo and “miners” will bring to the semi-final battles. Most likely, the Kyivans will again field an experimental squad on April 23, as they did a few days ago against Rukh. I am convinced that “Dynamo” has not forgotten that their closest pursuer is not “Shakhtar”, but “Alexandria”, which has not yet lost its chances for the “gold” of the championship.
In the end, the fact that “Dynamo” will play against “Bukovina” with a reserve squad should not mislead. As for the domestic arena, the Kyivans have a long bench, decent performers, and can experiment. Moreover, the counterpart only dreams of the elite division.
Therefore, I am inclined to think that on May 14 in Zhytomyr we will witness another Classic — in the final of the Cup of Ukraine
Andrei Pisarenko
