Famous Ukrainian coach, former midfielder of Kyiv "Dynamo" Volodymyr Sharan recalled how much the Dynamo players received for their victory over "Spartak" 31 years ago.
Volodymyr Sharan— What transformation occurred in the Dynamo players during the break of that match against "Spartak"?
— Although over three decades have passed since then, I still remember the twists of that match well. I’ll be honest: no one expected such a turn of events in this game — neither the fans nor us. Especially considering that during the first half, when the score was 0:1, Dima Mykhailenko missed a penalty. Our team went into the break with a score of 0:2 on the scoreboard. But in the locker room, Yozef Szabo managed to find the right words to encourage the guys. I remember how he emphasized that 100 thousand spectators were watching us and we had to muster our courage and show what we were truly capable of. We understood ourselves: all of Ukraine was eagerly awaiting this confrontation! Moreover, in the tournament context, the match against the Spartak players meant a lot.
— There were many discussions around this match regarding high monetary stakes. It was said that each Dynamo player was offered huge amounts of money during the game break — 20 thousand each by today’s standards. Is that true?
— Not quite. We were promised a reward before the game. 15 thousand dollars each. And during the break, no one added anything to us.
— What do you remember about the second half?
— The goal by Vitya Leonenko boosted our confidence. He scored shortly after the game resumed, and that gave the team confidence. The guys played with inspiration, and in the final segment of the match, Leonenko and Serhiy Rebrov scored two more goals. In that match, we were better than Spartak in terms of readiness, and that played an important role.
— How did you celebrate that landmark victory over the Spartak players?
— After the game, the coaches allowed us to unwind, and we partied all night in a restaurant. And not just us: all of Kyiv was buzzing at that time (laughs).
Andriy Pysarenko
