Forward of Luhansk «Zorya» Filip Budkovsky spoke about the events of his team’s match against Kyiv «Dynamo» (1:1) in the 9th round of the Ukrainian Championship.
Filip Budkovsky. Photo — FC «Zorya»— «Zorya» became the fifth consecutive team to take points from the giant. Does this mean that the current «Dynamo» is no longer as formidable an opponent as before?
— «Dynamo» is «Dynamo.» It’s our giant, last season’s champion, so we are always ready to fight until the end. We understood that Dynamo was in a somewhat difficult psychological state, and this could play to our advantage.
— What did Viktor Skrypnyk emphasize when giving instructions for the game?
— That we can play our football and earn points. He also said that Dynamo has problems — after scoring a goal, they stop. We took advantage of that: we started to press more and scored an equalizer.
— Defenders usually play tough and sometimes brutal against you. Was the match against «Dynamo» an exception?
— Football is a very contact sport with a lot of struggle. And for a forward, there’s even more, so sometimes it gets tough and harsh. But that’s normal; that’s football.
— You left the field with a split lip. Who was it?
— At a corner, near our goal, Popov hit me with his elbow. But he did it unintentionally, so he approached and immediately apologized.
— During the game, you had several good scoring opportunities, but managed to realize only one. Which of the missed chances was especially disappointing?
— Many of these moments were offside. However, regardless of that, one must still play until the end and realize every moment, then check the episode on VAR. It’s a shame, of course, that I couldn’t score. But there’s something to work on next week.
— In this match, your team was the nominal host, playing against «Dynamo» in their stadium. At one time, this might have been an exceptional precedent, but now it’s commonplace.
— The situation in the country is such that we cannot play at home with our fans. So, thank you to everyone who comes to the matches and supports us. Someone watches and worries about «Zorya» — and we feel it, trying to show good play on the field and please with results.
— For the last four and a half years, you have regularly scored against «Dynamo.» This was true during your performances with «Desna,» then «Polissya,» and now with «Zorya.» Notably, all matches without exception earned points for your teams. Did you notice this curious fact?
— It so happened that it began occurring more often. But it’s football, and we need to go out and win every match. And for me, as a forward, to help the team with scoring actions on the field.
— Several times in his interviews, Viktor Skrypnyk spoke approvingly about your role in the team. Does this fact inspire or mobilize you?
— We have a good group, a good team. And despite the fact that it has many foreigners, they all even know how the fans name the team when it shows character. So, of course, it’s pleasant to hear. Therefore, I thank the team and the coach for trusting me with the captain’s armband.
— Many forwards set a goal to win the title of best scorer. Are you in this category?
— In my opinion, every forward wants to score in every match and set high goals. I’m no exception, so I will do everything possible to achieve them. And at the end of the season, we’ll see.
— In the current championship, there is significant density in the standings. Do you plan to intervene in the fight for medals, as «Zorya» did earlier with Viktor Skrypnyk?
— If we show the character and the game that the team has, then of course. At least, we want to fight for the highest places.
Andrey Pisarenko
