The head coach of «Dynamo U-19» Ihor Kostyuk commented on his team’s home victory in the first match of the second round of the UEFA Youth League «Champions Path» against the Swedish team «Brommapojkarna» with a score of 1:0.
— No matter how difficult the victory was, its essence and value do not change. We won the first match despite playing with one man less from the 30th minute. I want to extend my great gratitude to the players. Considering last night’s events in Ukraine, before the game, we told the boys they were playing not just for themselves but for the entire country.
The game dictated conditions that forced us to sit deep and use the space. We created enough chances both in the first half and in the second, where we had two or three opportunities that should have been converted. This plan worked — we didn’t allow the opponent to create anything near our goal, except for one episode at the end when the ball rebounded. The boys worked to the end; they had no right to lose the victory today also because it’s Ohodorodnik’s birthday (smiles). In short, well done.
— The only goal was scored by a player born in 2006, can we say you guessed right with choosing three out of five players for the starting lineup?
— We weren’t guessing; we balanced the lineup. We talked to the guys born in 2006 who came for this match about how two of them should understand they would not play. I believe we chose the right lineup for the game, but had the players who didn’t make the squad played, they would have given their all together with the team. I saw how much they were worried, sitting in the stands and advising their teammates. This is what a collective that achieves such hard-fought victories is about.
— Ahead is the return match in Sweden, how will this narrow victory affect your plans for the second game?
— Their coach has already told our players they have an artificial turf where they will look better, but it’s football; we’ll see, analyze this match. Overall, our game plan changed a bit, but in the whole, we missed opportunities at the beginning that we should have rightfully taken right after the fast attacks in the first and second halves.
Our confrontation is not yet settled, and for the return match in two weeks, we will be seriously preparing. We will analyze the opponent. I think if we didn’t let them create chances while playing with ten men, we should go through after two matches with equal teams.
— Polish children supported «Dynamo» and the team approached them after the match to thank them. How much positive emotion did this add to the players during the game?
— Of course, it boosted the mood for both the team and the children. You saw their emotions when the boys approached them. I think for them, it’s important to support Ukraine, and it’s mutual. Such an attitude is priceless.