Former Kyiv Dynamo goalkeeper, now coach, Volodymyr Tsytkyn reviewed the recent European cup matches of Ukrainian teams (Shakhtar — Legia — 1:2, Samsunspor — Dynamo — 3:0).
— It was evident that Dynamo and Shakhtar were very aware that next week they would face each other, first in the Ukrainian Cup, then in the championship. And Kyiv still has an upcoming match on Sunday with the UPL leader Kryvbas. This was more clearly noticed in the actions of the Miners' coach Arda Turan, who had more choices than his Kyiv colleague Oleksandr Shovkovskyi, but he decided to trust a group of reserves in Krakow.
— Is it possible that there was an overestimation of their strength, because before the match with Legia, the vast majority of experts in the media expressed confidence in an easy victory over the Warsaw team?
— Possibly, because in recent years, the Donetsk team often suffered from underestimating their opponents not only in European competitions but also on the domestic scene. It must be stated that currently, the Donetsk team lacks core players who could make a breakthrough in difficult moments. Hence the problems in achieving the desired result.
— So, what prevented the Miners from avoiding defeat yesterday?
— I’ve already mentioned the underestimation of Legia. When the Warsaw players, among whom were many experienced, physically strong players, showed resilience, it turned out the Donetsk youth didn’t have the 'trump cards' to help in the fight for the initiative. The second reason for the failure was the gross individual mistakes of an entire group of performers, which affected the integrity of the play and led to defeat.
— Still, despite the defeat in Krakow, Arda Turan praised his wards after the final whistle.
— That’s in comments for the press, but we don’t know what he told his wards in the locker room. I believe the Donetsk team didn’t deserve compliments.
— Then let’s move on to the Dynamo players' performance in Turkey. Did they deserve a blowout from the modest Samsunspor?
— You know, I found myself thinking that if Oleksandr Karavayev hadn’t missed from three meters and had equalized the score, things could have turned out differently. But we have what we have. What can you expect from a team that makes childish mistakes in defense and cannot hit the target? I’m particularly surprised that Oleksandr Pikhalyonok, who has a well-set strike, hardly uses this formidable 'weapon'.
Additionally, I didn’t like that after conceding the second goal, the Dynamo players stopped fighting. Perhaps altogether, they remembered they had ambitious Kryvbas, Shakhtar lined up next and chose not to waste their energy. It’s a pity because Samsunspor was just focused on their attitude.
— After these defeats, how do you assess the chances of Dynamo and the Miners in the fight for playoff spots?
— The situation is not critical but threatening. First of all, it is concerning that Dynamo and Shakhtar have big problems finishing attacks. Without goals, you cannot expect to win. We can only hope that in the third round of the main stage of the Conference League, the targets will be corrected. Especially since the next opponents are not renowned: Shakhtar has Iceland’s Breiðablik, and Kyiv has Zrinjski from Bosnia. There’s still a chance to make up for lost ground. Hopefully, without overestimating their strength.
Maksym Kovalenko