Dynamo Kyiv midfielder Andriy Yarmolenko commented on the victory over 'Shakhtar' in the 1/8 finals of the Ukrainian Cup on UPL.TV.
Andriy Yarmolenko. Photo by O. Vasylyeva
— Andriy, what brought Dynamo victory?
— First and foremost, patience and belief in each other, as it was very difficult for us in the first half. Shakhtar had possession and complete advantage. We understood that we needed to endure because they couldn’t maintain such a tempo throughout the match. We believed we would have our moment, which we had to capitalize on. And that’s what happened. We managed to seize the initiative after that.
— But that happened after you first conceded...
— That’s always the case. We played cautiously because we understood it’s a cup match, and there’s no room for error. After conceding, we pushed forward because there was nothing to lose anymore.
— Did you think about the fact that this could have been your last cup match in your career?
— No, I didn’t think about it. Whatever happens, happens. I try to work hard in training and be honest with myself. Even if we were to be eliminated, I could look at myself in the mirror calmly.
— What happened in the locker room during the break? We saw a completely different Dynamo in the second half.
— A forward is always a dependent player. When a team is constantly defending, there’s no strength left to counterattack. We shifted the game a bit in the second half and moved to Shakhtar’s half of the field. You have to wait for your moment. A striker’s fate is such that you might stand without the ball for 90 minutes but then be in the right place at the right time.
— Do you like the position of a forward?
— The position of a striker is not new to me. I started playing as a striker, then played several games as a forward with the national team. Also, in England at West Ham, Moyes used me as a forward. With experience, you learn how to act.
— Two minutes before your goal, were you asking for a substitution?
— Yes, I signaled to the coaches to substitute me soon because I felt I’d had enough. I was struggling and honestly said so. There were fresh guys on the bench who would come on and play no worse than me. I don’t want to hinder the team.
