Dynamo Kyiv midfielder Volodymyr Brazhko commented on the victory over Shakhtar in the 1/8 finals of the Ukrainian Cup on Football Hub.
Volodymyr Brazhko— Volodymyr, congratulations on the victory. I was watching you even during the warm-up — you were talking a lot with the fans, and they responded in kind. You came onto the field today, helped the team, and the second goal was basically the result of your header. Can we say that this victory was the most important for you this season?
— Thank you for the congratulations. First of all, I want to talk about the fans. There were a lot of them today, and I believe that this victory is largely thanks to them. They supported us a lot. When I came out to warm up before the second half, they applauded, cheered, and energized us. This is very important — they pushed us forward in both the first and second halves.
In the first half, maybe there was a bit of uncertainty, the game didn’t really go, but it is what it is — thank God we won. As for the second goal — I wouldn’t say it was my personal achievement. It was the work of the whole team. Yes, I headed the ball, I wanted to score myself, but the main thing is Guerrero scored. It would have been a shame if the ball hadn’t found the net.
— In the first half, you were not yet on the field, but you saw the pressure Shakhtar was creating. Your first shot on goal was only in the 41st minute. Was it the plan to endure the first half and add in the second?
— This is football, you never know what will happen in an instant. Yes, it was tough, it’s good we didn’t concede… although, yes, we did concede (smiles). But still, the main thing is how we reacted afterward. We came out aggressive and motivated in the second half.
— When you came out, it was evident that the team added energy. What instructions did you receive from the coach? To shoot more or help in defense?
— The task was one — to help the team. Play more aggressively, move forward, create chances. We were losing, so we needed to take risks and intensify the game. And it worked — in the second half, we created as many chances as Shakhtar had in the first. You could say the roles were just reversed.
It’s good that we won. I want to thank all the fans for their support — this victory is also for them.
