Former defender of the national team of Ukraine, Vladyslav Vashchuk, shared his expectations for the central match of the 11th round of the Ukrainian championship between Shakhtar and Dynamo.
Vladyslav Vashchuk— Vladyslav, in your opinion, who is the favorite in the Shakhtar — Dynamo match: Turan’s team, who will likely be highly motivated to seek revenge for their defeat in the Ukrainian Cup, or Shovkovsky’s team, who should have an emotional boost after an important victory over the Miners?
— There’s no clear favorite in this game, in my view. Let’s recall the Ukrainian Cup match—it was 50/50: the first half was completely dominated by Shakhtar, the second by Dynamo. A similar scenario might repeat tomorrow. If Shakhtar relinquishes the initiative, if they let go of the reins, they will be punished for it.
— It’s a common tradition among many coaches not to change a winning team. But will Shovkovsky really put Yarmolenko as the central forward for the third game in a row?
— Why change something that works? Yarmolenko looks good in the attack, making the opposing team’s defenders nervous and prone to mistakes. So why not place Andriy in the center-forward position? If he starts, like in the previous game, he will likely play upfront again.
— Shakhtar lost, so they will have to make changes in their lineup. What do you expect here?
— I don’t think Turan will go for massive rotations. It’s more likely that there will be an emphasis on changing tactics. Perhaps they will play with two forwards. It’s hard to predict… For example, in the holding midfield role, Bondarenko is more creative, while Ocheretko is better at defensive actions. Who will start depends on the game plan and tactics.
— The Cup game between Dynamo and Shakhtar was spectacular, with intrigue, but I feel it lacked some spice. There were no clashes, no skirmishes, no red cards, no penalties. But that’s precisely what fans expect from a derby. Why has the intensity between Dynamo and Shakhtar decreased? Could it be that Popov’s words about predecessors hit the nail on the head?
— It was a Cup game, where everything is decided here and now, where there’s no room for error, while a championship match is entirely different. However, everything depends on the mood and motivation of both teams.
— Or is it possible that players, who are now mostly in their twenties, simply don’t understand that Dynamo vs. Shakhtar is a derby, not just another scheduled championship or Cup match?
— That’s precisely it. The young Brazilians from Turan’s team don’t really understand what an all-Ukrainian derby means. But I don’t think Shakhtar will have motivation problems— the coach has surely prepared them for a tough game.
— Which pairing of central defenders at Dynamo do you find more reliable or more appealing: Tiare — Popov or Mykhailko — Popov? Or maybe Taras and the Senegalese giant deserve a try?
— of Dynamo’s defenders appeal to me—neither central nor wide.
— Please elaborate.
— If I were to start explaining, our conversation would drag on for an hour (smiles). Dynamo has a coach responsible for training the defenders. He should know what’s wrong, and I don’t want to discuss it publicly.
— Whoever wins the Shakhtar — Dynamo match will be the so-called «winter champion»?
— I wouldn’t jump too far ahead since there’s plenty of time before the winter break—not just one or two rounds.
— Five, to be precise.
— Exactly. And currently in the UPL, both Dynamo and Shakhtar could face setbacks from their competitors. We shouldn’t overlook Kryvbas, LNZ, Polissya, or even Kolos.
— Next week, just four days after the match in Lviv, Dynamo and Shakhtar will play in the Conference League. On this front, both the White and Blue and the Miners have no choice but to win to reach the playoffs. Will this affect their performance in the UPL match? Will they hold back, realizing they have a European competition ahead, and might save their legs and heads?
— That’s a very interesting question, because knowing what’s prioritized by Shovkovsky and Turan, we could more accurately predict who has a better chance of winning—Dynamo or Shakhtar.
— Regarding the prediction. How do you think the game in Lviv will end?
— I think it will end in a high-scoring draw—1:1.
Victor Glukhensky
