Defender of Kyiv’s Dynamo, Taras Mykhavko, commented on the outcome of the 11th round match of the Ukrainian championship against Shakhtar on Profootball Digital.
Taras Mykhavko. Photo: fcdynamo.com
— Taras, you played against Shakhtar for the second time this week. How was this match for you?
— A difficult match. We knew it would be tougher than the last one because Shakhtar played more aggressively after the defeat, and we expected that. I think that primarily, the quickly conceded goal, which we allowed in the third minute, played a role. This goal had a negative impact, and in the first half, you could say, our game didn’t go well. In the second half, we created some chances, wanting to equalize after the second goal conceded, but that’s football. Thanks to all the fans who supported us. Unfortunately, it didn’t happen today.
— Why does Dynamo intensify in the second halves?
— I can’t even answer that for you. I think it’s because we conceded a goal. In the previous match, we also conceded, but not in the first half, at the start of the second. We understand that we need to come back. And before conceding, I don’t know what we’re lacking. We’ll analyze and try to understand. It turns out that when we concede, we start playing more aggressively and creating chances.
— Was today the toughest match in recent times? Do you agree?
— I think so. Maybe there was another one when we played 2:2 here, that was also an emotional game. But yes, I think this game was one of the most aggressive.
— In the second half, you played as a left-back. Aliu Thiare is a left center-back, and you are a left center-back. How does your interaction work—are you competitors for the position, or will you be playing as a left-back more often?
— No, the coach tells me where to play, and I do so. Concerning Aliu, I think it’s excellent competition. Because there will be progress for both him and me. There will be game practice. Whoever is better, stronger, will play. As for the position, it doesn’t matter to me—I can play as a left-back or center-back. So, there’s no problem with that.
— Was your task more to attack than to defend?
— The coaches told me to play more aggressively upfront. And I tried, but unfortunately, it didn’t happen as I wanted.
— Many are waiting for a victory in the European competitions. What should we expect on Thursday in the Conference League match?
— I hope we will win as well. Everyone in the team wants this. We’re tired of losing, especially conceding two or more goals every time. We also want to win. We’ll do everything we can on Thursday to win because we’ve been waiting a long time for a victory in the European competitions.
