Former striker of Donetsk 'Shakhtar' and the Ukrainian national team Andriy Vorobei commented on Kyiv 'Dynamo’s' victory over Bosnia’s 'Zrinjski' (6:0) in the 3rd round of the main stage of the Conference League.
Andriy Vorobei— In recent years, 'Dynamo' has been performing very poorly in the main round of European competitions. Whether it’s the Champions League, the Europa League, or the Conference League. Does this negative streak of defeats affect the players' confidence before another match in Europe?
— Certainly. The start of this match was quite difficult for Dynamo as well. In the first 10−15 minutes, our team made many defensive errors. It seemed to me they hadn’t come out of the dressing room yet. Everything was heading towards another ambiguous match for the Ukrainian champions. However, everything changed after Popov scored. His goal in the 21st minute changed everything on the field. After that, it became easier for Kyiv to play, and in the second half, they simply overran 'Zrinjski'.
I also want to say a big thank you to our Clasico. The match 'Shakhtar' — 'Dynamo' happened just in time, ahead of important Conference League games for our giants. After a quality match in Lviv, both 'Shakhtar' and 'Dynamo' woke up. They found their emotions. With such emotions, you need to play in Europe.
— What can you say about Dynamo’s opponent, the Bosnian club 'Zrinjski'?
— It’s a decent club with many Croatian players. I’ll agree that in the first half, 'Dynamo' was lucky not to concede. The guests had fast players, but Ukrainian players outpaced their opponents. When Guerrero and Kabaev scored at the start of the second half, the guests crumbled.
— So who eventually woke the 'Dynamo' players and made them play at their best?
— Denys Popov, with his interview after Dynamo’s cup victory over Shakhtar. All the Dynamo players woke up. Remember, Dynamo recently had a series of five consecutive draws in the UPL. I’m sure that won’t happen again. All teams in the Ukrainian Premier League will find it difficult to compete against 'Dynamo' in the near future. Unintentionally, with his words, Popov also made the players remember that 'Dynamo' is a giant of our football. The team has huge traditions, many victories in European competitions.
— Our guys scored the first two goals against 'Zrinjski' after set pieces...
— Yes, that’s an important aspect of the game. When the opponent is smartly closing off near their goal, set pieces can help break the opponent’s defense. Popov skillfully broke free from his opponent and scored a precise header, while Guerrero’s goal came after a quick free-kick play.
— Who stood out to you among the Dynamo players?
— I liked Shola Ogundana, his fast-paced play was excellent. Although he didn’t have high ratings for the game, in my opinion, he was very useful on the wing. Central defender Tiare also quickly integrated into the team play. In the midfield, experienced players Buyalskyi and Pikhalionok kept everything under control. Overall, the team had excellent goal realization that evening — they scored 6 goals from seven shots on target.
— The next Conference League round will take place on November 27th. 'Dynamo' will fly to Cyprus to play against 'Omonia,' and 'Shakhtar' will have an away match in Ireland against 'Shamrock Rovers.' Are we right to demand victories from our giants?
— First, I’ll say that I don’t remember when 'Shakhtar' and 'Dynamo' last won in European competitions simultaneously. It hasn’t happened for a long time. Now we all hope that both the Miners and the Kyiv team will be able to secure victories in three weeks. These will be important matches, as there are only six matches at the main stage of the Conference League.
Regarding the level of our teams' play, the Europa League would be more suitable for 'Shakhtar' at the moment. For 'Dynamo,' the Conference League is an excellent place to restore its reputation in Europe. Ukrainian football needs points in the coefficient table. Every victory is important. With this mindset, we should step onto the football field.
