Hero of the 1st round of the 2nd stage of the First League Polegenko: Belkevich is one of the first who believed in me, a man with a capital M, tears appear in my eyes when I remember him

Lviv residents – the favorites of the tournament, however, what worthy competition was created for them in the opening match of 2024 SK Poltava! A dramatic match with three goals and a climax at the very end, and scored a double right back Karpat Polegenko. A magnificent long-range strike and a flawlessly executed penalty kick at the decisive moment – this is how Pavel brought victory “lions”, the importance of which is difficult to overestimate.

The best player of the first round of the spring part of the season in the First League, Pavel Polegenko, shared his impressions of the victory over Poltava (2:1), and also recalled the beginning of his career.

— How important is it for you to be recognized as the best player of the first round of the spring part of the season? Are you already missing official matches?

– We have been waiting for a long time for the start of the spring part of the season after a long pause. It’s always nice to receive awards, but for me, what matters most is the team’s results. Happy that I brought victory to my team.

– Carpathians are only expected to win every match. How much psychological pressure does this put on football players? In addition, your opponents may play loosely against you…

– No one in the team thinks that we have already moved up in class. It definitely won’t be easy for us, because in the First League all the opponents are worthy. Coaches always say that there can be no underestimation. Every game will be difficult for us, so we should play our own football. Everyone is getting serious about the Carpathians. We try to win every match.

– In the first half against Poltava, your team could not bring its attacks to their logical conclusion. Is this the merit of the opponent or was the tone of the official games simply lacking?

“Unfortunately, we didn’t play our usual football.” The Carpathians should and can play much brighter. The coaches will carefully analyze the game and draw conclusions. I would like to note the Poltava residents who played well. I’m happy that we were able to put the squeeze on the opponent and score three points.

— Did Poltava surprise you in any way, or did the opponent play as expected? It must have been nice to play against an opponent who was not close to his goal?

— Poltava is a good team with quality players on its roster. We were pleased to play against such an opponent. As for your own game, the first official match of the year is always difficult and not everything works out. The main thing is that we are satisfied with the result, and we will improve in the game.

– What did the coaching staff focus on during the break? How did your game change in the second?

— They pointed out our mistakes and noted the importance of more creative play in the final third of the field. We tried to follow the coaching instructions to the maximum.

– At the beginning of the second half, you received a pass from Demchenko and fired with your right foot without much chance for the goalkeeper. Probably one of your most spectacular goals?

“I’d like to thank Yegor for the great show.” Really enjoyed his spectacular and effective strike. I hope that I will score as many goals as possible.

– Immediately after the goal, your team was forced to play in the minority, and then conceded. Did you understand that even in such a difficult situation you need to try to snatch victory?

– It’s good that we were able to score in stoppage time. Such victories are even more valuable. This is a serious emotional boost for the entire team. The Carpathians are famous for their last-minute victories. It was not easy for us in the minority, but we were able to show character again.

— Do you agree that 50% of your success belongs to the fans?

– I received incredible emotions from the support of our fans. It’s very nice that the fans are back in the stands. Football with and without fans is impossible to compare. They supported us in the most difficult moments and motivated us to win.

– In the last minute of stoppage time you got a chance to take a penalty. What thoughts were in your head then? Were you worried or were you as calm as possible?

– I was confident in my own abilities. Happy that I managed to score and brought victory to the team. I managed to cope with my emotions.

— Five goals and three assists – is this performance with which you can be satisfied?

– You always want to score and give more. There is no limit to perfection. I will do everything to score as many goals as possible by the end of the season. This is why I work in training.

– Can you name the top 3 football players you have already played with? And which coach made the greatest impression?

– I wouldn’t single out anyone, because I played with a number of talented players. In my opinion, Andrei Yarmolenko is now the best player in the UPL. As for coaches, I feel comfortable working with everyone. Miron Markevich and Ostap Markevich help me develop.

— At Dynamo, Alexander Shpakov and Alexey Drotsenko became your coaches. What did you learn from these experts?

“I want to thank these coaches, because they played an important role in my professional development. Alexander Shpakov drew attention to me and gave me the opportunity to prove myself at Dynamo. Drotsenko did a lot for me. I would like to note that after the match with Poltava, it was Drotsenko who called me first on the phone. This is very cool and nice.

– You played for two seasons for the Dynamo youth team and were even the captain. How was it like working with Valentin Belkevich?

– When I remember Belkevich, tears appear in my eyes. This is a Man with a capital M, who played a very big role in my life. He is one of the first who believed in me. Under the leadership of Belkevich, he played at a high level and made significant progress.

– You made your debut in the UPL on July 19, 2015. What do you remember about the match against Dnepr, a recent Europa League finalist? Are you ready to return to the elite next season?

– I remember this match in Uzhgorod well. I then played for Goverla and came on as a substitute. I remember the confrontation against Bartulovich then. These are pleasant emotions that last a lifetime. I really want to return to the UPL next season. We are doing everything we can, but we don’t want to get ahead of ourselves. The Carpathians move from match to match.

BLITs

• Born near Chernigov
• Vikhovanets of Chernihiv Youth and Dynamo of Kiev
• First trainers – Viktor Mikhailovich Lazarenko and Oleksandr Oleksandrovich Ustenko
• I love the team – the fierce champion of Dynamo Kiev, but my heart goes to the Carpathians.
• Love the Gravec – Ousmane Dembele
• Meta in football? I want to turn around the Carpathians all the way to the UPL. I want to pay for the national team of Ukraine.

Yaroslav Krokha