Sport Arena, together with the PFL, is naming the hero of the next round in the First League. In the 6th round of the second stage it was Karpaty goalkeeper Andriy Kozhukhar, who played the 15th match of the season without conceding a goal
Carpathians guaranteed ahead of schedule direct promotion. However, in order to get a ticket to the UPL at the very beginning of the second round of the second stage, the Lviv team had to endure a grueling match in Poltava. The local sports club attacked a lot, shook the crossbar of the Kozhukhar goal, and Andrey parried his opponents’ blows four times.
Due to the weight of this minimum away victory and traditional reliability of Kozhuhar, the jury of our website and the PFL of Ukraine could not ignore the reliable goalkeeper of the leaders. By the way, this is the goalkeeper’s first triumph this season. in the most honorable individual nomination.
The hero of the sixth round in the First League, Andrei Kozhukhar, shared with Sport Arena his impressions of the victory over Poltava, and also recalled his performances abroad. Let us remind you that following the results of the tour, Karpaty officially moved up in class.
“I didn’t expect that I would win in the Hero of the Tour category,” the 24-year-old goalkeeper told Sport Arena. – But, of course, I am overwhelmed with positive emotions. It’s nice when your work is assessed by authoritative experts.
– Before the match with Poltava, you probably didn’t expect that you would be able to advance to the UPL early after this round?
– I didn’t think about it at all, because every game is important for us. We were determined to win and give the fans positive emotions. We are happy that we were able to achieve the desired result.
– What conclusions did you draw after the defeat from Ingulets? Did that failure motivate you even more before leaving for Poltava?
“The coaching staff pointed out our mistakes and carefully analyzed our game. I believe that we were able to draw the right conclusions. First of all, it was important for us to rehabilitate ourselves in front of the fans.
– How much did the artificial surface of the Molodezhny stadium affect your team’s performance? How quickly did you manage to adapt?
– We managed to do a pre-game training session the day before so that we could get used to the turf. During the training camp we trained on artificial turf for almost two months, so we were ready for this. The conditions were the same for both teams.
– Do you remember your emotions after the final whistle?
“Everyone was filled with positive emotions, because we won an important victory. We didn’t yet know how the Left Bank game ended, so we didn’t understand that after this round we would be able to secure access to the UPL.
– How difficult will it be for you to get ready for the last four rounds, since there is no tournament motivation anymore?
– We are always motivated, so there will be no problems with this. The team is determined to win the First League and we will move towards this goal. Karpaty will only be satisfied with winning every match.
– You were probably pleased that the Moldavian national team paid attention to you. In the country where you were born…
“This means that my career is moving in the right direction.” This kind of attention motivated me to work even harder. It’s nice that I was invited to play for the country where I was born.
– Interest on the part of the Sheriff – are these rumors in the media? Have there been such conversations? Maybe someone from this club approached you?
– There were no conversations with me. Now my thoughts are focused only on playing for the Carpathians. I will do everything to help the team achieve the desired result.
– In 2020, you signed a contract with the Latvian Valmiera, but played only three matches. Why didn’t you manage to prove yourself in an elite Latvian club?
– A number of factors influenced this. I went through the training camp with the team, but then came the times of the coronavirus pandemic. I had to terminate the contract with Valmiera in court. The club had a significant debt to me.
– How difficult was it to adapt to life in a new country or were there no problems with it?
– I speak English quite well, so I quickly adapted. It wasn’t easy because I didn’t see my family for a year, but that’s football life. There were no problems with communication within the team.
– You played twenty matches for the Slovak Zemplin. Did you feel like you belonged in this team?
– I hadn’t played for a long time before, so it was important to return to the professional level. I am grateful to the club that gave me this opportunity. There was a relaxed and friendly atmosphere within the team. At the everyday level, I have already even begun to speak Slovak. I still communicate with some football players from Zemplin. They ask me about the situation in Ukraine. Thanks to them for their support.
– You played for the youth and youth teams of Ukraine. Perhaps now the main goal is to challenge the national team?
– I think that playing for the national team is the dream of any football player. I work hard on myself, I’m making progress, but the decision is made by the coaching staff of the country’s main team. Dreams come true, so you have to work, work and work again.
– Which coach made the greatest impression on you and which of your teammates can you mention?
– Of course, this is Miron Markevich, who has achieved a lot in football. It’s a pleasure to work with such a reputable specialist. As for partners, first of all, I would like to mention Vladislav Baboglo, who has a great football future. Vlad and I have known each other for a long time, so it was nice that he signed a contract with Karpaty. We spend a lot of time with him, and this helps with communication on the field.
BLITZ
- Born in Chisinau
- Pupil of the Odessa Chernomorets school
- First coach? In Chernomorets, the former goalkeeper of the Ukrainian national team, Alexander Sergeevich Lavrentsov, helped me a lot. I am grateful to him that at the age of 16 I was already in the first team of Chernomorets.
- Favorite club? I can’t single out any club, because I mostly follow goalkeepers. I follow the play of Alisson, Ederson, Oblak, Neuer, ter Stegen.
- Favorite Player: Manuel Neuer
- Goal in football? I want to play in the group stage of the Champions League.
Yaroslav Krokha
Source: Sportarena
I’m Scott Moore, a professional writer and journalist based in the US. I’ve been writing for various publications for over 8 years now, and have been working as an author at athletistic for the past five years. My work has been featured by some of the leading sports websites and magazines across Europe.
