Dynamo’s coach notes his team’s good performance against a superior opponent, despite another disappointing result
Head coach of Kyiv Dynamo Alexander Shovkovsky commented on the away defeat against Roma (0:1) in the 3rd round Europa League.
“We understood very well what team we were playing against today, we understood how they prepare for matches, how they prepare their attacks, and above all, we tried to do everything possible to limit the space between the lines and prevent the opposing team from scoring an early goal. But, unfortunately, an offensive and, I think, somewhat unnecessary penalty was awarded against us. But the fact is that we missed it. At the same time, apart from that penalty, Roma had only long-range shots in the first half.”
“We tried to take advantage of our chances, including speed in counterattacks, we had several chances that we could have finished positively, but unfortunately we didn’t. And in that moment, which we ended positively, our footballer was out of the game.”
“In the second half we wanted to change the way we played. But, again, we understood who we were playing against. However, even after the break, I think we had some pretty good chances that we could have finished more successfully. Although, at the same time, they could have missed the second goal.”
“Did defense or attack play better? I never share a team’s performance like that. She simultaneously builds her defensive lines and plays in attack. Today we were a little lacking in aggressiveness on offense, especially early in the game. But in general, I give credit to Roma, which plays in Serie A and has a large budget. Now we cannot attract high-level foreign players. Those foreigners who we had before the war, hearing the first explosions and shots, immediately asked to rent.”
“[Рома] played as expected, using the flanks, trying to quickly change the direction of attacks, create a numerical advantage and use the qualities of its players, who skillfully work with the ball and combine perfectly. We understood that our opponent was trying to push us into our half with a large group of players in order to get into active pressure, so we used long passes and our fast players in front. I can’t say that Roma was surprised by anything, but in any case, this is a very powerful team that plays in one of the best championships, fighting for the highest places in it.”
“Yarmolenko and Pikhalyonok? I think both of them are in this match [против Шахтера] won’t play. It’s not enough to recover; you also need to get into certain condition. And the guys had very little time for this.”
“I know Artem’s qualities very well [Довбика]because he worked on the coaching staff of the Ukrainian national team. In particular, during Euro 2020. I think this is a high-level player who gives Roma depth in attack and can force a fight in the penalty area. He also has individual strong qualities – both shots on goal and wrestling. I think that such players brighten up football. I’m happy for him, speaking personally. I would be pleased if we had such a player.”
“Changes in the line-up? Of course, the upcoming game with Shakhtar in the Ukrainian Championship made adjustments. We took into account the proximity of this match when we decided on the starting lineup for today’s game. We have 26 players. As for the game that the guys showed, of course, there are aspects that need to be improved, but in general the players for the most part fulfilled the plan for this match. There were some individual mistakes, but that’s football.”
Let us remind you that today the Kiev team lost in Rome at the Stadio Olimpico with a minimal score. The only goal was scored in the middle of the first half, after a penalty was awarded for a foul by Taras Mikhavko on Tommaso Baldanzi. The Ukrainian forward of the Roman team Artem Dovbik scored from the 11-meter mark, scoring his fifth goal in 11 matches of the season.
Note that Shovkovsky decided on an unprecedented rotation, leaving six players in the starting lineup in reserve and playing five defenders. The experimental squad looked combat-ready. The team as a whole played competent defense and had several chances to score. Nazar Voloshin even equalized the score before the break, but he was called offside.
Dynamo in this Europa League so far remains without points and without goals scored. But the defeats of the White-Blues are “descending”: 0:3, 0:2, 0:1. In the next round of the League of Legends, Shovkovsky’s team will host Ferencvaros on November 7.
This Sunday, the White-Blues will play the Ukrainian Clasico – a home match against Shakhtar in the 11th round of the UPL. The Kiev team is currently leading the championship with 25 points in 9 matches. The Miners are in fourth place, six points behind their eternal opponent.
Source: Sportarena
I’m Todderic Kirkman, a journalist and author for athletistic. I specialize in covering all news related to sports, ranging from basketball to football and everything in between. With over 10 years of experience in the industry, I have become an invaluable asset to my team. My ambition is to bring the most up-to-date information on sports topics around the world.
