Midfielder of Dynamo Kyiv Oleksandr Pikhalonok shared his emotions after the Ukrainian Premier League Round 20 match against FC Obolon Kyiv which Dynamo won 2:1.
- It was not an easy match. Before we conceded in the first half we controlled the game and the opponent crossed the halfway line for the first time and immediately scored. It surprised us a bit but it was good that we managed to score two goals before halftime and went into the break with the lead. In the second half we needed to score again but unfortunately it didn’t happen. Thank God we took three points and will keep moving forward.
– How much did the conceded goal confuse the team? It looked like Dynamo were closer to opening the scoring.
- Yes, that’s true. But that’s football. Sometimes you control the game but the ball just doesn’t go into the net, and the opponent makes one run forward and scores. It happens in football.
– Can the awarded penalty be considered the turning point of the match?
- Of course. When a penalty is awarded and we score it, it gives our team momentum. After the goal we push forward even more and confidence appears. Thank God we scored the second goal as well and went to halftime with at least a one-goal advantage.
– Andriy Yarmolenko converted the penalty and became the third top scorer in the history of Ukrainian championships. How did the team congratulate him?
- For now we are reacting calmly. God willing he will break the record and then we will congratulate him properly. We hope he scores in every round. The same goes for Ponomarenko - hopefully he will keep scoring in every match as well.
– Yarmolenko captained the team today. How much confidence do his presence and instructions give the team?
- I’ve said many times that his influence on the team cannot be described in words. Both on the pitch and off it he is a true professional and a great person. It’s a pleasure to play with him and communicate with him outside the field.
– At the end of the match Obolon tried to equalize. Did the first-round match come to mind?
- When Fedorivskyi delivered a cross I told the guys: “God forbid it becomes 2:2 now” (smiles). But fortunately we finished the match with a 2:1 victory and will move forward.
– At the moment Dynamo are in third place in the league table. How important is that with fewer matches left in the season?
- We will take it game by game and keep moving forward. There’s no need to look too far ahead right now. We just need to play for victory in every match and at the end we’ll see where we finish.
