Acting head coach of Dynamo U19 Pavlo Cherednichenko summed up the UEFA Youth League 3rd “Champions Path” return match against Hibernian which ended in a 1:1 draw and saw our team advance to the Round of 32:
- We prepared footballers for a tough game. Hibernian played an active, dynamic and attacking football so we were ready for it. In the first half opponents had more dangerous moments and sometimes we struggled to adjust our positioning. We made corrections during halftime and managed to fix the situation in the second half.
- What instructions did you give for the first few minutes? The Scottish side wanted to attack aggressively from the start.
- Yes, opponents were determined from the first seconds to take possession and deliver the ball into our penalty area as quickly as possible. During pre-match theory we told guys that they needed to withstand this emotional onslaught in the first 5–7 minutes and then take control of the ball and play our football. That’s exactly what we did against Hibernian’s pressure.
- In the first half Dynamo created many goal-scoring chances while Hibernian had fewer clear opportunities. The second half started with a goal from the opponents but within three minutes Osypenko equalized. How did his goal affect Hibernian’s momentum?
- Footballers went into the second half with a fighting spirit, knowing Hibernian would get tired, make individual mistakes and we could play our attacking football on those errors. Scoring against Hibernian was only a matter of time. It took us three minutes to equalize.
- Both teams didn’t make substitutions for a long time. It seemed you didn’t want to disrupt what was working. How was it actually?
- Players were motivated because it was the last game of the year. They had gone through all the training sessions and loads, and this final UEFA Youth League match was a reward. Character and discipline outweighed fatigue. Only when players started experiencing cramps and heavy running did we make adjustments in final minutes.
- Dynamo played 16 matches in the National U19 League and 4 matches in the UEFA Youth League in the first half of the season without a single defeat. How successful was this part of the season?
- Our team is not satisfied with second place in the National U19 League so we need to improve both our game and our tournament position. Reaching the Round of 32 in the UEFA Youth League motivates players to go through training camps and prepare for the next stage. I wish all players the best emotions and preparation.
- What are the team’s plans during the winter break?
- After returning to Kyiv some players will rejoin the first team under Ihor Kostiuk while others will have a vacation and a planned individual training program for preparation before the next camp. Players will receive individual programs and information about the date of the first medical check-up next year.
