The head coach of Dynamo Kyiv Oleksandr Shovkovskyi answered journalists’ questions at the press conference following his team’s 2:1 victory over Shakhtar Donetsk in the Ukrainian Cup Round of 16.
– It seemed that before conceding your players were nervous but after scoring they started playing their usual game. Was it just an impression or really so?
– First of all I want to congratulate all Dynamo fans on the victory and on reaching the next round. We’ve beaten our main rival and that makes this win very important.
Of course in the first half there was a lot of respect shown toward Shakhtar’s players. We didn’t play as aggressively as we had planned. In the second half we adjusted our structure – not to say we took more risks but we reorganized certain interactions, especially in our defensive setup when Shakhtar built up play from the back.
Even before the match we emphasized that success comes to the brave. You have to be decisive, win the first balls, act with confidence and avoid unnecessary emotions – because excessive emotions sometimes work against you. In the first half they didn’t help us. But after we conceded we became more assured in our actions and clearly understood what had to be done.
Success is an inseparable part of persistence, confidence and courage. Fortune smiles on the brave but you must earn it with your desire, your work and your contribution to the team’s play. For the second half – my full gratitude to the players. The first half we’ll analyze and use as preparation for the next matches.
– Why did the team wear the third kit for a home match?
– That question isn’t for me.
– Does Dynamo have any priorities among the different competitions?
– Every game in which Dynamo Kyiv steps onto the pitch is the most important one. I always tell my players: you can’t change the past and the future is unknown. What matters is today – and tomorrow because today we are building our future. Through our attitude, our training, our preparation, our rest, our nutrition – every little detail matters. There are no small things in football or in life in general. So the most important thing is what we’re doing now and the next match.
– Today you ended a 10-match winless streak against Shakhtar with the last victory dating back to 2021. Did you emphasize that fact before the game?
– There are statistics, yes, and we use data in preparation. But we don’t focus on how many matches we’ve won or not won. What we analyze are the players, the interactions, the movements, the combinations – the football itself. We never spoke about the streak, not once.
– You’ll face Shakhtar again this Sunday in the league. Who will have the psychological advantage after tonight’s result?
– We mustn’t differentiate too much between victories and defeats. Those are the words of Valeriy Vasylovych Lobanovskyi and I completely agree with him. We have to look at the game itself – what gave us opportunities, what we did to win today. We must track our own actions in order to keep improving. Winning every match isn’t easy; it’s not always possible. But we have to move forward consistently. And we shouldn’t get carried away emotionally after a victory nor lose spirit after a setback. We must prepare wisely, control our emotions and give our all – in training and in matches alike. The next game will be the most important one – just as today’s was.
Once again I congratulate all Dynamo fans on this important victory and our progress to the next round of the Cup. I wish everyone a peaceful quiet night and a calm sky – although, as they say, things have gotten active again across the border... Glory to Ukraine!
