Referee Viktor Shvetsov, who sent off five players in the Ukrainian Cup final thriller, commented on his decisions postgame. “It is from inside, not from the stands, that I see the game. The matches between Dynamo and Shakhtar have always been uneasy. In the second half we did not see football as such. Instead, nerves, dangerous fouls and confrontation came galore”.
“The abundance of yellow cards has to do with the principled character of the clash. However, I believe neither team was looking to “break down” the opponents. In fact, it is a usual situation in football unless you cross the line”, the match official added.
Pape Diakhaté insisted he did not see the approaching Dulyay, thus disagreeing with his red card. The referee, in his turn, said he was guided by UEFA recommendations: “We have a strong recommendation from the UEFA, that of protecting performers’ health. Diakhaté hit the ball with his back to the opponent, which is a danger in itself. If a player striking hits another player, a direct free-kick and yellow card should follow. If an injury is caused, a red card is automatically awarded. I instantly spotted haematoma on Dulyay’s face, who must have suffered a serious concussion”.
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