Dynamo Kyiv U19 forward Vitalii Lobko, who scored in the away match against Metalist 1925, shared his impressions after the 2:0 victory and spoke about his seventh consecutive goal.
– After dropping points against Oleksandriya you’ve now secured two wins and regained momentum?
– Yes, at first things didn’t go well for us in away matches – we had draws against Polissia and Oleksandriya. Today was also an away game and our mindset was maximum because every match now is essentially for the title. We couldn’t afford to drop points – we had to win and that’s what we did.
– You already faced Metalist 1925 in the first round and won 3:0. Now it’s another clean sheet and a 2:0 win. Can we say this is a comfortable opponent for Dynamo?
– Every opponent is strong and we approach each game like it’s the last one. As I said every match for us is like a championship decider. We don’t look at the opponent’s position – whether they’re last, mid-table or third. We go out and fight for each other from the first to the last second and aim to win.
– The weather was very tough today – cold, rain mixed with snow. How was it playing in such conditions?
– Personally, I actually like this kind of weather. I call it a Champions League atmosphere – it’s enjoyable to play. Of course, everyone has their own opinion but for me it’s easier to run in these conditions than in the heat.
– You’ve scored in seven consecutive matches since the start of the spring part of the season. What’s the secret behind this form? Is it consistency?
– The thing is Matvii Ponomarenko and I have a small competition – whoever fails to score first loses. He scored in 8 or 9 matches in a row, now it’s my turn. We even agreed that the goal he wasn’t credited with against Karpaty still counts for me so our rivalry continues. It makes things more interesting and gives extra motivation (smiles). I can’t lose to him – I want to win just like he does.
– Tell us about the pre-match tribute: you wore T-shirts with Mircea Lucescu’s image. Was it to honor his memory?
– Yes, it was a tribute to Mircea Lucescu and support for his family. He was a great coach – both for Ukrainian football and worldwide. Everyone respects him and is grateful to him. We wore those T-shirts to show our respect and support. People like him should never be forgotten.
– What are next plans? Will you have a day off and how will you prepare for the next match?
– Yes, we have a game against Zorya on Thursday. We’ve been given a day off to spend time with our families, especially with Easter approaching. Then we’ll return to training and start preparing for the next match.
– Do you have any family traditions for Easter?
– Yes, of course, we keep all usual traditions. I’d like to go home but unfortunately the situation in the Dnipropetrovsk region is difficult right now. So I’ll stay in Kyiv and spend time with friends and family who are here. And when I get the chance I’ll definitely visit my family.
