Dynamo U19 head coach reviewed the away match against Rivne side Veres, in which the White-Blues secured a 2:1 victory:
– The team secured a 2:1 away win over Veres. How satisfied are you with your players’ performance, and did they manage to carry out the game plan?
– We are satisfied with the players’ performance. Our first-half display was very good. We managed to do everything we had planned. I believe the air raid alert worked in Veres’ favour. We lost our composure a little, although we talked a lot among ourselves and discussed the fact that a 2-0 lead is a rather “slippery” scoreline. In the end, the goal we conceded made the closing stages more nervous. But the lads still did a great job. Everyone worked hard – those who started, those who came on as substitutes, and those who were in the squad. You could see that they cared about the result and had that fire in their eyes. Ultimately, the team achieved its goal.
– Both of Dynamo’s first-half goals were scored by Yaroslav Buravtsov after through balls from deep. Was this use of runs in behind an element of the tactical plan prepared in advance and emphasised before the match?
– When we saw that Veres had a very high defensive line, we focused during our preparations on passes in behind the defenders, allowing Buravtsov to find himself one-on-one with the goalkeeper. The rotations involving Romaniuk and Bakerskyi led to them switching positions. It was after this movement that Romaniuk provided the assist for Buravtsov. In short, these were adjustments we made during the game itself.
– In the 66th minute, Veres reduced the deficit with a free kick. Did you have to reorganise the team’s play after conceding, and what helped you hold on to the winning score?
– The first five minutes after conceding were the most important – we needed to get through that period. The lads coped well, and later we evened out the game and could have scored again. At 2-1, the psychological factor plays a major role: you want to win and protect your lead. After Veres reduced the deficit, we had chances, and I thank the lads for that. The team did not retreat into defence but continued to create scoring opportunities. I believe we deserved the victory.
– Did the sending-off for the opposition affect the outcome? What happened in that incident?
– I did not see the incident myself. My assistants told me that the opponent struck Konovalov twice. I am very grateful to Dima for not falling for the provocation and ultimately forcing the opposition to play with ten men.
– The match kicked off 40 minutes late because of an air raid alert, and play was interrupted again in the 42nd minute due to the security situation. How did these stoppages affect the players’ preparation and the course of the match?
– As I said, in my opinion, the air raid alert worked in Veres’ favour. At that point, we were dominating and combining well, while the opposition needed a break and a breather.
– Yaroslav Buravtsov scored twice and now has seven goals in ten matches. How do you assess his progress, and what is most important to you about his game beyond the goals he scores?
– For me, he is an unconventional footballer. I am very happy that he is scoring and helping the team. With his unconventional actions and interesting choice of moments, he reminds me Artem Milevskyi. Yaroslav is a smart lad; he is useful both defensively and offensively, and he has chances to score in every match. Yaroslav is doing a great job; he is a good footballer.
