Football. A match that could have avoided defeat

True, in the first 10 minutes of the meeting it seemed that "Real" would tear "Dynamo" apart like a hot water bottle tears a rag. However, this was the only stretch in the match where the Spaniards played at decent speeds, demonstrating solid and powerful football. And if "Real's" goal was only to intimidate the Kyivans, then it seems they succeeded. After a decline set in in "Real's" play, the guests did not use the opportunity to play against "Real" in the football they dislike, which is a quick counterattack and constant pressing.

The first dangerous moment near Shovkovskyi's goal arose in the fifth minute. Ronaldo from about 18 meters struck toward the upper corner of "Dynamo's" goal and the ball, grazing Havranchych's head, flew straight into the 9-spot, but Shovkovskyi saved the team, deflecting the leather ball to a corner. A few minutes later Shovkovskyi already pulled off a save on Figo's shot, which was aimed at the right corner of the goal.

The Kyivans gave their answer in the 10th minute when after a Brazilian one-two Kleber-Rincon the latter shot, but the ball went above the "frame." In the next "Real" attack, only the goalpost saved "Dynamo" from a goal, which Zidane hit with a free-kick shot.

Dynamo's attacks in the first half of the match consisted of long-range shots taken by Yussuf and Kleber. At the beginning of the 20th minute Kadurri unintentionally knocked Luis Figo out of the game, and while clearing the ball the left defender of "Dynamo" crashed into the Portuguese player's knee. Figo left the field on a stretcher, however he appeared on the field to be substituted for Solari a few minutes later.

After Figo was no longer on the field, "Real's" attacks from the right flank lost their sharpness. Meanwhile Sabo's charges in the 27th minute had a completely real chance to score. After Rincon's precise pass from the corner of the penalty area, Shatskykh shot on the move, but the ball flew 5 centimeters from the goalpost.

In the 33rd minute the guests failed to use another excellent opportunity to score, as they could not convert a three-on-two break against the Spaniards, and the culprit of it all was Kleber, who handled the ball clumsily.

To the hosts' luck, "Dynamo" can bring goals upon itself. In the 35th minute in the center of the field and in a simple situation Yussuf "got caught out" and within seconds the ball ended up in our penalty area, where after Ronaldo's pass the first to get ahead was the previously inconspicuous Owen, who redirected the football into Shovkovskyi's goal – 1:0.

As for Yussuf, this was not his first mistake in this game. In another moment in the second half the Nigerian's inaccurate pass again nearly led to a goal in "Dynamo's" net. Why did Yozhef Sabo decide to field the inexperienced Yussuf rather than the proven fighters Leko or Husin? Most likely, the "Dynamo" manager's principles of relationships come first for him... After the cup game with "Volyn," Sabo told Leko (the Croatian was sent off in that game) that he would not take him to Madrid. True, he did take him to Spain, but did not even include him in the squad for the game...

Still, the Dynamo players could have gone into the second half having equalized the score, but Havranchych's header in added time of the first 45 minutes was parried by Casillas.

The second half demonstrated even more the inability of the current "Real" to play the entire match in fast and aggressive football. Already in the 47th minute Rincon was close to going one-on-one with the goalkeeper, as he burst into "Real's" penalty area, but fell after a sliding tackle by Salgado, angling for a penalty. However, Rincon can be disappointed – there was no penalty in that episode, and his theatrics were not enough to convince the main referee of the game that there was a foul against him. True, Rincon needed to play that moment to the end and maybe something would have come of it...

Five minutes later the Kyivans, who in the second half forced "Real" to play on counterattacks at their home stadium, had another opportunity to score. After Husiev's cross Casillas deflected the ball to the free Gioane, who from 12 meters did not even hit the target. But Gioane can be reproached in this match only for this episode. The Romanian was one of the most active in "Dynamo's" lineup in the match against "Real." But in the 64th minute Sabo surprised everyone. Instead of the active Husiev, Chernat was brought on. With this substitution the "Dynamo" "coach" guessed wrong, the Romanian midfielder did not strengthen the Kyivans' play. Although, instead of Husiev a substitution of at least Kleber was called for, who squandered chances one after another and was also ineffective in defense. 15 minutes before the end of the game Sabo brought Belkevych onto the field, also without result for the attack.

Kadurri could have become the "hero" of the match, who after Raul's pass nearly put the ball into his own goal, but slid along with the ball next to the net. The "Real" captain, who was playing his 500th match for the "royal team," still could have marked the anniversary with a goal, but after Solari's pass, he missed Shovkovskyi's goal from two meters.

In the 75th minute Kleber once again failed to score. The Brazilian forward, having dribbled past Salgado, shot with force from 8 meters, but Casillas parried Kleber's straightforward shot. A minute before the end of regular time Solari should have scored, but his shot was saved by Oleksandr Shovkovskyi, who became the best player in "Dynamo's" lineup in this game.

Already in the last added minute of the game Shovkovskyi, during a corner kick near "Real's" goal, tried to help his partners score, but the ball never reached him.

So, the result is a bitter defeat by "Real," which however did not knock Kyiv's "Dynamo" from first place in Group B, where the Kyivans lead with six points. The Spaniards and "Bayer," which defeated "Roma," also have six points each, but with a worse goal difference.

Group B

"Real" (Spain) - "Dynamo" (Ukraine) - 1:0 Goal: Owen 35 "Real": Casillas, Michel Salgado Helguera, Pavon, Roberto Carlos, Guti, Zidane, Figo (Solari 29) - Raul, Owen (Celades 65), Ronaldo (Morientes 85) "Dynamo": Shovkovskyi - Gioane (Peiev 87), Havranchych, Sablich, Kadduuri, Yussuf, Rodolfo, Husiev (Chernat 64), Rincon (Belkevych 75), Shatskykh, Kleber.

Tournament standings: 1. "Dynamo" - 6. 2. "Bayer" - 6. 3. "Real" - 6. 4. "Roma" - 0.