Ukrainian Cup. Quarterfinal: 'Volyn' Lutsk 1 : 2 'Dynamo' Kyiv

For the third time in recent years, the draw has brought "Volyn" and "Dynamo" together in the Ukrainian Cup. Unfortunately, our footballers have never managed to overcome the Kyivans. This year, the Lutsk side had the most realistic chance to get past Dynamo. Judge for yourselves: the absolute majority of "Dynamo" players had played exhausting matches for their national teams, and ahead of our champion is also a very important, and most importantly financially lucrative (in the case of a positive or at least drawn result) Champions League match in Madrid against "Real". This is precisely what explains the lineup of the visiting team that arrived in Lutsk for the cup match. So "Volyn" really could have taken advantage of the opponent's weakened state and once again proved that it does not occupy fourth place in the national championship by accident. Before the game, only the change of the head referee was alarming: instead of Shandor from Lviv (they say he received an extremely unsatisfactory rating for his officiating in the "Obolon" - "Shakhtar" match), an openly pro-Kyiv crew from Odesa led by Hodulyan arrived in Lutsk. However, after the starting whistle, one did not want to think about bad things, because "Volyn" immediately showed the opponent who was the master on the field. But, unfortunately, suspicions began to come true very quickly. Already in the second minute of the game, someone from Dynamo brought down Mitich in the Dynamo penalty area. It would seem a penalty would follow, but no. Moreover, Mitich received a yellow card for simulation. Examples of such "justice" had to be seen more than once during the game, especially in the opening minutes when "Volyn" tried to put pressure on Reva's goal. Dynamo's defensive line at that time looked not entirely confident. The role of the last defender was performed by Yatsenko, while the flanks were covered by the tired Nesmachny and Dmytrulin, who had not had proper match practice for a long time. Given this, the Kyivans tried to defend with the whole team, while only Verpakovskis, Kornilenko and Peiev operated up front. Therefore, breaking through to Reva's goal was quite difficult. And even when this succeeded, the Lutsk forwards had to control the ball and shoot at the opponent's goal surrounded by 2-3 Dynamo defenders.

Given this, our footballers were forced to test Reva with long-range shots. This was done alternately by Riahn and Chebotar. But while Taavi hit the target, Borys always shot much higher than the goal. Therefore, already at the end of the first half, Chebotar was replaced by Hashchyn. In the 43rd minute, something illogical happened. One of Dynamo's few attacks was underway. Dmytrulin crossed from the left flank into Volyn's penalty area, where there were almost no Dynamo players. Obviously this relaxed our team's defenders, and they calmly watched as the ball flew out of bounds. And then, like a bolt from the blue, little Verpakovskis jumped out from behind Sharaba's back and headed the ball into the far corner of the goal. Nikitenko was powerless in this episode. After the conceded goal, the "Volyn" players seemed to have been swapped by someone, and literally within a few minutes before the end of the first half they "managed" to concede again. Once again Sharaba made a mistake in a duel with Verpakovskis, and Maris scored a brace.

In essence, the game was already decided and now the Dynamo players could calmly continue playing on counterattacks. Therefore, for the second half, Yozhef Sabo sent three fresh players onto the field at once: Sablich, Lieko and Chernat. It would seem these constructive players should have strengthened the team's play, but this did not happen. In the second half, "Volyn" forced the grandee to play for clearance, something that had not been observed with "Dynamo" for a long time even in Champions League matches. The Lutsk side slightly changed tactics. Although long-range shots remained in the team's arsenal, they began to be taken by completely different footballers. Shots from Hashchyn and Novak made the visiting coach nervous, and he began to react more and more often to the events unfolding on the field. The first "victim" of Yozhef Yozhefovych was the reserve referee of the match. Sabo began to express some of his complaints to him, and to make it more convincing, he also helped himself with his hands.

In the 59th minute, "Volyn" lost a very good chance to reduce the deficit. Buta crossed from the left flank into the visitors' penalty area, which Mitich tried to meet with a header. However, instead of Sasha's shot, it turned out to be a decent pass to Trishovych. Aleksandr simply had to score, but after his shot the ball went past the post. Literally a minute later, the same Trishovych delivered a wonderful pass to Sachko, who was in practically a hundred-percent scoring position. However, for a moment Nesmachny was first to the ball and cleared it away from the goal. In the 67th minute, Siankam could have scored, but he too lacked accuracy. In the 79th minute, "Dynamo" carried out perhaps their only proper counterattack in the second half. And "Volyn" would not have avoided trouble if not for Omoko's attentive play. And then an episode occurred that heated up passions on the field to the maximum. For a rather dubious foul against Verpakovskis, Dzhudovych was sent off for a second yellow card. But that's not even the point. The main events moved from the field to the "Dynamo" bench.

Once again Sabo made himself known. The visiting coach was obviously dissatisfied that Dzhudovych had been sent off, and he decided to somehow punish him as well. However, Yozhef Yozhefovych was restrained by the reserve referee. But the emotions subsided only briefly. Literally immediately after play resumed, Yerko Lieko deliberately elbowed Martin Novak in the head. After this blow, the Polish legionnaire started bleeding, and the doctors were forced to bandage his head. And the offender was quite justly sent off (Lieko had already had a yellow card before this). But once again Yozhef Yozhefovych Sabo decided to put in his "two cents". But this time, for some reason it seemed to him that the person responsible for Lieko's sending-off was none other than... Vitaliy Kvartsyany. The Kyivans' coach, whom security was constantly trying to hold, literally, in their hands, rushed toward the "Volyn" bench. One can only guess what Sabo was shouting at Kvartsyany. Perhaps the hot-tempered visiting coach would have taken things to a fight (also take into account Kvartsyany's hot-tempered nature), but the "Dynamo" substitute players calmed their mentor in time. But the episode did not end there either. From the "Dynamo" coaching staff, the cameraman of the "Avers" television company also got a piece of it, as he was trying to film everything happening near the touchline up close.

While the police were trying in every way to calm the "hooligans," play on the field resumed, and "Volyn" again went forward. In the 86th minute, Mitich tried single-handedly to break through the visitors' tight defense. Already on the line of the penalty area, two Dynamo players applied a "box" against him, but while falling, Sasha still managed to pass to Krunich. Bronislav shot Reva's goal from close range. "Volyn" spent the remaining playing time on attacks, and the entire stadium rose to its feet and fervently supported their team until the final whistle.

So, the game turned out to be truly tense, interesting and captivating. We lost at home 1:2 to Kyiv's "Dynamo," although we possibly deserved victory more. "Volyn" instilled hope in the fans' souls, because with such play the result will certainly come. I would like to say one more word regarding the behavior of the "Dynamo" management. We understand that the team is solving very important tasks not only for itself but for all of Ukraine. Therefore in Lutsk the Kyivans wanted to rest and play "with little bloodshed." However, today's "Volyn" does not forgive such an attitude toward itself, as the game proved. Instead of the "planned" rest, the Kyivans played a very exhausting match in Lutsk. This, most likely, is what Yozhef Sabo and his colleagues did not like. But there's nothing to be done, gentlemen, this is football, real men's football! And in Europe, where we all support "Dynamo," no one will pity you.