U21. Shakhtar 2-1 Dnipro

U21 Championship. 5th round. August 20, 2016. Shchaslyve. Kniazha Arena stadium. 27 ^oC. Att: 200.

Goals: 0-1 Nazarin (38), 1-1 Pikhalyonok (48, pen.), 2-1 Adamenko (86)

On 52 minutes Pikhalyonok did not score from a penalty shot.

Shakhtar: Kudryk, Kiryukhantsev, Kacharaba, Sahutkin, Matvienko, Tankovskyi, Zubkov (Zinkevych 88), Pikhalyonok (c), Boriachuk, Arabidze (Hlusshchuk, 46), Adamenko (Grachev, 90+2)

Unused subs: Grytsenko, Senytskyi, Ihnatenko, Yalovenko

Head coach: Valeriy Kryventsov

Dnipro: Bashtanenko, Khuchbarov (Supriaha, 53), Kirychuk, Bokhashvili, Paliukh, Cheberko, Kostyshyn, Larin (c), Vasyliev (Verhun, 55), Nahyiev, Nazarin

Unused subs: Babychyn, Iliyn, Safronov, Bandurin, Veremeiev

Head coach: Oleksandr Poklonskyi

Booked: Vasiliev (27), Paliukh (47)

Referee: Anatolii Abdula (Kharkiv)

In the central match of the round the U21 Championship leader Shakhtar took on Dnipro, the fourth team in the standings. The Pitmen's starting eleven included Oleh Kudryk and Danylo Sahutkin, who did not appear in the last game. Mykola Matviienko, Viacheslav Tankovskyi, Oleksandr Zubkov and Andrii Boriachuk, who train with the first team, had a chance to practise their skills.

The starting minutes saw equal game - both teams played very carefully, trying to take control of the midfield and dictate their game. Gradually, Valeriy Kryventsov's squad managed to do it and scoring opportunities started to occur at the away team's post one after another. Andrii Boriachuk's shot was saved by the goalkeeper Giorgi Arabidze's attempt was blocked by a defender. Oleksandr Pikhalyonok made a graceful high cross into the penalty box, but the keeper was just a bit ahead of Boiarchuk. Bashtanenko also made a save after a shot under the crossbar by Mykyta Adamenko, and in the next attack, the Pitmen's midfielder hit the post. The Dnipro team having sat out at their goal, launched a successful counter: on 38 minutes, Yehor Nazarin scored into the far corner from the right edge of the box. The half-time score showed a minimal lead of the away team.

Having changed their game a little, Shakhtar showed a strong second half. In the 48th minute Mykyta Adamenko's dribbling earned a penalty kick, and the Donetsk team's captain Oleksandr Pikhalyonok successfully scored in keeper's left corner - 1-1. Several minutes later, the Orange-and-Blacks were awarded another penalty (Dnipro defender's handball in the penalty area), but this time Bashtanenko guessed the direction of Pikhalyonok's shot. The away team decided on holding the score, and the Pitmen had to work hard to crack their defense. Andrii Boriachuk and Mykyta Adamenko were active, but the defenders kept a close watch on them. Oleksandr Zubkov made a good attempt from a distance which went just a little wide of the goal. Yurii Hlushchuk's shot was parried by the goalkeeper, and the Mykola Matvienko's partners were just a bit late for his crosses. However, the dominance and constant pressure yielded results. On 86 minutes, Andrii Boriachuk received the ball in the box and passed to open Mykyta Adamenko, who scored the winning goal.

2-1 - Shakhtar makes a comeback against Dnipro and are now getting ready for the next match. On August 27 Valeriy Kryventsov's team will play an away game against Stal.

FC Shakhtar's official channel on Telegram. Follow the U21 and U19 teams (news, game line-ups).

– Dnipro has a traditionally strong football school with the players of all ages being well trained and playing wisely and organised, so every match against them becomes difficult. In the first half, the opponents correctly regrouped, and acted well with the ball, blocking the zones. Therefore, in the first-half, not everything turned out the way we wanted. In the second half we made a substitution and went back to the familiar structure of the game. The players added in dynamics and changed the direction of the attack more often, as well as became more persistent and aggressive. We interacted a lot and had a practically unchallenged possession of the ball. This resulted in earning two penalty shots, one of which we scored. But the team did not give up and literally crushed the opponents and deservedly took the three points. The guys believed in the success and achieved it. I congratulate them on this important victory, but I want to congratulate the Dnipro team, too, on the game that they showed.