U21. Dnipro 1-4 Shakhtar

U21 Championship. 16th round. November 26, 2016. Novomoskovsk. Metalurh. Att: 100. 5 ^oC.

Dnipro U21 (Dnipro) 1-4 (1-1) Shakhtar U21 (Donetsk)

Goals: 0-1 Sahutkin (9), 1-1 Verhun (45+1), 1-2 Arabidze (50), 1-3 Arabidze (55), 1-4 Kacharaba (60)

Dnipro: Kucher, Safronov, Suhar, Larin (c), Vergun, Blyznychenko (Kostyshyn, 80), Vasyliev, Kohut (Homenko, 80), Balanyuk, Bondar, Vakulko (Khuchbarov, 80)

Unused subs: Ponomarenko, Palyukh, Ilyin, Veremeev

Head coach: Oleksandr Poklonskyi

Shakhtar: Kudryk, Kiryukhantsev, Sahutkin, Kacharaba, Mihunov (Kornienko, 89), Masalov, Avahimyan (Bezuhlyi, 90+1), Pikhalyonok (c), Zinkevych, Arabidze (Hlahola, 80), Adamenko (Chekh, 70)

Unused subs: Hrytsenko, Yalovenko, Topalov

Head coach: Valeriy Kryventsov

Referee: Oleksandr Derdo (Chornomorsk)

Booked: Kohut (32), Pikhalyonok (72), Sahutkin (75)

Before the match

In the table, the Pitmen are sitting in the second spot with 35 points, being three points adrift of the championship leaders. Dnipro are the sixth, having 20 points under their belt. The first leg between the opponents ended in the win by Valeriy Kryventsov’s team (2-1). Pikhalyonok and Adamenko scored for the Pitmen, with Nazarin scoring for Dnipro. In comparison with the previous match against Karpaty, the starting line-up of Shakhtar underwent significant changes: Oleh Kudryk took the place between the sticks, with Oleksandr Masalov appearing at left back, Artur Avagimyan and Oleksandr Pikhalyonok in midfield, and Oleksii Zinkevych playing as a striker. Wev also should note that the encounter took place in the indoor arena on the artificial pitch.

First half

The opening stages of the match were dominated by the Pitmen. First Adamenko, who won the ball in his half, launched an attack down the left wing together withZinkevych, but a long-range shot by Oleksiy was inaccurate. And on 9 minutes, the Donetsk team opened the scoring: Danylo Sahutkin got on the end of a Giorgi Arabidze corner to make it 0-1. This forced the hosts to play more actively up front, with them being close to equalizing midway through the half. The blistering three vs two counterattack was rounded off by Balanyuk, but he failed to score from a shooting range. At level performance, the teams created virtually no dangerous chances. Except for a spectacular bicycle kick by Arabidze which was denied by Dnipro goalkeeper. In injury time, the hosts equalized. After playing a quick free kick in midfield, Dmytro Verhun unexpectedly landed a powerful shot from some 35 metres, with the ball hitting the back of the net off the post to make it 1-1.

Second half

However, the goal conceded just before the break only provoked the Orange-and-Blacks, with the latter beating Dnipro goalkeeper three times during fifteen minutes after the break. First Giorgi Arabidze produced his trademark free kick into the far corner – 1-2. Immediately after that, the Georgian midfielder scored a brace. Taras Kacharaba just sealed the win: the centre-back sent Avagimyan’s corner home – 1-4. In the remaining time Dnipro tried to rehabilitate themselves and made all-out attacking moves, with Shakhtar defence operating calmly and reliably, with Oleh Kudryk making a few great saves. Valeriy Kryventsov fielded Maksym Chekh and allowed Viktor Korniyenko to debut for Shakhtar U21 team, who helped the team to retain the winning result. The final score is 4-1 in favour of Shakhtar.

Before the winter break, the Pitmen are to hold another two games: on December 3 they will receive Stal in Schaslyve, and on December 11 they will play Dynamo away.

Artur Avagimyan, Shakhtar U21 midfielder:

- All week long, we have been training on natural grass, but had to play on synthetic pitch then. Plus it’s harder to breathe indoors, so we player slowly. We scored one at the beginning and just controlled the match then, still conceding a ridiculous goal towards the end of the half. But maybe it happened for the better: in the second half we were more in the mood to fight, being angrier and more focused. So we scored another goal, just thrashing the opponents while being in the zone. It’s good that in such an important match set pieces were finally successful. I'm glad to have appeared in the starting line-up and helped the team win. I tried to play safely, fulfilling the coach’s plan. Of course, I got used to attacking more, but I also had to challenge for the ball. Today we had to win no matter what not to get more distant from the top spot. Now our objective is winning the remaining two games.

Oleksandr Masalov, Shakhtar U21 defender:

- It was very important to win and claim the three points. Dnipro are serious opponents, and we were not expecting an easy game. An early goal gave us the strength and confidence, but, unfortunately, we failed to keep the advantage until the end of the half. The opponents earned a free kick, our players did not stop the ball, with Dnipro quickly playing the ball and scoring a once-in-a-hundred-years goal. But we understand that our goal is winning every game and move towards the league title. Therefore, we went out for the second half with great desire to win and lead again shortly, to continue playing more comfortably. But we actually managed to score as many as three goals! Then we based our performance around defending and did not allow the opponents to create anything dangerous near our goal, quietly finishing the game. Such a victory will certainly give us positive emotions before the closing games.