U19. Chornomorets vs Shakhtar: match report

Goals: 1-0 Semenchenko (32), 2-0 Plokhotnyuk (67), 3-0 Musolitin (69), 3-1 Semenikhin (84)

Chornomorets: Kozhukhar, Sokolov, Otroshko, Semenchenko, Svirchuk, Maksymenkov, Khamelyuk (Dolynskyi, 79), Semeniv (c), Sereda (Shoniya, 68), Musolitin (Shamugia, 82), Plokhotnyuk (Hlushchenko, 90)

Unused subs: Suaib, Hunko, Baboglo

Coach: Oleksandr Spitsyn

Shakhtar: Pospelov, Konoplya, Hudz, Bondar (Kuzmenko, 70), Kornienko, Sobolevskyi (Semenikhin, 46), Putria, Yakimets, Kulakov, Topalov (c), Zaporoshchenko (Andrushchenko, 46)

Unused subs: Vertei, Chahovets, Pavlish

Coach: Henadiy Orbu

Booked: Khamelyuk (37), Sereda (55), Kulakov (81), Andrushchenko (90+2)

Referee: Oleh Kohut (Ternopil)

Beating Oleksandriya (1-0) in the past round brought Shakhtar back among the league’s top three sides. After seven games, Donetsk have 15 points. The Pitmen have arrived to Odesa without a few important players: the midfielders Oleksii Kashchuk and Murad Khachaev have been on international duty defending the colours of their respective countries, with the defender Yuriy Mate missing the meeting due to the number of the yellow cards earned.

Chornomorets have delivered an impressive run over the last month: they nearly beat Dynamo in Kyiv (2-2), and defeated Zorya, Volyn and Zirka one by one. But last Saturday, the Odessans lost to Vorskla (1-2) and moved down the table to the 8th spot. In eight rounds, the Sailors have scored 11 points.

The teams got off to a brisk start and in the first five minutes exchanged scoring chances. Yefym Konoplya, getting on the end of a corner kick, struck just above the target. At the opposite goal, firstly Artem Pospelov parried away a powerful shot by Musolitin, with the crossbar coming to the visitors’ rescue on the second occasion. Toward the middle of the first half, Shakhtar tried to establish control of the ball and created some great opportunities. After the shots by Putria and Kulakov, the goalkeeper prevented Odesa from conceding a goal. However, it was the Sailors who opened the scoring. On 32 minutes, a corner resulted in a cross to the far post, which was finished off by Semenchenko. In the last minute of the half, the Pitmen had a similar chance, with Stanyslav Gudz getting on the end of a free kick and firing it past the keeper, only to see his attempt going just inches wide.

During the break, Henadiy Orbu has made adjustments in the lineup, fielding Ivan Semenikhin and Maksym Andrushchenko. The Orange-and-Blacks began to play on top, just lacking accuracy while finishing their attacks. Headers by Bondar and Andrushchenko went wide, with Kulakov’s shot parried away by Kozhukhar. At every opportunity, the hosts snapped back with dangerous counterattacks, scoring two goals at once midway through the second half: Plokhotnyuk corrected the ball direction after his teammate had given him a pass, with Musolitin hammering it home from long range. The Pitmen spent the remainder of the game in Odesa’s half and even pulled one back: Ivan Semenikhin produced a successful bicycle kick. However, the visitors lacked time to equalise.

In the next round, the Donetsk team will receive Karpaty. The match will take place in Shchaslyve on October 8.

- Key factors in this match were the will to win and readiness to fight in every episode: we conceded today in both respects. The opponents took the field being more motivated, they fought for every ball. While all of our ten men lost their individual challenges. In this kind of situation, it is difficult to expect a positive result. Possibly, the players were already on international duty in their thoughts, going there tomorrow or the day after, and because of this they failed to tune in to the game in Odesa properly. We still face the game analysis to get well prepared for the next meeting.

Photo courtesy of FC Chornomorets