Kryventsov: Both teams proved mettle
Saturday, April 29, 2017
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The mentor of Shakhtar youth team reflected on the victory over Karpaty in an interview with shakhtar.com
- Historically, both Shakhtar and Karpaty are teams of character. Therefore, everyone felt tension and heat, there were many challenges on every section of the field. Our team and the opponents alternately seized the initiative. Moreover, it was tactically interesting, indeed: very few squads in the youth league play five-back defence. Therefore, we faced saturated defence and asked the lads to break it down courtesy of bursting into free zones, playing one-two, operating off the beaten path and displaying individual skills. In some situations, we succeeded, but not always. It is nice that we won the game. However, I am not satisfied with organization of team play and some players’ performance.
- Were you ready for the scenario when the opponents completely give up the initiative in the first half and defend heavily in their own half of the pitch?
- Karpaty always play us like that: we dominate the game, but still lack enough skills to break down the massed ranks of defence, as the opponents hit on the counters and score, as in previous fixtures. Today, we did not allow doing that and claimed a goal ourselves, having fashioned a number of clear-cut opportunities.
- There is one more leg ahead, with five matches against the best league’s teams. How do you feel about this format, which seems to remain in the coming season?
- I think this is a good formula for competition. After all, if we talk about reserve teams, there are really the league’s strongest sides collected in top six. Two games versus such opponents are very interesting and useful.
- Were you ready for the scenario when the opponents completely give up the initiative in the first half and defend heavily in their own half of the pitch?
- Karpaty always play us like that: we dominate the game, but still lack enough skills to break down the massed ranks of defence, as the opponents hit on the counters and score, as in previous fixtures. Today, we did not allow doing that and claimed a goal ourselves, having fashioned a number of clear-cut opportunities.
- There is one more leg ahead, with five matches against the best league’s teams. How do you feel about this format, which seems to remain in the coming season?
- I think this is a good formula for competition. After all, if we talk about reserve teams, there are really the league’s strongest sides collected in top six. Two games versus such opponents are very interesting and useful.