U19. Dnipro-1 – Shakhtar: post-match reaction
Saturday, August 24, 2019
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Shakhtar U19 coach Andres Carrasco and player Heorhii Sudakov reflect on the 2-0 victory over Dnipro-1
Andres Carrasco, head coach:
- We had to work hard to open the scoring. In the first half, the opponents defended well, we tried to use any attacking options, with just few scoring chances though. However, all the work that we did before the break brought some results in the second half. Owing to hot weather and the wide pitch, we exhausted Dnipro-1 players, and after the break it was difficult for them to physically keep up with our moves. We moved the ball more from flank to flank to stretch their defence, finally getting those chances for good passes and effective combinations that brought us victory. Assessing the start of the season, I can say that we set the bar in our work fairly high, controlling the play for longer than we previously did. This is very important because we’ve got some great, excellent football players. And as soon as they understand all the subtleties, all those things that we want to see (organized pressure, timely deliveries and shots on goal), the team will become even stronger. And we are noticeably improving this aspect.
- We had to work hard to open the scoring. In the first half, the opponents defended well, we tried to use any attacking options, with just few scoring chances though. However, all the work that we did before the break brought some results in the second half. Owing to hot weather and the wide pitch, we exhausted Dnipro-1 players, and after the break it was difficult for them to physically keep up with our moves. We moved the ball more from flank to flank to stretch their defence, finally getting those chances for good passes and effective combinations that brought us victory. Assessing the start of the season, I can say that we set the bar in our work fairly high, controlling the play for longer than we previously did. This is very important because we’ve got some great, excellent football players. And as soon as they understand all the subtleties, all those things that we want to see (organized pressure, timely deliveries and shots on goal), the team will become even stronger. And we are noticeably improving this aspect.
I’m really happy to have scored that goal, but credit goes not just to me: Kostiantyn Hurov dispossessed them all in midfield, Abdulla handled the ball and gave a great pass, and I had to just finish it off
Heorhii Sudakov, midfielder:
- We controlled the ball and fully led the play, but it wasn’t easy to open the tight defence of the Dnipro-1, plus the field condition didn’t allow us to operate as we wanted. In the first half, we hardly delivered the ball into the box, there was some fuss, we failed to form the majority on the wings. Probably, we had to use more crosses and make more attempts on target. As soon as we started doing so in the second half, we immediately took advantage of the opponents’ fatigue, putting them away and netting two goals. The opening goal? Perhaps, that was a turning point. I’m really happy to have scored that goal, but credit goes not just to me: Kostiantyn Hurov dispossessed them all in midfield, Abdulla handled the ball and gave a great pass, and I had to just finish it off. How I feel after playing two games in two days? That’s fine, I feel great. Maybe I’m not tired yet, but this kind of practice is just beneficial now. I'm glad that I can play for both U21 and U19 teams.
- We controlled the ball and fully led the play, but it wasn’t easy to open the tight defence of the Dnipro-1, plus the field condition didn’t allow us to operate as we wanted. In the first half, we hardly delivered the ball into the box, there was some fuss, we failed to form the majority on the wings. Probably, we had to use more crosses and make more attempts on target. As soon as we started doing so in the second half, we immediately took advantage of the opponents’ fatigue, putting them away and netting two goals. The opening goal? Perhaps, that was a turning point. I’m really happy to have scored that goal, but credit goes not just to me: Kostiantyn Hurov dispossessed them all in midfield, Abdulla handled the ball and gave a great pass, and I had to just finish it off. How I feel after playing two games in two days? That’s fine, I feel great. Maybe I’m not tired yet, but this kind of practice is just beneficial now. I'm glad that I can play for both U21 and U19 teams.