U19. Shakhtar vs Desna: match report

The Miners continue competing for the title (39 points in 17 rounds). Oskar Ratulutra's team won three of their four games after the winter break. The Chernihiv side are major outsiders in the league this season (5 points in 16 rounds), but in the first-stage match they managed to take points away from the Miners (0-0).

Missed counterattack

Shakhtar quite expectedly took control of the game and settled with most of their players in the opponents’ box. In the opening stages, Kristian Bako produced a threat (wide) before Vladyslav Pohorilyi had two chances in a row, with the opposing goalkeeper rescuing the visitors on both occasions. Oleksandr Yushchenko also failed to beat the keeper. Meanwhile, in the 33rd minute the rivals converted their only chance into a goal: Dzhilindo Bezhubchenko sent a low ball home from a tight angle. Late in the first half, a Chernihiv player Sheiko earned the second yellow card and left his team short-handed. Immediately after that, Hluschenko could have levelled it, still failing to finish off Pohorilyi’s delivery.

Unfinished comeback

Realizing that they simply have no right to lose any points, the Miners started attacking Desna's goal in the second half and quickly achieving a result. In the 52nd minute, Illia Hulko headed home a brilliant header following a corner delivery, making it 1-1. Right after that, Pohorilyi, Bako and the same Hulko had great chances, but all of their efforts either lacked some subtlety or were denied by Sydorenko. The substitutes Kozishkurt and Bendera immediately created another chance: Oleh fed the latter, and Ivan sent the ball towards the far corner, missing the target just by inches. The main chance to snatch victory occurred in the 79th minute, when the goalkeeper brought Havryliuk down and the referee pointed to the spot. Sydorenko who got on fire corrected his mistake on his own and parried away Pohorilyi’s penalty-kick. The final assault brought a couple more opportunities: Pohorilyi chipped it over the goalkeeper, but Shkolnyi backed up the latter, knocking the ball out of the goal area, then Sydorenko himself pulled Hoko’s effort from under the crossbar.

1-1 - Shakhtar U19 tied with Desna U19. This result allowed Oskar Ratulutra's team to catch up on points with Dynamo U19 (the Kyivans suffered a defeat, having a game in hand though). In the next round, on March 21, Shakhtar U19 will visit Lviv U19.

Shakhtar Donetsk U19 1-1 (0-1) Desna Chernihiv U19

Goals: 0-1 Bezhubchenko (33’), 1-1 Hulko (52’)

Missed penalty: Pohorilyi (78’ goalkeeper save)

Shakhtar: Puzankov, Havryliuk, Savchenko, Farina, Bako, Rosputko (Kozishkurt 72’), Hulko (c), Yuschenko (Borysenko 46’), Siheev, Hluschenko (Bendera 65’), Pohorilyi

Sent off: Sheiko (39’ second booking)