Very important victory
Sunday, May 7, 2023
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Head coach of Shakhtar U19 Oskar Ratulutra summed up the victory over Oleksandriia U19
– From the first minutes, the opponents forced a lot of struggle on us. Then there was an early send-off, when a player from Oleksandriia played to injure Toirov. Having a numerical advantage, we used one of the attacks: Faryna scored after a corner and we took the lead. In the second half, there was a lot of fighting again, then Bako was sent off, the line-ups were even, but it did not affect the result.
– Is the absence of a large number of opportunities caused by the responsibility in the match of the opponents?
– To be honest, it was a difficult field in Oleksandriia. It is hard to play our football on such a lawn, because the players constantly had to do an extra touch precisely because of the quality of the pitch. Again: the opponents were interested in the fight.
– How did you change the plan after Oleksandriia player was sent off in the 5th minute?
– Yes, we had to make adjustments. We understood that the opponents would definitely play mostly through long passes, so we had to shift the focus.
– How important are such victories at the end of the championship?
– This is a very important victory. We understood that Oleksandriia were catching up with us and only a successful result would secure the gap. Mentally, it is important for the boys to win matches against direct competitors who are at the top of the table.
– Is the absence of a large number of opportunities caused by the responsibility in the match of the opponents?
– To be honest, it was a difficult field in Oleksandriia. It is hard to play our football on such a lawn, because the players constantly had to do an extra touch precisely because of the quality of the pitch. Again: the opponents were interested in the fight.
– How did you change the plan after Oleksandriia player was sent off in the 5th minute?
– Yes, we had to make adjustments. We understood that the opponents would definitely play mostly through long passes, so we had to shift the focus.
– How important are such victories at the end of the championship?
– This is a very important victory. We understood that Oleksandriia were catching up with us and only a successful result would secure the gap. Mentally, it is important for the boys to win matches against direct competitors who are at the top of the table.