It’s nice to win games like this
Friday, March 6, 2026
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Shakhtar defender Yukhym Konoplia shared his thoughts after the victory over Oleksandriia (1-0)
– It was quite a tough match, even though the team controlled the game. Why was it so difficult today in Oleksandriia?
– It’s very challenging, not so much because of the pitch or the weather, but because every team approach us as if it’s their last match, their final battle, so it’s always tough. And it’s always nice to win games like this, proving that we are still a top-level team in our country.
– When the opponents sit deep with a low block near their own goal, how do you get through their defence? Oleksandriia defended like that from the first minutes.
– Yes, yes, it was obvious: they set up 5–3–2, and as I saw it, it’s really a very defensive tactic. But we still try to break them down through our play, our style, and of course, we have many players with individual qualities, which also helps us try to overcome such a compact defence.
– It’s noticeable that Shakhtar tend to score in the second half in the spring part of the season. In the first half, there seems to be a lack of finishing – is this something you need to work on?
– Of course, finishing always needs work because even a single chance can decide the final score of a match. Everyone saw how Polissia played against LNZ: three shots, three goals. We need to aim for that as well because we create a lot of chances and half-chances where we’re just a little short on finishing and quality, especially in the decisive moments.
– Arda Turan wasn’t in the technical area today, so how did he communicate with the team? Was he trying to shout instructions onto the pitch?
– The day before the match, as always, there was a team meeting – that’s where he motivated us and gave us a boost. After that, we already knew what to do.
– Are your thoughts already shifting to the Conference League after the UPL match? Did you analyse this team?
– No, our coach says we need to take it game by game, and almost all of us have followed that principle in life and in our football careers. So for now, we’ll celebrate the win, and we’ll likely start preparing for the next match tomorrow.
– It’s very challenging, not so much because of the pitch or the weather, but because every team approach us as if it’s their last match, their final battle, so it’s always tough. And it’s always nice to win games like this, proving that we are still a top-level team in our country.
– When the opponents sit deep with a low block near their own goal, how do you get through their defence? Oleksandriia defended like that from the first minutes.
– Yes, yes, it was obvious: they set up 5–3–2, and as I saw it, it’s really a very defensive tactic. But we still try to break them down through our play, our style, and of course, we have many players with individual qualities, which also helps us try to overcome such a compact defence.
– It’s noticeable that Shakhtar tend to score in the second half in the spring part of the season. In the first half, there seems to be a lack of finishing – is this something you need to work on?
– Of course, finishing always needs work because even a single chance can decide the final score of a match. Everyone saw how Polissia played against LNZ: three shots, three goals. We need to aim for that as well because we create a lot of chances and half-chances where we’re just a little short on finishing and quality, especially in the decisive moments.
– Arda Turan wasn’t in the technical area today, so how did he communicate with the team? Was he trying to shout instructions onto the pitch?
– The day before the match, as always, there was a team meeting – that’s where he motivated us and gave us a boost. After that, we already knew what to do.
– Are your thoughts already shifting to the Conference League after the UPL match? Did you analyse this team?
– No, our coach says we need to take it game by game, and almost all of us have followed that principle in life and in our football careers. So for now, we’ll celebrate the win, and we’ll likely start preparing for the next match tomorrow.