The opponents had more initiative in the game

– First of all, we are in different positions in the table. Seasters are fighting for a European spot, so after dropping points they approach every opponent with maximum focus, especially at home. Secondly, Seasters have a stronger squad depth than ours – they are a more experienced team. We understood that and expected pressure, so we needed to approach our tasks with discipline and responsibility. Our plan was not to concede in the first half and then build our game in the second half from that position. I have to give credit to the girls for the first half, when they were more responsible and focused, which gave us hope ahead of the second half. At half-time we stressed that nothing should change in our organisation and that we had to stay concentrated. It is not always possible to maintain that level and certain moments sometimes lead to goals, while at other times they do not. Seasters started the second half more aggressively and pressed all over the pitch. Our girls could not cope with that, and some dropped out of key moments in the game, which affected the final result. The opponents had more initiative in the game, but their goals came as a result of our insufficient control of situations, which led to chances near our goal. That applied both to the free-kick routine and to low crosses into the box. That happens in women’s football: the team that are more determined and put in the necessary effort usually win.

– From the start, Shakhtar played from a deeper block and looked to threaten through counterattacks. Was the emphasis before the match on defensive play?
– We formed a second defensive line, so Sikorska and Kotovets were moved into the first line together with Myronenko and Kuksa. The idea was to close the central area and not allow Seasters to build up speed, as the opponents like fast-paced football. After winning the ball, we tried to use the open spaces, but in the attacking and final third we were limited because Chaika picked up a minor injury, so we decided to protect her for the key match against Kolos. Our preparation focused on trying to take advantage of the opponent’s mistakes and, where possible, break quickly in transition.

– Did the early second-half goal affect the team psychologically, after which the game largely turned against Shakhtar?
– There is such a factor as psychological stability and the reaction to mistakes or conceded goals. We constantly talk about these aspects and stress their importance, but unfortunately, at the moment they are not at the required level. It depends on how each individual match develops. There is a favourite team and a team that is lower in the standings. When you concede first and are not the favourite, doubt appears about whether you can turn the game around. If you score first at 0-0, hope appears and helps the team stay in the game and maintain the result. When we start conceding, the players to some extent switch off emotionally: sometimes they lose belief in themselves, sometimes concentration. At the moment, we lack leaders who can carry the team. We need to find such players because it is very difficult to develop these psychological qualities. You either need a squad that already has the right mentality or players who naturally possess those traits.