The girls were ready for the battle
Friday, October 2, 2026
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Comment from Shakhtar women’s head coach Roman Zaiev following the Ukrainian Cup Round of 16 match against Seasters (1-2)
– If we compare Seasters and Shakhtar, there is no doubt that the Odesa side have a more experienced squad. At the same time, we did not underestimate ourselves and prepared accordingly for the game. The girls were ready for the battle. This attitude helped us take the lead in the opening minutes to some extent, but later, unnecessary mistakes in midfield, where we were no longer able to cover the open areas, resulted in two goals being conceded from virtually nothing. We tried to make amends and save the match, but we lacked either experience or the necessary skill, so we have this result.
– After the break, it seemed that the team changed their playing structure. Was this in response to the opponents’ substitutions?
– We knew that Seasters had a certain group of first-team players, so we developed a suitable game model to counter them. After looking at the team sheet, we made some changes to our shape in the opening minutes because the opposition had fielded a second-string side, which may have allowed us to play with more confidence. However, after the break, when Seasters’ first-team players began to come on, we returned to the game model we had planned before the match.
– Shakhtar now have a long break due to the international fixtures. What are the plans for the coming period?
– As the team had a packed schedule and all the matches were quite physically demanding, the players need some rest. They have until Monday to switch off, after which we will begin focused preparations for the resumption of the league.
– After the break, it seemed that the team changed their playing structure. Was this in response to the opponents’ substitutions?
– We knew that Seasters had a certain group of first-team players, so we developed a suitable game model to counter them. After looking at the team sheet, we made some changes to our shape in the opening minutes because the opposition had fielded a second-string side, which may have allowed us to play with more confidence. However, after the break, when Seasters’ first-team players began to come on, we returned to the game model we had planned before the match.
– Shakhtar now have a long break due to the international fixtures. What are the plans for the coming period?
– As the team had a packed schedule and all the matches were quite physically demanding, the players need some rest. They have until Monday to switch off, after which we will begin focused preparations for the resumption of the league.