Ukrainian Cup. Metalurh Donetsk - Naftovyk-Ukrnafta 1:0. A small step towards Europe

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Donetsk. Shakhtar Stadium.
Attendance: 1 000 (according to PFL information)

Referee: Herenda, Kalush
Linesmen: Tsymbal, Lytvynov

Metalurh (Donetsk) 1:0 Naftovyk-Ukrnafta Havrysh 22 Disljenkovic (Vorobyov 39), Bilozor, Melnyk, Checher, Bulut, Havrysh, Danylovskiy, Kasyanov, Romanenko, Kosyrin (Sapay 90), Sytnik (Tymchenko 56) Velychko, Karpenko, Nefedov, Serdyuk, Karakevych (Gigiadze 72), Kretov (Olefir 46), Snytko (Dedechko 76), Kharchenko, Yesyp, Kotenko, Sharpar Yellow card: Melnyk 55 Yellow card: Kotenko 24

First leg - 3:2. Metalurh qualify for Ukrainian Cup semifinals.

Metalurh Donetsk management can be happy: despite the disaster first half their team still has chances to qualify for European competition by winning the Ukrainian Cup. In order to qualify for the semifinals they had not to lose to Naftovyk by more than two goals. Metalurh did even more and won the game despite the fact that their first-choice goalkeeper Disljenkovic had to leave the pitch after injury in the first half. The Serbian keeper got injured as he landed after saving Kharchenko’s cunning curling shot from the corner on 39 minutes.

Naftovyk prepared for the game seriously and started to push forward since the opening minutes. However Metalurh could put the result of the tie beyond doubt just two minutes into the game when right full back Melnyk picked up Sytnik with a long pass. Sytnik broke behind the defenders, went one-on-one with the keeper but shot straight at him though he had time to do better. Nevertheless Velychko’s skill should also be noted as he saved his team from a certain goal.

Metalurh coach decided to field just two foreign players for the game: goalkeeper Disljenkovic and left full back Bulut. Bilozor and Checher played in the centre of defense, Danylovskiy and Kasyanov played central midfielders and reserve players Havrysh and Romanenko played at the flanks. For the latter this game was the debut for Metalurh Donetsk first team. No wonder he tried his best to get the ball to the pair of forwards – Kosyrin and Sytnik. After one of his flank passes Kosyrin let the ball through disorienting the defenders and Havrysh shot on the volley from the left corner of the penalty area hitting the far corner of the goal.

Visitors looked more active but failed to create real threats. Sharpar shot with power from 22 meters but the ball came straight to the keeper’s hands. Metalurh responded with Checher’s header from 9 meters and then scored their only goal. There were no more dangerous episodes in the first half.

The second half saw more events. Visitors started it very powerfully and Vorobyov had to demonstrate his skill as he leaped to the top left corner of the goal to save Yesyp’s shot from the edge of the area.

However after an hour of play hosts took the initiative and their advantage became evident. Velychko saved everything in the first half including Romanenko’s diagonal shot from 20 meters, Havrysh’s shot after Kasyanov’s cross and shot by Kosyrin after Metalurh’s counterattack from the corner of the six-yard box. His teammates missed their only chance to equalize when Sharpar headed the ball after Dedechko’s cross straight into Vorobyov’s hands.

Serhiy Yaschenko, FC Metalurh Donetsk acting head coach:

— We had psychological problems before the game because of several lost matches, especially the last one against Dnipro. We understood that Naftovyk were not the same team that had started the season, their squad became stable and in their recent games they proved that they could be serious rivals for other teams in the league. We prepared seriously for the game and analyzed their play. We knew that they would attack and decided to use counterattacks.

Valeriy Horodov, FC Naftovyk-Ukrnafta head coach:

— I think the result of the tie was decided in the first leg in Okhtyrka. We did everything we could to change the situation. I think we had some advantage in the first half but this is football. Metalurh were more dangerous in the second half but didn’t score as well. We did everything we could do today.

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