Ukrainian Cup. Chornomorets - Illichivets 4:0. The Seamen strike back

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Chornomorets 4:0 Illichivets Biletskiy 46, Korytko 76 (pen.), 90, Mello 83 Rudenko, Nizhegorodov, Gimenez, Biletskiy, Korytko, Zotov, Humenyuk, De La Haza, Vazquez, Mello, Shyschenko (Rinar Valeev 74) Shtanko, Solyanyk, Yesin, Kondratyuk, Shevelyukhin, Skoba, Shuha, Yavorskiy, Ivashko, Lima, Oberemko Yellow card: Zotov 24

First leg result - 1:2. Chornomorets qualify for the semifinals

The second leg of this cup tie clearly showed the alignment of forces in this pair. Hosts qualified for the semifinals despite the snowy weather and the date of the match.

Hosts had clear advantage both in the first and second halves of the match, attacked constantly, put their opponents under pressure and desperately wanted to avenge for the lost first match.

The game started not too actively, perhaps because of the cold weather and wet pitch. Players had to adjust to such conditions of play.

In the beginning of the match Illichivets organized a good attack, Lima received the ball from Ivashko in the left flank and shot towards the left corner but Chornomorets goalkeeper Rudenko saved it easily.

On 10 minutes Korytko picked up the ball in the right flank and passed to Mello, who tried to shoot on goal but his shot was blocked. The rebound fell to Mello again and this time he laid the ball off to De la Haza. His shot was powerful but defenders blocked it again.

Chornomorets kept attacking mainly through the right flank. After De La Haza’s pass Korytko ran down the right wing and crossed to Mello but he failed to connect with the cross.

In a few minutes Mello received the ball in 13 meters from the goal and shot under the bar. The keeper had problems turning the ball behind. Chornomorets took the short corner to Korytko who sidestepped two Illichivets defenders and laid the ball off to Vazquez. Shtanko had to leap to tip the ball away for another corner.

In the second quarter of the game visitors were unable to approach Chornomorets goal. Seamen had chances to score but didn’t use them. Mello shot wide from direct free kick at 17 meters from the goal. Then the defender blocked Mello’s header after Biletskiy’s cross. De La Haza shot past the goalpost from 30 meters. Biletskiy went one-on-one with the keeper but hit the sidenetting.

Chornomorets managed to break the deadlock in the very beginning of the second half. The cross from the right flank to Mello caused havoc in Illichivets’ penalty area. The ball eventually fell to Biletskiy who pushed it home from close range.

Seven minutes later Illichivets organized their attack that ended with the foul by the hosts. Ivashko shot from the free kick but hit the wall, and Rudenko fisted the ball away after the cross from the left flank.

Seamen responded with Biletskiy’s dangerous cross for Vazquez who put the ball over the bar. In a few minutes Mello went down the right flank and won the corner. Defenders cleared the ball after the corner was taken but De La Haza picked it and crossed into the box again looking for Vazquez, but the latter’s shot was blocked. After another corner the ball was flying back and forth in the area and everything ended with a foul on Gimenez near the edge of the box. Korytko shot from the free kick but the ball whistled in centimeters from the goalpost.

Chornomorets had another good attack on 69 minutes when Shyschenko received the pass from Biletskiy near the edge of the area and sent Mello one-on-one with the keeper, but Shtanko blocked the shot.

Hosts kept attacking and scored their second goal on 76 minutes. After the cross from the left flank Vazquez was pushed in the penalty area and the referee pointed at the spot. Korytko made no mistake – 2:0.

On 82 minutes the visitors’ defense blundered again and Mello calmly put the ball into the back of the net from 8 meters after Vazquez’ cross. Towards the end of the game Korytko performed a direct free kick straight into the top corner and the keeper was helpless to stop it.

Ivan Balan. Illichivets coach:

- First I want to congratulate Chornomorets and wish them luck in the semifinals. I have nothing to comment on the game. We had just 14 players available for the match, and four of them were ill. We tried to create something in the first half but in the second half we had no strength left.

Vitaliy Shevchenko, Chornomorets head coach:

- We have worked to change the players’ psychology. We were afraid that the weather would prevent us from winning. We had advantage throughout the game. It was difficult to score the first goal but afterwards there was no resistance. I didn’t say anything special to the players during the break, they understood the importance of this match themselves. It was a cup game and the responsibility was a psychological burden for the team. After Biletskiy’s early goal in the second half everything went smoothly.

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