Tavriya - Dnipro 0:1. Protasov's joker

Print

Tavriya 0:1 Dnipro Mazilu 73 Dikan, Kovpak (Zborovskiy 80), Homenyuk, Idahor, Ljubenovic, Holaydo, Hajducek, Halyuza, Stoyan, Joksas, Boyko Kernozenko, Vorobey (Mazilu 73), Gusev, Denisov, Ferreira (Rotan 75), Rusol, Yeschenko, Samodin (Holek 89), Shelaev, Shershun, Hrytsay Homenyuk 44, Halyuza 68 Gusev 11

The teams started almost without reconnaissance. Tavriya were more active since opening minutes but had only several half chances. On 5 minutes Rusol put behind Ljubenovic’s dangerous cross from the left flank with the diving header. Then Homenyuk got the ball in the box, turned with it but blasted it over the bar from 10 meters. Dnipro responded with Hrytsay’s shot after Gusev’s left-flank cross from the free kick but the ball whistled past the goalpost.

After that Tavriya lowered their speed a little and Dnipro began to use long shots more. On 13 minutes Hrytsay’s powerful drive from 25 meters went over the bar, three minutes later Yeschenko did the same from 30 meters, and on 23 minutes Ferreira shot from 23 meters into Dikan’s hands. The first shot on goal of the match was made by Rolan Gusev whose effort on 19 minutes from within the area lacked power and was easy to catch for the keeper.

The next dangerous episode happened on 36 minutes when Shershun won the ball in the air after the corner near Tavriya goal but his header went higher. Tavriya immediately responded with Idahor’s shot after Holaydo’s cross from the left but the ball went behind inches of the goal.

Ferreira shot dangerously on 40 minutes but Dikan parried his powerful effort. A curious episode happened on 43 minutes when Kernozenko gathered the ball after Tavriya’s attack and immediately wanted to kick it up the field. However Andriy Boyko waylaid him near the edge of the area, kicked out the ball off his hands and tapped it into the empty net. The referee ruled out the goal and showed the forward yellow card. The first half ended with Ferreira’s very dangerous free kick from 20 meters that rounded the wall but went past the goalpost.

The second half started with the fourth referee not allowing Mykhaylo Fomenko to take his seat in the Tavriya bench. It turned out that during the break Tavriya head coach said something to the referee Oleh Orekhov that forced the official to send him away from the bench until the end of the game. Fomenko went to the stands and watched the second half from the fourth sector.

It started with a dangerous episode near Dnipro goal. Ljubenovic crossed into the area from the left flank for Kovpak who tried to shoot with an overhead kick but missed the ball. Then hosts had several attacks one of which ended with Samodin’s weak header into the goalkeeper’s hands. Tavriya replied with Idahor’s dangerous run through the right flank but Kernozenko was able to intercept the forward’s low cross along the goal. Several minutes later Kovpak got his head to the ball but his header was directed straight at the keeper.

On 73 minutes Protasov substituted Vorobey with Mazilu who brought his team the victory with his very first touch of the ball. Dikan made a mess of rushing out and collided with his defender. The ball fell to the Romanian forward who immediately put it home – 0:1. That was quite a joker in Protasov’s pack.

Tavriya rushed forward to equalize but Dnipro defense was impeccable and that should have pleased the national team head coach Oleksiy Mykhaylichenko who attended the game. In the remaining minutes Tavriya succeeded in creating just one chance on 78 minutes when Halyuza crossed from the left to the back post for Kovpak whose header hit the post and went behind.

Oleh Protasov, Dnipro head coach:

— We knew that Tavriya often used long passing and that puts a heavy load on defenders. Tavriya players always show great devotion and never give up without a fight. We prepared well for that and I want to thank our goalkeeper and defenders first of all. They cope with our opponents’ three forwards allowing them no chances near our goal. All the team did their best and I think we deserved our victory. Our lineup wasn’t optimal because Lyopa fell ill several hours before the match and we had to replace him with Ferreira. Nazarenko and Kankava had to miss the game because of disqualification but we found good replacements for them.

Mykhaylo Fomenko, Tavriya head coach:

— It is not pleasant to comment on such games. Our team lacked skill today. Ljubenovic, for example, performed about 20 set pieces without result, all his passes were poor. We wanted to play good and secure our Intertoto Cup qualification today. The players felt the load of responsibility and it may have affected their finishing. So we need to prepare for the next game.

Comments: