Dynamo U19's head coach Ihor Kostiuk shared his thoughts after the team's hard-fought 2:1 away win over Rukh Lviv:
On the character of the team:
- I told the boys already – matches like this are won thanks to character and full commitment. But at the same time you need a cool head in the final phase. We created a lot of chances but in the final moments we didn’t position ourselves properly. It’s frustrating that we created so many moments but didn’t get into the right zones – just needed to be there and stick a foot out.
On halftime changes:
- During the break we made some adjustments, added a bit more speed and quality. The players who came on as subs improved our game and scored in the second half. I think the win was well-deserved.
On his halftime talk:
- I told them that we needed to be more aggressive in the penalty area and on the wings. We had that to some extent in the first half but after the break they started to stretch the flanks better and deliver the ball into the box. Then it was just about taking our chances. We also emphasized quick transitions – something we lacked in the first half.
About Rukh and the team’s progress:
- Yes, it was harder than last season. We are still building this team, developing new connections. Rukh is a good side with strong young players – they play with energy and desire. Full respect to them. But we dominated and had no right to drop points today.
On conceding the goal:
- That’s football. In that situation our players were too slow to shift across. The holding midfielders hesitated, didn’t cover properly, and we allowed an attack inside the box. We played the ball instead of the man – something we always talk about. Still, I’m glad the goal gave the boys extra motivation to turn it around.
On the team’s growing resilience:
- Yes, they’re learning to endure. I told them this is necessary – commitment like that leads to wins and growth. They’re starting to understand the level of effort and speed required.
On giving chances to less experienced players:
- Grodzinskyi played with the 2008 group last season but today we used him as a forward – he can also play on the wing. Last season these guys were on the bench, getting just a few minutes. Now they have to be core players and lead the younger ones.
On Dmytriy Kremchanin:
- Right now he’s training with us and looking for a new club. I believe a player of his quality – the league’s top scorer last season – absolutely deserves a chance in the Premier league. But you have to trust a player. He proved his worth by becoming the top striker of the U19 league.
On away games and future challenges:
- We’re ready to play both home and away – there’s no difference. These kinds of tough away wins build our character. In the fall we’ll be playing in the UEFA Youth League. We're still waiting to see how the senior team performs to know if we’ll go through the Champions Path or join the group stage. Hopefully the first team succeeds and qualifies for the Champions League group stage too.
