Dynamo 2 – 0 Zorya: “B” Squad Cruises Into Quarterfinals

By: Yevy | October 29th, 2008

On the heels of a 5-0 drubbing two weeks ago, all Zorya Luhansk manager Anatoliy Volobuev wanted from his players this time around was a “respectable showing”. While his team was able to keep the score from getting out of hand, they once again could not avoid conceding early in the match at Lobanovskiy Stadium. Goals from Andriy Yarmolenko and Goran Sablic paced a Dynamo side made up almost entirely of reserves as they booked a spot in the Ukrainian Cup Round of 8.

Dynamo manager Yuri Semin named just two regulars, Tiberiu Ghioane and Milos Ninkovic, in the starting eleven. Barely five minutes into the match Florin Cernat’s delivery from a set piece was bundled in by his compatriot Ghioane, only to be ruled out on a dubious offside decision. With striker Artem Kravets unavailable after spending several days in the hospital due to bronchitis, Yarmolenko partnered veteran forward Maksim Shatskikh up top. It was Shatskikh’s shot that was spilled by Zorya keeper Andriy Komarytskyi into the path of Yarmolenko, allowing the 19 year old to put Dynamo ahead from point-blank range on sixteen minutes. Soon after a Cernat corner from the right was met by the head of Sablic at the back post, completing the scoring. The Romanian midfielder continued to be the architect of Dynamo’s attacks, and only a brilliant Komarytskyi save kept Cernat’s strike from just outside the box out of the top corner.

The pace of the match slowed noticeably after the half hour mark, but Dynamo still had numerous chances to extend their lead. The wastefulness of the strikers did not escape mention during Semin’s post-match press conference. But it was a sliding tackle on Artem Milevskiy shortly after he was introduced at the hour mark that earned the wrath of the Dynamo manager. The rough treatment of his star striker caused Semin to loudly voice his anger from the edge of the touchline, and later to reporters, though in much calmer fashion. When asked whether Oleh Husyev could have taken part in today’s match, Semin replied, “We kept him out specifically because of the kind of tackle committed against Milevskiy.”

Milevskiy did not seem to be hampered by what his manager politely termed “an incorrect challenge”. Still seeking to regain full fitness, the striker should have found himself on the score sheet, but the finishing let him down on several occasions. “Milya” did manage to put the ball in the net after being sent in on goal by a Cernat pass, but the linesman’s flag was up in another questionable decision.

Zorya’s injury woes continued as they lost influential defender Olexandr Polovkov just eight minutes into the match. The visitors could not manage much in terms of offense against the center back pairing of Sablic and Malkhaz Asatiani. Zorya’s only real chance came off a Serhiy Shevchuk second half shot, but Oleksandr Shovkovskiy did not allow the long periods of inactivity to dull his reflexes. The visitors were reduced to ten men with ten minutes to go, as defender Ihor Korotetskyy picked up two yellow cards in quick succession.

Kyiv, Lobanovskyy Dynamo Stadium
Referee: Abdula; Assistant referees: Bukreyev, Pluzhnyk (all from Kharkiv).

Dynamo: 1.Shovkovskyy – cap., 2.Dopilka, 4.Ghioane (11.Eremenko, 46), 6.Sablić, 9.Morozyuk (25.Milevskyy, 59), 16.Shatskikh, 19.Cernat, 23.Romanchuk, 32.Asatiani, 36.Ninković (49.Zozulya, 46), 70.Yarmolenko.

Zorya: 33.Komarytskyi, 6.Kamenyuka, 38.Khramtsov – cap., 3.Polovkov (10.Tsimakuridze, 7), 5.Korotetskyy, 11.Shevchuk, 8.Skoba (17.Kolesnichenko, 46), 7.Raičević, 18.Junior, 27.Gomez (14.Xhihani, 70), 19.Didenko.

Goals: Yarmolenko (16), Sablić (21).

Yellow cards: Sablić (62) – Khramtsov, Korotetskyy (77).

Red card: Korotetskyy (81).