Sergiy Kovalec named an unexpected MVP of the Polissya - Kharkiv match
Coach Serhiy Kovalec expected more from the match of the second round of the Premier League "Polissya" - "Kharkiv".
– The central match of the round – "Polissya" - "Kharkiv"?
– Definitely. In terms of the owners' ambitions, team composition, and coaching confrontation. I was lucky to watch this match live from the stands in Zhytomyr. I really liked the atmosphere - it was a real celebration for the city. Great stadium, comfortable conditions, lots of spectators. Club president Hennadiy Butkevych has done a lot for "Polissya," and it shows. We need more leaders like him.
– How would you rate the game itself?
– I expected more. I thought the game would be more evenly matched, but "Polissya" took the initiative from the first minutes and practically held it until the final whistle. The hosts were better prepared for the game, more successful in duels, and scored good goals. "Polissya" left a good impression. And "Kharkiv" seemed to lack emotions somewhere.
– Who, in your opinion, was the MVP of the match?
– I liked Veleten, Andriievskyi, Fedor... But I would put Babenko in first place. The captain of Zhytomyr won many tackles, which helped maintain the balance between the lines. "Polissya" controlled the ball and won the midfield, even though they were up against a master like Ivan Kaliuzhnyi. He had a hard time, maybe due to the lack of collective work from his teammates.
For some reason, the flanks didn't work for "Kharkiv." The same Veleten felt comfortable, dribbled past opponents one-on-one, and created the first goal. Despite Kharkiv's difficulties at the start of the season, it's not worth making far-reaching conclusions and writing off this team. Mladen Bartulovich has received information for thought, and it's important to draw the right conclusions. Obviously, there is work to be done.
Not all "Polissya" fans agree with Kovalec's opinion, as they dubbed Maxim Bragara the "man of the match," overshadowing Vladyslav Veleten and Leandro Andrade.
