Bitter first experience. Desna in minority lost to Wolfsburg

With their performance in the national arena last season, Chernihiv “Desna” earned the right to represent Ukraine in the international arena. But Alexander Ryabokon’s side failed to reach the UEFA Europa League group stage, forcing them to settle for just one place in the third qualifying round. And then there was an unfavorable draw for the “Northerners”, who ordered them not only to play their first match of the European Cup against the well-known Ukrainian fan from the last football year of German “Wolfsburg”, but also to do so on the opposite field. At this stage of the competition, there was only one game, so the citizens of Chernihiv could return from the AOK Arena either as participants in the playoff qualifiers or finish their international part of the season ahead of schedule.

There were quite a few common opinions about the complexity of the schedule at the beginning of the season for Desna. It was not an easy test to get two games against direct competitors from last season’s sample already in the starting rounds, but the “Northerners” came out with four points. Doubts were only raised about the match that ended in a draw against UPL rookie “Ingulets” (1: 1), against whom the news match was played. However, German rival Ryabokon also started the Bundesliga with a draw at home to Bayer Leverkusen (0: 0), giving the Ukrainian side some hope of success.

The Ukrainian team experienced clear nervousness in the debut match at the start of the reporting match. This affected overall ball possession, opponents’ positional defense, and set pieces. During the home team’s first attempt to use the last of the above, the German team’s task was overlooked, and the successful entry of the Gilavogi goalkeeper complicated the task for Desna.

It would seem that the ball conceded in the 16th minute could hardly seriously affect the final result of the match. However, in such situations, the experience of international battles plays in the team’s favor, which Ryabokon’s team certainly did not have as a single combat unit. Spectators saw the wrinkled actions of the “norteños” players, who sometimes created scoring chances. The only opportunity for the guests was created, oddly enough, during the standard position – Gitchenko couldn’t repeat Steffen’s feat of Gilavoga’s goal display. The first half was difficult, but hope did not die.

Ryabokon started the second half by releasing the speedy Alexey Gutslyak to the left flank of the attack. This step by the head coach had every chance of being justified, however, the initial activity of the midfielder was replaced by a dismissal in his team. Tamm, initially in the someone else’s keeper’s room, pushed Casteels aside with a corner, and a few minutes later jumped from both feet into a tackle against Arnold almost in midfield. He lost the defender’s nerves.

Until the end of the match, there was around half an hour of playing time, but the combination of a number of factors and the prevailing circumstances clearly played against the Ukrainian team. Wolfsburg threw the game out of control in the final ten minutes, but Budkovskiy couldn’t complete Desna’s only serious second-half moment, which was created by a corner kick from the left flank to the far post. And already in injury time, the German team took advantage of the numerical advantage: Ginczek sent a Schlager cross into the empty net from the left flank. Unfortunately Ukraine has the first “-1” in the European competition.

The final whistle from Belgian referee Laurence Visser sent German Wolfsburg into the UEFA Europa League qualifying playoffs, where they will face Greek AEK. For Desna Chernihiv, this season’s short European Cup campaign has come to an end.

UEFA Europa League. Qualification. Third round.

Wolfsburg – Desna – 2: 0

Gilavogi, 16, Gincek, 90 + 2

Marmush, 50 – Tamm, 57, Hemp, 66, Ogirya, 71, Totovitsky, 88

Tamm, 61 (repeated warning)

Wolfsburg: Castelles – Russia, Gilavogi, Lacroix (Brooks, 63), Steffen – Arnold, Schlager – Joao Victor, Mehmedi, Marmus (Ottavio, 59) – Weghorst (Ginchek, 78).

“Right”: Past – Mostovoy, Tamm, Gitchenko, Konoplya – Dombrovsky (Ermakov, 65), Ogirya – Kartushov (Gutsulyak, 46), Totovitsky, Kalitvintsev – Budkovsky (Shevtsov, 85).

Referee: Lawrence Visser (Lommel, Belgium).

Stadium: AOK Arena (Wolfsburg, Germany).

Shots (on target): 13 (3) – 6 (1)
Corners: 5-8
Offside: 0-1.

WOLFSBURG-DESNA. ONLINE BROADCAST OF THE MATCH

Temperature: 13 ° C