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It is difficult to overestimate the importance of the opening match in the selection for the European Championship. Also, if this game “at home” takes place on a neutral field. Also, against such a strong and principled opponent.
By agreement, both matches with the Russian team, at home and away, the Ukrainian team will play on a neutral ground in Minsk. We started with a meeting “at home”. And to be honest, they got off to a good start, in the context of squad problems caused by the coronavirus and injuries.
The team began the match cautiously, clearly focusing on defense. So the account was opened only at the end of the third minute, and the guests did. However, the Ukrainians tried to respond with attack by attack. We did it quite successfully, but we still lost the first half: 13:16. Where did this “-3” come from? Everything is very simple. Our team remained in the minority three times and conceded 3 goals. The Russians had 1 elimination: we scored a goal. Well, the goalkeeper of the Russian team made 1 more stop.
Although in reality everything was decided in the last minutes before the break: our team was 1 goal away, however, several defeats allowed the Russians to enter the dressing room as leaders.
The second half was different. It took the Ukrainians ten minutes to even the score. And then move on. After that the “swing” began. Or the teams exchanged successful attacks, then for several minutes they could not launch. In the end, everything was decided in the last minutes, which cost a lot of nerves and liters of validol.
4 minutes before the end of the match, the Russians were leading the score – 26:24. Kozakevich narrowed the gap – 26:25. In two minutes, Denisov tied the score – 26:26. And then Ilchenko won a two-minute fine, for which we were immediately punished.
26:27, we are outnumbered 100 seconds before the final whistle. But 100 seconds is a lot! Kozakevich managed to equalize the score. And in 40 seconds our goalkeeper made the main save: Fokin shot 7 of 7 at the gates of the Ukrainian team, but Vyunik deflected his eighth shot! We still had a few seconds left for the last attack; unfortunately we were unable to achieve victory. However, taking all factors into account, this result must be recognized as excellent. On November 7, here in Minsk, a “comeback” meeting of the teams will take place.
As for the rest of the group matches, the fight between the teams of the Czech Republic and the Faroe Islands was postponed due to the pandemic.
Qualifying tournament for the European Championship. Group 3.1th round.
Ukraine – Russia – 27:27 (13:16)
Ukraine national team: Yuri Shamrylo, Maxim Vyunik – Ivan Burzak, Dmitry Tyutyunnik, Dmitry Ilchenko, Sergei Onufrienko, Evgeny Buinenko, Dmitry Goriga, Stanislav Zhukov, Alexander Kirilenko, Taras Minotsky, Vyacheslav Sadovoy, Zakhar Denisov, Artevakchen.
Russian team: Victor Kireev, Dmitry Pavlenko, Denis Zabolotin: Sergey Nikolaenkov, Igor Soroka, Alexey Fokin, Pavel Andreev, Alexander Ermakov, Denis Vasiliev, Sergey Ivanov, Alexander Kotov, Timofey Maslennikov, Mikhail Vinogradov, Ilya Belevtsnik, Pavel Atikmanit.
Zone: DS “Uruchye” (Minsk, Belarus).
Referees: Marko Boricic, Dejan Markovic (both from Serbia).
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