Denys Pidhurskyi: Kryvbas is one of the youngest teams not only in Ukraine but also in Europe

Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih midfielder Denys Pidhurskyi discusses the UPL Matchday 7 away game against Polissya Zhytomyr (0:1).

- Denys, the first half was extremely tough today, but Kryvbas applied pressure in the second. What was the game like from the inside?

- We had a specific game plan and tried to execute it. Some things didn't quite work out, particularly the aspects we had focused on. We knew the opponent had a strong long-range shooting game - and that was confirmed when they hit the crossbar and the post from distance; we failed to close them down in those moments. Overall, I don't think the opponent held a significant advantage in the first half. We dropped into the middle block, waited for them, and there were hardly any dangerous chances at our goal.

We handled it well and played compactly. The only issue was that we struggled in attack during the first half: our forwards didn't hold up the ball well, and there were few transitions, even though we tried. In the second half, substitutes like Kamenskyi and Bar Lin came on, and we immediately stepped up our game. I’m really happy for Kamenskyi; he’s a young guy who worked hard all week. I told him before the match that his hard work would definitely pay off. He had a great chance and could have scored a fine goal. Unfortunately, it didn't happen, but the whole team will keep working.

- Five points from five matches is certainly not the result you were hoping for. How much pressure is this situation putting on the team?

- Kryvbas is one of the youngest teams not just in Ukraine, but in all of Europe. Many of the lads still lack experience and consistency. This was evident in previous games - for instance, against Kolos, where we got a taste of victory but lost focus and let two points slip away. We fell short in certain moments, which is why we currently have five points.

However, I am convinced that if we keep working hard in training, the results will come. We need to start winning from the very next round. Today, too, we could have at least secured a draw. I’d also like to add that while it’s the players competing on the pitch, there are other participants in the match... It certainly seemed like Polissia was receiving a lot of active support in their title race today.

- You played another match alongside captain Vilivald in central defense. How comfortable do you feel in this position, and how would you rate your understanding with him?

- I had already gained experience playing as a center-back at my previous club. When I joined Kryvbas, the head coach made it clear right away that he valued my versatility and counted on me to play various roles: center-back, defensive midfielder, or even as a "number eight." So, I was prepared for it, and I feel confident in defense.

Our captain, Vilivald, plays alongside me; he’s constantly giving instructions and talking - we have excellent communication. Of course, we still need a bit more time and training to develop an instinctive understanding of each other and to synchronize the defensive line with the defensive midfield zone. Once that chemistry clicks, our results will definitely improve.

Press service of FC "Kryvbas" Kryvyi Rih according to the materials UPL TV