Patrick van Leeuwen: Today the team fought from the first to the last minute to stay in the game

The head coach of Kryvyi Rih "Kryvbas" Patrick van Leeuwen commented on the away match of the 23rd round of the UPL against FC "Kudrivka" - 2:1.

- Patrick, what are your emotions after such a dramatic victory?

- I hope that today we looked a little better than we did in the game itself. Because during the week we really worked hard in training, prepared well to approach this match with confidence. And, to be honest, last week's game also gave us this feeling - it was clear how we can act. Yes, then we didn't score and made mistakes, because of which the opponent punished us. Today, to be honest, we didn't show our best football either, but from the first to the last minute we fought to stay in the game and create our own chances.

- How difficult was it to rebuild after conceding a goal at the end?

- I would like to note: in the first half we had enough chances to score - not one, but even two goals. And in the second half, when the score was 0:1, the game always becomes a little more nervous than it should be, especially considering the quality that our team has.

- What was the key in the decisive moment of the match?

- We conceded in the end, but it's great that the substitutions that were made really strengthened the game. Both Dibango and Shevchenko entered the match well, so I'm happy for Yaroslav that he scored. He works a lot, he also played at a good level today. In the end, this goal was enough for the victory. This game, it really showed our character. Not only when we opened the score, but also after it became 1:1. The team managed to gather itself, get back into the game and create an episode that became decisive. After a long trip, we return home in a good mood and are already thinking about the next match.

- Comment on the winning goal of the Kryvbas's pupil. Do you think they guessed with the substitution?

- Usually, Shevchenko in such situations tries to come up with something else, to process the ball, but here - he simply scored with his left foot without any further thought. And, in my opinion, it was a very high-quality goal. No unnecessary thoughts - just a clear realization of his chance. It was clear when Yaroslav entered the field that he really wanted to give the team this momentum.

Media of FC "Kryvbas" Kryvyi Rih