Yurii Shturko: These are three very important points for us

Yurii Shturko, the acting head coach of Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih U-21, commented on the away victory against Epitsentr U-21 (Kamianets-Podilskyi) - a 2:0 win in the 12th round of the UPL-2 youth championship.

- How satisfied are you with the team's performance against Epiсentr U-21? Did the lads manage to execute everything that was planned before the match?

- Naturally, winning official matches is always pleasing. Although there were some nuances, the lads generally followed the majority of the coaching staff's instructions. The main concern remains the conversion of the chances we created. But overall, I thanked the team for their performance.

- Throughout the match, Kryvbas U-21 looked more convincing than their opponents, controlling the game and holding the initiative. How did you manage to secure such an advantage?

- It’s great that the initiative was entirely on our side. I believe our physical and functional conditioning came to the fore - we proved to be significantly better prepared for this encounter. This made it easier to control the game. Plus, the individual qualities of our players certainly played a role.

- After Bodnar converted a penalty, the opposition had a chance to equalize quickly, but they missed their own spot-kick. How significant was this moment from a psychological perspective?

- I think it was, to some extent, a turning point - even though there was still a long time left to play. The opponent missed a penalty when the score was 0:1, which gave the lads a boost; they didn’t lose their composure, continued to play their own game with confidence, and stuck to their plan.

The only issue was, once again, our finishing in the final third. We squandered a great number of chances, which is why our only goals ultimately came from the penalty spot. So, we definitely have things to work on. The players have great potential; we will continue to develop it and certainly won’t stop here.

- This victory secures three crucial points for the team. How much will it boost the players' confidence heading into the upcoming league matches?

- These are indeed three very important points for us. The team secured a confident and well-deserved victory. I hope this success gives the lads a psychological boost for all the remaining matches this year. I believe everything will be fine. Moving forward, we will prepare for the game against Kudrivka U-21, with a specific focus on our finishing. I am confident that the lads will succeed, as today’s win was thoroughly deserved.

Media of FC "Kryvbas" Kryvyi Rih