Environment. Kharkov. The RSC “Metalist”. “Shakhtar” – “Napoli” – 2:1. The 58th minute. Just Facundo FERREYRA scored the winning goal. Photo: Reuters

Miner – Napoli – 2:1 (1:0)

Goals: Tyson, 15 (1:0). Ferreira, 58 (2:0). Milik, 72 – penalty (2:1).

“Shakhtar” (Donetsk): Pyatov, Ismaily, Ordets (Khocholava, 90+2), Rakitskiy, Srna, Stepanenko, Fred, Bernard, Marlos (Kovalenko, 77), Tyson, Ferreira (Dentinho, 88).

Napoli (Naples): Reina, Ghulam, Koulibaly, Albiol, Husi, Diawara, Zieliński (Allan, 67), Hamsik (Mertens, 60), Insigne, Callejón, Milik.

Punishment: Insigne, 68. Fred, 68. Mertens, 69. Stepanenko, 71. Coulibaly, 82 (notice).

Judges: Zwier, Seffner, Agmuller (all Germany).

13 Sep. Kharkov. The RSC “Metalist”. 35 500 spectators (40-003).

Vyacheslav KULCHITSKIY

For Ukrainian teams, Napoli have already become good friends. It’s no joke to say: over the past five years, the Neapolitans intersect with our Premier League is not the first time. In the European Cup season 2012/13 and 2014/15 competed with them, “Dnepr”, and last drawing of the Kiev “Dynamo”. Now one of the leading Italian clubs crossed swords with another of our Grand – Shakhtar, which is regarded by other colleagues in group F as not the weakest opponent.

But the bookies will say this: in front of the Kharkiv match the role of the favourite in the pair Shakhtar, Napoli were given to the guests. It is not surprising, because for the selection of players the team from the port city today is one of the best in the Italian Serie A. In its composition played by many stars, whose salaries do not go to any comparison with the salaries of even the best players of Donetsk club.

This factor, coupled with the ambitions of Shakhtar in the European arena caused in Kharkov increased interest in the match. Many local fans are still experiencing the anguish caused by noise in Europe “Metalist” in the time of Myron Markevych, went to the stadium for new emotions with the sign “plus”. Came to first capital and the fans of Shakhtar, who regularly frequented the city, where their favorite team played the UEFA Champions League and Europa League before. A large number of spectators, though not reached the mark as part of the attendance of the RSC “Metalist” at the match Ukraine – Turkey, all created the atmosphere of the football festival. Players of the Donetsk team felt it, wanting to thank the many thousands army of fans with a good game.

To meet Napoli miners came not in the optimal structure. The coaching staff headed by Paulo Fonseca was thinking about how to find a replacement defender Serhiy Kryvtsov and midfielder Maksym Malyshev. Both players are unable to participate in the match for health reasons. The first of them got injured in this episode of the recent match with “Zarya”, and the second was forced to resort to surgery. According to the forecasts of physicians, the return of Malysheva into operation in this calendar year would be unlikely.

Fortunately, the human potential of current Shakhtar not so small that Fonseca was not from whom to find a replacement dropout. In the centre of defence Portuguese have trusted Ivan Ordets, who not so long ago the club finally left the infirmary and was even among the substitutes at the national team of Ukraine in the qualifying matches with Turkey and Iceland. But a couple of Taras Stepanenko in the absence of Malysheva made up Fred.

Not without human losses, and the Italians. However, they are only counted in one player – defender Vlad Certexam. In a recent match in Serie A with Bologna he dislocated his shoulder, which forced him to miss the game in Kiev.

Shortly before the kickoff on the sidelines hesitated Arkadiusz Milik. As it turned out, the Polish legionary decided to replace the shoes, which took no more than a minute. Believing in omens, football experts at this point probably think: will not be diverted if it is luck Napoli?

From the first minutes of the match, it became clear that the miners will have to work hard to expect a positive result. Wards Maurizio Sarri, who Fonseca is one of the best football professionals in Europe, immediately demonstrated that you have set up tactically aggressive. Speaking of the working of the coaching terminology, they were quite “high”, wanting to deprive the opponent of the ability to disperse their special attack. But this turn of events, the owners seem to be ready. They had arguments, making it possible not only to cope with the assaults of “Napoli”, but also to conduct acute attacks themselves. When the stopwatch is counting the first a quarter of an hour, the stadium exploded with applause.

Caught with the ball on the left flank Darijo Srna made a lateral pass to the penalty area, where Facundo Ferreyra flick of the foot played up to the oncoming Tyson. Picking up the ball, the Brazilian in a moment that left him laid the ball into the top near corner.

This turn of events is not explicitly included in the plans Surry and his team. Napoli took the case seriously, and then designing attacks on the gate of Andrei Pyatov. Midway through the first half, the Italians began to possess the ball, forcing the Ukrainians to think more about defense. To understand how active opponent, is called the ratio of the corner. If our team before the break, ‘ve never written one, the Neapolitans did this is no less than seven times! After one of the “corners” fans held their breath, but connected to the “standard” Raul Albiol shot well over the crossbar.

The second half of the match, the teams started as if it was not a tense struggle in the first half. The Italians and then tried to impose a “miner” your game, orchestrating dangerous attacks. But the team cleverly snapped, baffling Napoli fast movements and unconventional moves. Supported by tribunes, they at the first moment and the second time managed to succeed. Taras Stepanenko made a great cross from the left flank into the penalty area, so much so that he circled just three Italian players and turned as if on a silver platter before nabegavshis Ferreyra. Even that special efforts are made had: with a nod he sent the ball shot from the ground into the net.

Two goals in the game with Shakhtar, apparently, angered Maurizio Sarri, who immediately decided to make adjustments. He replaced the disappointing Marek Hamšík, Fielding Driss Mertens. He is so actively entered the game, twice in a few minutes found himself in the spotlight. First Mertens dangerously threatened collars of owners, and then got a yellow card followed by a “distinguished” in the same Lorenzo Insigne and Fred.

And soon, “Napoli” has managed to requite one ball. The same Martens was stopped not by the rules in someone else’s penalty area for Stepanenko and the referee without hesitation pointed to the spot. The verdict of the referee was executed Milik, spreading the ball and the net at different angles. It turns out that not in vain the pole changed before the match of the shoes.

The final part of the match was extremely tense. To change the account could both teams, but Fred, who replaced Viktor Kovalenko, Ferreira, Milik and Jose Callejon in the final phase of hitting the target are unable.

Winning in a tough match, “Shakhtar” in a good mood started the current Eurocup season.

Sport-Express in Ukraine