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Where there is no law, but every man does what is right in his own eyes, there is the least of real liberty
Henry M. Robert

Oleksandr Shovkovsky: A Feat Of Sports

13 November, 2012 - 00:00

Kyiv Dynamo in World Soccer League E, with Panatinaikos from Athens, London's Arsenal, and the French Lance.

Ukraine’s top soccer club took the biggest possible challenge after losing the first game to Parisian Sparta (0:1) at home, in the second Champions’ League qualifier. After the game Kyiv Dynamo captain Oleh Luzhny promised the coach Lobanovsky that they would beat them in Prague.

By and large, Kyiv Dynamo behaved as anything but a defeated and subdued team. Their training sessions at Prague’s Sparta Stadium the day before the crucial meet looked very businesslike. Valery Lobanovsky was his usual unperturbed self, Head of the General Staff.

The Czechs, even though anticipating victory, feared Kyiv Dynamo. Local newspapers kept within a restrained optimism, for the Ukrainian soccer team had won a reputation in Europe that nobody could deny.

The match turned out not only difficult. It was excruciating for both teams. Ukrainian journalists surrounded by Czech fans felt it themselves; they realized that even cheering for your team took a lot of effort. And how about the lads sweating it out on the field? The 18,000 strong audience was all out for the home team, cheering, yelling, roaring, using all kinds of technical implements to add to the hullabaloo.

As the minutes ticked off on the large billboard so did our expectations, but Dynamo showed real character. Two minutes before the referee’s whistle ended the first period, Andriy Shevchenko scored, paving the way to victory.

No one watching this game will ever forget the series of penalty kicks. We know, of course, that the goalie is half the team, but when worse came to worst Oleksandr Shovkovsky proved to be a jack of all trades. He took three penalties! Unbelievable but true. Probably a lifetime sports exploit. The final polishing touch was applied by Yuri Dmytrulin, coolly aiming the ball and sending it right into the enemy’s goal. In a word, Kyiv Dynamo is once again in the Champions’ League. Hurrah!

Photo by Mykola Bochka:

Oleksandr Shovkovsky returning a penalty ball

 

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