Shakhtar (Donetsk) 0, Lazio (Rome) 3
All things eventually come to an end. Donetsk Shakhtar’s victorious march through domestic and foreign soccer fields begun in July has been stopped, and stopped too abruptly. It is perhaps the fault of the draw which fielded the Donetsk club in its very first Champions League round game against the champion of Italy. Or perhaps this is the right thing to happen, for it brought down to earth not so much the Donetsk team’s coaches and players, who are well aware of their standards, as the too fervent fans and sponsors who thought the summits of European soccer were only a stone’s throw away.
The Donetsk stadium pitch, looking like a vegetable garden on which potatoes had just been harvested, did not hamper the Italian champion’s stars from showing the true worth of not themselves, which is common knowledge all over the world, but of their rivals who are head and shoulders above all the other Ukrainian clubs except for one. Coach Prokopenko managed, in a relatively short time, to knit together in Donetsk a battle-worthy soccer team, by resolutely breaking with the moneygrubbers who “ate” the romantic Byshovets last year. Shakhtar began to play in a more balanced fashion, and the fans began to see not only the destructive genius of Popov and fidgeting of Zubov but also the individual manners of the multipurpose player Tymoshchuk, the libero Bakharev, the halfback Abramov, and the forward Vorobei. Instead of the old hit-and-run and bash ’em techniques, the Donetsk team began to adhere to the principles of modern offensive and defensive play. All this yielded tangible results both in Ukrainian championship and Eurocup play until Shakhtar took on a true super club. Soccer aficionados, of course, watched the television broadcast from Donetsk, gradually recognizing together with the sports commentator that the world- famous soccer stars who came to Donetsk for tournament points and the 600,000 Swiss franc UEFA prize victory would give them. This is why it is hardly necessary to give a detailed account of developments on the pitch.
We would rather try to give an unbiased assessment of our vice champion’s strength in comparison with a strictest possible examiner, the champion of Italy. Neither the early stage, when the visitors retreated without running unnecessary risks and allowing Shakhtar to dribble and kick the ball forward, nor the second half, in which the Romans played with the hosts as if they were children, give a true picture. No matter how wisely the coach may instruct, how much the sponsors may invest, and how hard the psychologists may appease, it is a shock to see Veron, by far the world’s best halfback, in front of you. It will take you at least an hour to rub shoulders with Veron to forget who he is and begin to play the way you can. When the Shakhtar players more or less calmed down, the game was already over. But it was impossible to watch experienced players, no rookies at all, embarrassed after each of their successful feint, pass, or tackle.
Our compatriots seemed to be surprised they managed to outplay none other than Simeone, Nedved, or Nesta. That one can and must play successfully against even such masters as those in Lazio cannot be put across with words. It comes across via the jerseys dripping wet with sweat, battered legs, and fresh bruises on all fleshy parts of the body. The press calls it experience, which in conjunction with natural capabilities and tactical background, makes a high class or star player. There is nothing to be ashamed of in the word.
The Shakhtar leaders deservedly felt like stars at the Donetsk stadium until the very moment genuine stars came out on the field to take them on. It was as if the Roman millionaires were showing us an educational film how to defend, attack, give flank passes, and shoot at the goal. In other words, that was a full-fledged lesson. At the end of the game, Donetsk players resembled students listening to the professor and forgetting to take notes. But it is coach Prokopenko who should be taking notes. He will take into account without our help all the mistakes he himself and his pupils generously made. The rout Shakhtar suffered at its own packed stadium can have two sorts of consequences. Either the team will bend over backwards, grasping at adventurous options, putting the blame on all and sundry, but still remain conscious of its true potential, or it will draw conclusions from the defeat and will take on the Arsenal stars without trepidation. As to the Czechs, we beat them earlier, and consequently there is nothing to be afraid of. The fiasco at the hands of Lazio should have a positive effect on Donetsk’s best players who saw by themselves what a long gap exists between a home- brewed local soccer star and a world star. Given the talent and the desire, this gap can be bridged. So far, no Shakhtar stars are discernible even on the horizon. But they can gradually light up, as did the stars of previously unknown Kyiv Dynamo players who had also been taught more than one instructive lesson by the Italians and others.
All we have to do is watch how soccer is played by European stars and expect at least one star to rise over the Donetsk skyline. There is every reason to think so. We are also accumulating certain, if sad, experience.
