They Couldn’t Make it to Spring 2005

Although Ukraine was represented by three teams in the UEFA Cup events before that fateful Thursday, traditionally the biggest hopes were placed in Kyiv Dynamo. After tying the game in Kyiv (0:0), all the Ukrainian champion needed was not to lose the rematch in the south of Spain.

ORANGE PLANTATIONS

Spain’s Mediterranean coast greeted the Ukrainian journalists with an unusually cold weather (+6C° and rain) and endless lines of orange trees, with heaps of ripe fruit at the foot of each (as happens with Ukrainian apricot trees in July). We learned that that local farmers collect orange harvests (with “orange” having a special meaning for Ukraine) three times a year, and that it was time for another harvest.

Another surprise was the town of Villarreal, whose team [of the same name] was to meet with Kyiv Dynamo. The formidable Spanish team was based in a town made up of several streets, several kilometers from Castellon [de la Plana] where the Ukrainian team was awaiting the rival. It is hard to explain what made a team originating from a town the size of Myronivka in Ukraine rank on a par with the Spanish and European soccer leaders. Villarreal players are not among the highest paid soccer stars and the local tourist attractions boil down to orange plantations and face slab factories. Also, people in Spain, Brazil or Argentina can hardly be impressed by the Mediterranean charms. Whatever the reason, in the course of the game Kyiv Dynamo found itself faced with a formidable contender.

ONE-SEVEN-THREE

Assuming that the Dynamo coach meant to surprise the rival with his team composition, he did succeed. Among the ten field players were seven defenders and three forwards, and no halfbacks to get the game organized. Spanish journalists were obviously surprised and we tried to avoid their inquiring looks, hoping that this tactic would help our team.

It didn’t. As the week before in Kyiv, Figueroa tried to score four minutes after the game started, but the Ukrainian goalie Shovkovsky saved the team, whereupon Dynamo set about rebutting the rival’s quick and mobile onslaught, sending forward passes where Verpakovsis, Diogo, and Kleber tried to get the better of five Villarreal defenders and goalie Reina. They couldn’t, simply because there was no one to pass the ball to. Instead, the host team’s Sorin and Riquelme seized the midfield, closing the flanks, and proceeded to methodically attack the Dynamo goal. 21 minutes into the game, the Ukrainian defenders “lost” Figueroa by the goal and he scored the first one. The rest of the game was a technical matter for Villarreal. The Spanish team responded to Dynamo’s sporadic attacks by excellent dribbling and very quick and accurate passes. The second goal followed before long, into the 32nd minute of the game, with Cazorla encountering Shovkovsky and easily scoring above his head. As for Dynamo’s five central defenders, they must have been appreciating the rival team’s mastery in the meantime.

It would be erroneous to assume that Kyiv Dynamo didn’t put their heart in the game. Our lads did their best in the field, but what they lacked was a real soccer game. All they could show was zeal, not technique. They lacked assault organization. It was something Sablic, Gavrancic, Yussuf, Rodolfo, or Leko couldn’t do, for they were all effective destroyers and could do their best only when timely added to a correctly planned assault mission. Under the circumstances they were no match for the Villarreal virtuosos.

Riquelme’s being shown a second yellow card and banished from the field toward the end of the first half must have only prevented Dynamo losing more face. Throughout the game Dynamo actually had only one opportunity to score, with Gavrancic’s header hitting the goalpost after a corner kick. One is left wondering about Villarreal’s goal being charmed to ward off European Cup rival shots. This Spanish team has been immune to failures on home turf for almost three years. Mystic stuff apart, Dynamo lost the game, a fact which is little consolation, but which makes this fiasco a bit less painful.