Phoenix gains first victory in regulation time over Gopri. The disciplined play of the whole team, reliable actions of Volodymyr Lazeba as a keeper and a hat-trick by Mykyta Bodnar bring Phoenix such important three points in the fight for medals. The violets even managed to be first in the standings- a couple of minutes literally -until the parallel game ended, in which Sports School No 25 defeated the depleted Illichivets 19:5.
By the way, the team's day began with Illichivets. The boys decided to support Oleksandr Vasiliev, the player of the Chornomorsk team, injured in the match with us yesterday, passing him a team pennant before the start of today's games, on which everyone wrote their wishes.
The boys played the match with Gopri quite maturely and with resilience. It seemed that the team could improve at any moment, but this, fortunately, was not required. From the very first minutes, the violets determined their advantage on the site, which was first embodied in Bodnar's goal in minute 7 and then grew after Boldyzhev's accurate kick.
After the second conceded goal the team from the Kherson Oblast switched to the game with the fifth outfield player and Phoenix began to play the score, showing a competent and organized defense. Gopri created some rather dangerous chances at our goal, Lazeba saved them all well, though, making the game his second clean sheet in the Lutsk round.
In the second half, Phoenix was playing the score, having passed the initiative to the opponent and limiting itself to counterattacks. In minute 20 Bodnar scored a brace, and 10 minutes later - a hat-trick, making the most precious gift for his mother's pending birthday.
The fifth goal could have been scored by Lazeba, his kick on the opponent's empty goal, though, lacked just a bit of accuracy to make it work.
In a calm manner, Phoenix brought the match with one of the main rivals in the fight for medals to a confident victory, retaining emotional and physical strength for the final match of the tour with Barca from Shostka, which had been playing on a very good level in Lutsk.