Phoenix started the first match of the Ukrainian Championship facing a new rival - Dimax- Lyceum No.5 from Energodar, which, in fact, turned out to be not so unfamiliar. Four of its members - goalkeeper Maksym Afilov and outfield players Volodymyr Strelets, Rostyslav Borysenko and Oleksandr Kasarim - previously staffed Temp-ZAES -the Energodar team and one of the leaders of Ukrainian futsal in our age group. Moreover, Phoenix' players and the guys from Energodar defended the colors of the Eastern Conference Representative Team together at the Conference Cup several years ago. Those four players in the opponent's line-up, as well as the play of the whole team in today's meeting, turned the team that seemed unfamiliar, into one of the top dogs of the Ukrainian Championship U16.
The game began with no reconnaissance. Several starting attacks from both sides ended up in Mykhailo Zhuravsky's unexpected own goal: after Phoenix' counterattack, the defender interrupted Konkov's pass to Dolhulia unsuccessfully. After the first goal our team seized the initiative and held on to it, putting high pressure on the rival that was taken aback. Bodnar and Boldyzhev missed their chances, the former attempting at the goal thrice in a protracted series of attacks. Dimax counterattacked occasionally and not very dangerously. Therefore, the second goal of the Kharkiv team, scored in a counterattack, was more logical: Khodatskyi played it off with Konkov and took the score to 2:0.
The comfortable advantage played a dirty trick on the Kharkiv team. Phoenix combined in various ways, using set pieces and occasional heel passes or turning Energodar players' heads from time to time. The ball we conceded was all the more unexpected. Phoenix' series of mistakes in the attack led to a 3-in-1 at Lazeba's goal, and the goalkeeper who had played reliably before was powerless against another own goal: Danylo Boldyzhev sliced the ball in a desperate dive into his own goal. Energodarians could have scored again, but Lazeba played impeccably, saving both long-range shots and one-on-one encounters. Phoenix apparently lost control of the game, and Serhii Hrytsenko had to take a time-out to make adjustments to the actions of the players.
A minute break had a beneficial effect on the game of the Kharkivites. Several attacks were handled by Lazeba himself, our goalie crossing the middle of the field boldly. Finally, the pivot pass and the run-in combination worked. After Dolhulia's flick-back, Khodatskyi sent an accurate shot to the far corner. The score 3:1 calmed the violets down; they controlled the ball confidently, handling the opponent's pressure easily. A short loss of focus again led to a conceded ball: Oleksandr Kasarim counterattacked swiftly and shot past Lazeba, taking the score to 3:2.
In the last minutes of the first half, the Phoenix coaches let Artem Shevchenko - a bigger pivot in. Instead of attacking, the players of the Kharkiv team had to defend, though. Shevchenko's intercepted pass led to Energodar’s four-on-two rush, but Lazeba saved the tight-angle kick. Phoenix’ goalkeeper saved the kick of his direct counterpart, too, which Afilov inflicted after a corner kick.
Having played defensive style long enough, Phoenix started showing speed: an out-of-field was played with lightning speed, and Ivan Konkov, with the help of a small ricochet, sent the ball exactly to Afilov's far nine. So, in minute 13 the score changed to 4:2. Phoenix dictated the course of the last minutes of the half. Of special note is Oleksandr Bezruk’s, Phoenix’ skipper’s, slalom pass: having wound up the defense of the opponents, he gave a pass to Shevchenko, but in an attempt to turn it home Bezruk crashed into the goal post, with a painful bruise as a result.
Dimax started the second half being even more wound up than before. Khodatskyi made a save in his own penalty area, and a minute later Ivan Konkov fouled along the six-meter line. The opponent's players performed the standard position, in a simple, but quite effective way: a cross to the far post found Kasarim's foot, and he with a brace reduced the lag to a minimum again - 4:3.
The ball was alternately being swung to the penalty area of both teams. Shevchenko missed a great moment, failing to pass to Bodnar, who was in a highly advantageous position, which made Serhii Hrytsenko exclaim in anger. After a corner kick Bodnar delivered a striking kick in the top corner of the goal.
Score being 5:3, the game was played toe-to-toe, in which both teams could succeed. Energodar’s skipper Rostyslav Borysenko had a chance to shine. Our Artem Shevchenko had a good chance too, but Kharkiv's pivot was knocked down at the penalty area. Phoenix had a little bit more chances, but unlike in the first half, the players of both teams were not so accurate in the end.
In the last minutes Denys Shopov took a time-out. Perhaps the mentor suggested to his goalkeeper that the emphasis should be on long-range kicks. In any case, this is exactly the picture of the game that Dimax showed in the last five minutes of the match. Nevertheless, Phoenix’ tall defenders read the overhead passes and played well with their heads.
Despite two goals scored apart, the game was nervous and Boldyzhev and Yevsyukov managed to get a warning each. Only a minute before the end, it was clear who was going to be the winner. First, Boldyzhev’s kick was successfully tapped in by Bodnar who took the score to 6:3. It was Bezruk, who crossed all the t’s turning home either Bodnar’s assist or cross. The final whistle caught Phoenix mid-attack, the score remaining unchanged - 7:3.
Tomorrow Phoenix will finish the group stage with two matches: with the Youth Sports School Slobozhanske and the Children's Sports School Bobrovitsa. Those over, it will become clear with whom the violets will meet in the quarterfinals.