Phoenix seems to be tempting fate in the current draw of the Championship of Ukraine. A good few of the matches the team plays the first half delightfully, with a big lead in the score, and then fails miserably the second half of the meetings. 

Today again, when one team in the end of the first half leads by five points, there would seem to be no talk of any intrigue in the match. However, Phoenix tournament record in the Championship of Ukraine in the age category U15 confirms the opposite. It’s enough to recall the games against DYSSh Zolochiv, Persha Stolytsia, when our guys confidently had the lead during the normal time, but arranged a suspenseful ending for themselves, their coaching staff and fans. Fortunately, Phoenix has had happy endings so far. And, thank God, this duel was no exception. 

The guests from Zolochiv arrived with the determination to give a real battle to one of the leaders of the division. They sought to take revenge for the defeat 4:7 on their home pitch, while continuing to fight for the fourth place to qualify for the playoffs. Exchanging sharp moments at the start of the match, the rivals maintained a high playing pace until the end of the match. Phoenix managed to score a quick goal, successfully performing a standard combination. As a result, Danylo Boldyzhev with an accurate shot found Maxym Dolhulia, who, with a powerful shot, sent the ball into the net. 

And then everything went according to a well-practiced scheme: our guys seized the initiative, actively using combination play and making the opposition fail in simple game situations. It is not as if the players of Zolochiv DYSSh were only thinking about protecting their own goal. At the first opportunity, they would get Volodymyr Lazeba, Phoenix goalkeeper, to enter the game. But they acted too straightforwardly, so our guys turned most of the combats to their advantage. 

Soon the second goal arrived, and it was scored in a vivid combination. At the end, Danylo Boldyzhev, having played dramatic one-two with Ivan Konkov, doubled Phoenix lead. The scored goal empowered Phoenix players, who began to play even more actively, creating heated moments at the net of Yaroslav Ovsyannikov. As a result, the goalie of Zolochiv DYSSh was powerless after a productive shot by Artem Shevchenko, Phoenix skipper, who promptly responded to the cross. 

Then the coaching staff of the 'violets' guessed right with a sub, and Danylo Khodatskyi, having entered the pitch in only a few seconds scored the fourth goal with an accurate shot under the crossbar. 

The hero of the next match episode was Danylo Boldyzhev, who first knocked the ball out of his own empty net, and then successfully completed the quick counterattack of his team. 5:0. 

Is the game done? At first, many in the audience did not attach much importance to the goal sent into Phoenix net by Kyrylo Lebedynets. Moreover, late in the first half, Daniil Dudin again made the opposition goalie get the ball out of the net of his own goal. 

Nevertheless, Zolochiv guys went on a break positively charged, due to Kyrylo Svitlychnyi, who scored a few seconds before the siren. In the second half, the team from Zolochiv pursued with their attacking style, and Phoenix players, just like with the previously mentioned games, believed in victory a bit too early. As a result, the rivals seemed to have switched roles on the pitch. Please, note that goalkeeper Yaroslav Ovsyannikov often sent the ball to Phoenix goal, and in one of the episodes Maxym Borodai managed to hit the target with a header. So, when Andrii Chaika reduced the handicap to two goals, the coaching staff decided to swap the goalies, sending Volodymyr Lazeba to guard the net instead of Eldar Bratchuk. 

With this conceded goal Phoenix hiccups did not end, because soon the team had to play in the numerical minority. Daniil Dudin lost the speed race to his opponent, receiving a red card for a foul of 'last resort'. It took a little time for Zolochiv team to realize their extra player, and Andrii Chaika scored directly from a goal kick into the corner of Phoenix net. The away team, being on a tear, still had time to level the score. However, Phoenix held out, having earned three points and, thus, winning 9 points out of 9 possible in the home tour. 

Finally, let us take a look at the tournament situation. The leader is Olympic-UFK (8 games, 19 points), followed by Valki DYSSh and Phoenix (18 points each). At the same time, our guys played one match more (9 against 8 of Valkovites). In the remaining three matches of the group stage, Phoenix will play with Olympic-UFK, KDYSSh-5 and DYSSh-7. 

Yurii Vashchenko (Phoenix coach): 

- We have warned the boys that the game would not be easy and wanted to let the footballers who play less enter the pitch. The game, then, turned out to be strenuous, one may even call it 'pulse pounding'. We will keep on practicing and letting them play more. The first half ended with 6:2, the guys had eased up a bit, thinking the victory was theirs. I'd like to thank our today's opponent for the game. They showed in the second half that there is no letting up too early. We have three more games to play and we are hoing to win them all.