It has been almost a year since Phoenix last played with Torpedo in the Kharkiv Futsal Cup. This time the violets managed to repeat the tally, the quality of play remaining questionable, though.

It would be wrong to say our guys were not making it: Phoenix had advantage both in game and territory. The team, as it usually happens with futsal teams that come from soccer, was having hard time tuning into the game. So, both teams were playing at the confluence of soccer and futsal the whole 40 minutes of the game.

The boys opened the score rather quickly. Artem Shevchenko sent Mykhailo Soldatenko along a sideline and the latter outplayed the keeper of the competition and the ball, diverting from Torpedo’s wingback, ended up in the net.

The next goal followed only 12 minutes after. Demyd Yevsyukov kicked a foul ball along the net, when it hit Kostyantyn Sokolov and diverted right into the goal of Ihor Omelchenko, who was caught unawares.

Phoenix slim advantage could have been even slimmer if it hadn’t been for Eldar Bratchuk’s excellent play and numerous saves countering dangerous attacks of the competition.

In the second half the goals were just too many. The violets scored a lot and in a diverse manner – sending the ball both into the goal of the competition and the one of their own. First, Maksym Dolhulia and Mykyta Bodnar assisted each other and scored. Then Artem Shevchenko and Ivan Konkov took the score to an advantageous 6:0.

This comfortable advantage relaxed the team and in the following eight minutes the competition scored three times. Notably, Eldar Bratchuk’s net was twice hit by his own teammates. First, in the penalty area the ball found Mykhailo Soldatenko deflecting into the net. Seven minutes afterwards Danylo Dudin made an attempt to stop the ball rolling into an empty net. He was close to succeeding, the ball crossing our goal line, though. Between those two goals Torpedo scored another goal by their own efforts – tribute to Artem Myshkov – which was later responded by Demyd Yevsiukov’s resultant goal.

After Phoenix brought back the intrigue of the game, the team started to besiege the goal of the competition. Phoenix could have scored far more than two goals at the end of the game. First, Denys Mykhno failed to make use of several excellent moments and then boys’ willingness to help Vladyslav Khrypchuk score prevented them from making use of advantageous moments for scoring.

Denys Mykhno did score right before the final whistle, bringing the score to the final 9:3. Denys devoted his goal to Danylo Boldyzhev who had been out of play for the whole month after a trauma received in the semi-final match of Futsal Summer Cup.

Phoenix scores first three points in the City Cup and is now a leader in the standings because of the best goal difference.