The veterans team of Ukraine held its 99th match

30.06.2018 18:55

A friendly match between the national team of Ukraine among veterans and FC Kropyvnytskyi, formed on the basis of the 3rd special regiment, took place at the Zirka Stadium in Kropyvnytskyi.

About three thousand spectators witnessed an uncompromising game, many goal moments and a real unity between football idols and heroes of today - courageous special forces. The report match, like all previous ones within the framework of the all-Ukrainian tour of the veterans' team, was held in order to support the military in the anti-terrorist operation zone, to establish peace and unity in the country as soon as possible.

For the legends of national football, the game in Kropyvnytskyi became the 99th in two and a half years of the national team's existence. It is symbolic that most of these matches were played against the military - and, in particular, special forces. In Khmelnytsky and Starobilsk there were fights against the 8th separate regiment of special forces, in Vinnytsia - against the national team of special forces. FC Kropyvnytskyi, knowing about the victorious appetites of veterans, prepared very well. It should be noted that this year the team is playing brightly in the Open Championship of Ukraine of ATO Heroes, where it is one of the contenders for victory.

Coaches of the national team of veterans Anatoliy Demyanenko and Volodymyr Lozynskyi gathered a solid team for the match in Kropyvnytskyi: Vitaliy Reva, field players Vladislav Vashchuk, Serhiy Nagornyak, Oleh Sobutsky, Volodymyr Yezersky, Vitaliy Kosovsky, Vitaliy Samoi Svidersky, Eduard Tsykhmeistruk, Andriy Oksymets, Oleksandr Venglynsky, Bohdan Shershun and Volodymyr Bondarenko.

The names of the special forces are unknown to football fans. Their coach Eduard Osobliuk tries to use the speed, strength and endurance of the guys, whose average age is less than 30 years, as effectively as possible, bringing tactics and technical skills to a decent level. Before the match, when the National Anthem of Ukraine was played and a minute of silence was observed in memory of the fallen soldiers, special attention was paid to the special forces striker, 25-year-old Vasyl Petrynko, a real soldier whose courage and heroism are exemplary and who managed to recover from a serious injury. 2014 and return to full life. Vasyl, who, in addition to his passion for football, now defends the regiment's honor at the Undefeated Games in swimming and short-distance running, received a ball from Anatoliy Demyanenko with the autographs of star veterans.

The spectators really enjoyed football. Each of the rivals had its strengths. At first, it was dominated by veterans, who opened the account through the efforts of Vitaly Kosovsky. And at the end of the match, a substitution worked - Anatoliy Denysiuk, who returned from the environmental protection zone just before the match, managed to restore balance with a blow to the head. 1: 1.

After the game, arranging a photo shoot with everyone and handing out autographs, football legends heard kind words from the unit commander - Hero of Ukraine Colonel Oleksandr Trepak: “It is very nice that events of this level are held in Kropyvnytskyi, because they encourage servicemen to harden their strength and spirit. . There were no winners or losers on the football field, the main victory is a victory over oneself. " The commander conducted a tour of the unit, personally told about the real war in the recently opened museum, and then invited to the field kitchen.

"We should appreciate such moments. We respect the real heroes of today - special forces, - said the organizer of the national team of veterans of Ukraine, FFU Vice President Oleh Sobutsky. - These seemingly simple guys perform extremely important tasks for the country, they are the eyes and ears of the army and the first to take the blow on themselves. Unfortunately, they do it at the cost of their own lives, in the museum we saw photos of everyone who stayed in this war forever. It is a great honor for the veterans' team to play with our special forces friends and spend time together. Of the 99 matches played, almost a third were with the military, we were in the east many times, we saw the conditions in which our defenders serve. The material part is extremely important for the army, and we, in addition to it, give hope and support. This is very symbolic, when Demyanenko and Kosovsky, Nagornyak and Yezersky enter the tents a few kilometers from the demarcation line. The famous coach Myron Markevich is always with us. They will ask about military service, tell something interesting about their career, and in the evening they will invite you to the nearest town, where a friendly match is planned.

The veterans' team will hold its 100th anniversary match in Bukovyna to celebrate the 580th anniversary of Hlyboka. After that, there will be a game with the national police team, and on July 19 - a match in Kramatorsk with the team of assault troops. Well, on August 2 we are going to Donetsk region again to celebrate Airborne Forces Day. "