Second League. Participants' ambitions before the start of the tournament: in anticipation of a fierce fight in two groups

20.07.2018 21:24

The players of Bukovina, who changed the composition dramatically, successfully conducted control duels, taking the mount, in particular, over the Khmelnytskyi "Podillya" - 2: 0 Photo fcbukovyna.com

20 teams have expressed a desire to perform in the second league of Ukraine. The rivalry will continue again in two groups by territorial principle.

There could have been more participants, but at first the management of FC Skala (Stryi) announced that they were going to focus on the performance of their representatives in the DUFLU championship, and then due to financial problems Okhtyrka's Naftovyk-Ukrnafta also withdrew from the distance.

Of course, it is gratifying that after a short break, the status of professional teams regained the "Miner" (Kryvyi Rih) and Kherson "Crystal", which, incidentally, do not hide their ambitious plans. Hernyk manager Hennadiy Prykhodko is going to bet on home-grown performers. And they still do not disappoint local fans, showing coordinated action in control matches. With the same score (2: 1) "Girnyk" prevailed over the more famous "Girnyk-Sport" (Horishni Plavni) and "Zirka" (Kropyvnytskyi), and most importantly, these victories can not be called accidental. Team captain Andriy Hryhorik noted that these victories gave him and his partners confidence in their abilities, and they are looking forward to new challenges. Moreover, proper conditions have been created for the high-quality preparatory process of the Pitman.

Satisfied with the dedication of his wards and the head coach of "Crystal" Alexander Ovchinnikov, whose team in sparring snatched victory from another representative of the first league - "Balkan" (2: 1). Kherson footballers studied the opponent's game well, surprising the performers from the Odessa region with sharp, well-thought-out counterattacks, to which they turned out to be unprepared. Good luck started "Crystal" in the Cup of Ukraine, winning a ticket to the second previous round in a confrontation with neighbors from "Energy".

Vladislav Ignatiev, a newcomer from Kherson, noted a good microclimate in the team. By the way, this local football player recently played for the youth team of Odesa's Chornomorets and Zaporizhzhya's Metallurg, but returned home and is now convinced that Krystal will be able to win a prize.

As for the rivalry in Group A, it is recalled that earlier this year Polissya players were aimed at getting a ticket to the first division this season. During the preparatory period, head coach Oleksandr Pryzetko managed to stabilize the team, and this became apparent. With each control match, Zhytomyr acted more and more harmoniously and, in particular, recorded a victory in Kyiv over Obolon-Brovar - 1: 0.

It is known that a group of leading players left Bukovyna, but the team leader Viktor Mhlynets managed to find an equivalent replacement. It is gratifying that an experienced coach is making a lot of efforts to bring home Chernivtsi football students. The club's latest acquisitions are defenders Mykola Pavliuk and Oleksandr Viksych, who previously played for Kharkiv's Helios and Okhtyrka's Naftovyk-Ukrnafta, respectively.

The football players of Uzhhorod's Minaya and Chaika (Petropavlivska Borshchahivka) are also looking forward to their debut in the second league. And since these teams do not lack players with experience of playing for master teams, I think they will not be satisfied with the role of extras. So, you can predict a fierce struggle on all floors of the standings. Moreover, according to the regulations, the teams that will take the last places in their groups will be forced to say goodbye to the status of professionals.