Serhiy Lavrynenko: “We will do everything possible and impossible to make it impossible for Shakhtar in the final”

14.05.2019 19:53

Photo by Pavlo Kubanov

Ingulets head coach Serhiy Lavrynenko and team captain Vladyslav Lupashko shared their expectations from the Ukrainian Cup final, which will take place tomorrow in Zaporizhia.

The decisive match of the tournament will take place on May 15 at the Slavutych-Arena stadium, in which Petrovsky Ingulets will face Shakhtar Donetsk. On the eve of the match, the coach of the first league team Serhiy Lavrynenko talked to journalists:

- We feel positive emotions, because this is a new challenge for our team. It is a pleasure to be in this city and to take part in the final of the Cup of Ukraine. Ahead — a serious game with a titled contender, a current champion of Ukraine and a Cup winner. We are enjoying the moment as the guys have already accomplished the feat by reaching the final stage.

— You said you were open to the press. This is done in order to relax the team on the eve of the decisive match of the season - or, for some players, even a whole match of a lifetime?

- We try to approach any match in this way, not only the confrontation with Shakhtar. We understand that in today's world it is impossible to survive without the media, so we try to be open. Ingulets is a club with a short history. Therefore, the more attention we get from the media, the more they will know about the team from Petrov. Only with the game, results and achievements we will be able to promote the club.

— How do you see the future of your team - regardless of the outcome of the match?

- Definitely, we will not stop there. The first task is to reach the Premier League, which we failed to accomplish this year. In the previous season, we fought to the last to get to the transition matches, but for the round to the finish we lost points in the game with "Desna", which now represents the elite division. Therefore, the main priority for us remains promotion in the classroom.

— Did the team approach the match without serious staffing problems?

- Tomorrow all the strongest will come out. We understand that the level of the opponent is serious, we treat him with respect. We will do everything possible and impossible to make it not easy for Shakhtar on the football field. The main thing is to deal with emotions. The atmosphere of the Cup final, a good stadium, a concert, a lot of fans - all this is new for us. However, when the team goes on the field and the starting whistle blows, all these factors will remain in the background, and it will be necessary to approach each episode with a cool head.

— Do you know how to stop Tyson and his partners?

- Recently, I have received so much advice on this from fans and people who are not involved in sports at all that Shakhtar must be scared. Everyone thinks it is necessary to call and tell us how to play. However, for some reason the Pitmen have not lost in the championship for 25 matches and conceded only 10 goals.

— Have you already got acquainted with the lawn of Slavutych Arena?

- We have not seen the field yet, but we know that in Zaporizhia it is excellent and is now prepared at the top level. The lawn is the same for both teams, so the skill of the players comes to the fore. The individual qualities of Shakhtar's players are higher, but we will try to oppose them properly. Donetsk is the champions of Ukraine without a minute, and today we are in the middle of the table of the first league. We need to soberly assess our situation. However, miracles do happen.

— Have you trained with penalty shootout players?

- It is impossible to work off the post-match penalty, because it is a completely different emotional state. When a football player is calm, he can score 20 out of 20 in training. And during the final, my legs are shaking, the stadium is full… We know a lot of examples when even great players did not score from 11 meters.

— 10 years ago, Vorskla beat Shakhtar in the cup final. Do you see a certain symbolism in this?

- That year, Shakhtar won the UEFA Cup, which was a more valuable achievement for the team. It is hardly possible to draw parallels. I think it was a coincidence at the time. Vorskla was at a higher level than now, on a par with Shakhtar. The Poltava team created competition for many rivals, then the conditions were more equal than now.

I will add that everyone expects from the final either a sensation or Shakhtar's devastating victory. Nobody is counting on something in between, everyone is expecting spectacles. Therefore, tomorrow we will try to disappoint both sides.

Photo by Pavlo Kubanov

Ingulets captain Vladyslav Lupashko also took part in the press conference:

- Thanks to our reaching the final, Ukraine has discovered a new team, a new settlement. We want to enjoy this grand event, to give joy to our family and fans. The most important thing is to go out on the field without fear, to face the difficulties boldly.

— What did the team focus on in preparation for the match? What is the atmosphere inside the team?

- The atmosphere is beautiful, we are relaxed. We are experiencing new feelings: we are being filmed by cameras, accompanied by various services, press conferences. You can expect anything from a club like Shakhtar, you can be afraid of all its players. But we didn't just get to the final, our mood is fighting. We prepared, studied various moments in detail, watched the last matches of rivals.

— What will you do if you lose?

- I do not want to think about it. Since we reached the final, we must dream of victory. At the same time, we are aware of which opponent we are playing against.

- Will you go to beat the post-match penalty, if necessary?

- I don't know, maybe they won't trust me. Such decisions are made directly on the football field. The coach looks at the condition of the players. After 120 minutes of playing time, one word is not enough to go punch the 11-meter.