FROM THE SIDELINES (31.10.21)
It was a weekend of coronations in the world of Kyiv Oblast football as both the Premier League and First League titles were decided in emphatic fashion and many teams were left licking their wounds and wondering what might have been. At a wedding there can only be one bride, the bridesmaids looking on enviously as the celebrations draw long into the night.
The match of the day on Saturday was at Buzova Arena as home team Nyva, already four points clear with two games to go, would clinch their first ever Kyiv Oblast Premier League title with a win over former kings of the league, Juniors Shpitky. Juniors were a fitting opponent as they have dominated the competition in recent years, so to defeat them would be an extra special way to be crowned.
Sadly, with the new Covid restrictions in Kyiv Oblast, the match took place without spectators inside the stadium but this did not prevent a large number of Nyva supporters coming to cheer for their team. They created a wall of noise throughout the afternoon and unfurled a carefully created flag which had a clear message to the visitors from Shpitky – ‘Your epoch is finished’.
The match was played at a very high standard and, actually, Juniors were excellent in the first half perhaps responding to the local sentiments. When Juniors are playing well they are a great team to watch and they passed the ball about with skill and simplicity. What they lacked however was a cutting edge and so perhaps they missed their opportunity in this match by not making their possession turn into goals.
In the second half, Nyva turned the screw and went up a level. The reds enjoyed far more possession and looked dangerous in attack, as their fans got behind them to try and suck the ball into the net. The decisive moment came in the 75th minute when Nyva star striker Ivan Somov flicked a deflected header against the far post, the ball ricocheting across the line where teammate Andriy Golovatenko was waiting to tap in. Seeing the imminent danger, Shpitky man Andriy Nesterenko pulled Golovatenko to the floor for a clear penalty and, worse still, a red card.
The incident left referee Vladyslav Hrytsai with no option and the right decision was made. Assisted by the experienced assistant-refereeing duo of Taras Chopilko and Oleksandr Dashko, the officials had an excellent game and handled what was a very big game with common sense and precision.
Somov of course scored from the spot, driving his penalty straight and high into the net, and Nyva were in front. Any thought of a fight back from the visitors was dealt a hammer blow only three minutes later when tricky Andriy Zozulya cut inside from the left and curled an absolute beauty into the top corner to send Buzova into dreamland. It was a beautiful goal.
Understandably Juniors’ heads went down after that and, in the final minute of injury time, Golovatenko scored from close range to make it 3-0 and a big win for Nyva. The final whistle blew and the Buzova players, coaches and fans hugged each other in celebration, coach Serhiy Karpenko tossed in the air by his overjoyed squad.
Congratulations to Nyva Buzova, the new champions of the Kyiv Oblast Premier League for 2021. I have seen with my own eyes how much work has gone into making Buzova a great football place, and it’s a prize the officials, coaches, players and supporters fully deserve. They have brought something special to Ukrainian amateur football.
As if that excitement did not satisfy a football fan, on Sunday I travelled a couple of hours on the bus to Myronivka to see Zorya Myronivshchyna take on Avanhard Bziv with the visitors needing a win to secure top spot in the Kyiv Oblast First League. In doing so, they would overtake leaders SC Hatne, who had already secured their three points with a 3-0 technical victory over Zaspa Kozyn.
Once again the league selected some very experienced officials for the big game. The man in the middle was Serhiy Zadyran who was assisted by Dmytro Podvalniy and Anatoliy Yakymenko, and their skills were given a rigorous examination in a high tempo game that was the culmination of the entire season. It was a good choice as they acquitted themselves superbly well.
It was a beautiful sunny day at Kolos Stadium and the atmosphere was further boosted by the traditional Ukrainian choir, complete with national dress, who gave a fantastic rendition of the national anthem before kick-off.
Zorya, who themselves had a chance to secure the bronze medal, dominated the early play but could not find the all-important breakthrough. The match turned in the opposite direction on 27 minutes when, after a short period of pressure, Stanislav Samar put Bziv in front. Verhov then added a second goal nine minutes later and Avanhard went in at half-time with one hand on the trophy.
The second half saw Zorya try to get back into the game, but one man decided that Avanhard were going to be champions, and that was forward Oleksandr Onopchenko who grabbed a second half hattrick. Goals on 61, 64 and 84 minutes, the third after a goalkeeping fumble from a free-kick, saw Bziv finish the game with a thumping 5-0 win.
The delighted Avanhard coaches and players danced with pleasure at the final whistle to celebrate winning the Kyiv Oblast First League title, and the quality of their football on the day showed why they have finished 2021 on top of the pile. Sadly, that is the end of the First League for this season. There is one round left of Premier League matches next weekend but, as we say in England, every game is a ‘dead rubber’. However, I am looking forward to one final taste of the competition and one final day of Ukrainian amateur football action.
