Francisco Fernandez, the head coach of Karpaty, reflected on his team’s 4-1 victory over Kryvbas in the opening round of the UPL during the post-match press conference.
“I believe we didn’t start the game very well, which is typical for the first official matches of the season. It’s common for players to experience a certain level of uncertainty. Despite thorough preparation and strong performances in our preseason games, we felt uncomfortable in the first half today. We were too exposed defensively, and the opposition took advantage of those moments during transitions. We knew their strength was quick counterattacks. After conceding the first goal, our performance improved. It’s also worth mentioning that there were two clear penalties, but VAR intervened and clarified the situation. I think once we equalized, we felt more comfortable on the ball. We played with more composure and capitalized on the free spaces left by the opponent. Overall, I’m very satisfied with the result and how we kicked off the championship.”
Asked about the club’s objectives for the season, Fernandez responded, “As I mentioned recently, our squad is not yet fully assembled, so it’s premature to discuss long-term goals. Our rivals are also strengthening their teams. We must prepare properly for upcoming matches and build on the confidence this win has given us. Right now, I’m focused on taking it one game at a time. Once the squad is complete, we can talk about other ambitions.”
Regarding the forward position, where Yan Kostenko started today, Fernandez said, “We are definitely working with him. He can come on in certain situations when we have space because Yan is a quick player who looks for free zones. However, we still need a striker of a different profile if we want to set higher targets. Without a doubt, strengthening this position and a few others is part of our plan.”
