Shakhtar U19 head coach Maxim Malyshev shared his thoughts following the 2-1 victory over LNS U19 in the second round of the Ukrainian Youth Championship.
“First and foremost, congratulations to the boys on the win! They showed great effort, stayed focused, and gave everything on the pitch. It was a tough match; the opponent plays a vertical style with constant forward balls, so they are an aggressive team, and we prepared accordingly. This victory is very important. After conceding, the team didn’t lose heart or show any signs of nervousness—they remained concentrated. It’s in matches like these that a winning mentality is forged, especially when you have to show character from a losing or draw position. We created many chances that should have been converted, which would have changed the scoreline,” Malyshev reflected.
When asked about the match lasting over four hours due to continuous aerial threats, he responded, “The extended duration was certainly challenging for the players, as the match went on for four hours. However, I reminded them that we have no right to complain because there are people doing invaluable and far more difficult work defending our country and us. Thanks to them, we have the opportunity to do what we love.”
Regarding the emotional boost the team experienced after Yan Zheliba scored, and the visible cohesion on the field, Malyshev said, “That means a lot to me. It’s great to see the players, after scoring, come back and engage with me. Some of them I’ve worked with before in Shakhtar U19. I’m grateful to the senior players who helped secure the win, and to Aleksey Grigoryevich Belik for responding and assisting us. We do face some personnel challenges, especially with Artur Kuriny currently unavailable, so we’re eagerly awaiting his return—he’s important for us. As I mentioned when meeting the team, the key is fostering the right atmosphere and working towards a common goal. If that happens, the progress of both the team and individual players will follow swiftly.”
It’s worth noting that after the first two rounds, Shakhtar U19 leads the standings with six points, alongside the two Lviv clubs, Rukh U19 and Karpaty U19.
