SPORTSLINE (12/07/97)

SPORTSLINE

by Andrij Kudla Wynnyckyj

A true sign of this sport's global appeal is that this space received two excellent submissions concerning Ukrainian doings in international competition. The first, by Nestor Jaworsky of Australia, concerns the national team's valiant, but ultimately failed, attempt to qualify for the World Cup competition in France next year. The second, by George Hawrylyshyn of Brazil, concerns Kyiv Dynamo's success in the European Cup. Both have been supplemented by wire material and reports compiled by Andrij Kudla Wynnyckyj.

Refereeing decision helps end World Cup campaign

After playing 12 matches in six different countries over a period of 15 months, Ukraine's World Cup campaign came to an end when the national team fell at the last hurdle. It was a remarkable effort to get as far as it did, as Ukraine's chances of reaching the finals in France were slim from the time it was placed in Group Nine along with Germany in Portugal.

Stunning wins over Portugal allowed Team Ukraine to qualify for the group playoffs. Unfortunately, Ukraine drew badly once again - it was matched against a desperate Croatia, which surprisingly failed to qualify automatically. It can be said that only Italy would have been a tougher opponent. Had Ukraine drawn Hungary, Ireland or Belgium, even Russia, it would doubtless have qualified.

In the first match of the playoff, Croatia dominated as expected, winning 2-0. In a test played in Zagreb on October 28, Slaven Bilic (who plays for the English first division team Everton) scored in the first half, at the 11th minute, and Goran Vlaovic netted one in the second at the 49th, handing Croatia the initiative.

Ukraine clearly missed suspended Dynamo Kyiv stars midfielder Yurii Kalitvintsev and striker Andrii Shevchenko, failing to create any threatening attacks.

In coming home to Kyiv for the return leg on November 15, the blue-and-yellows needed to win by a seemingly impossible three goal margin to advance against a confident and powerful Balkan squad.

For one brief moment on that Saturday it seemed the fairy tale would continue. According to the excited commentator, Vitalii Kossovskyi had just scored Ukraine's second goal at the 12th minute of the first half.

Was this the impossible coming true? English bookmakers Landbrokes were betting 5-1 against Ukraine, suggesting it had no chance.

But Mr. Shevchenko had stunned the Croatians at the four-minute mark after Croatian keeper Marijan Mrmic mishandled a shot from Mr. Kossovskyi. Eight minutes later, Mr. Kossovskyi swept behind the red and white checked defenders as the ball bounced away from the Croatian keeper and slotted the ball home.

It seemed too good to believe. And it was.

The very next words from a disbelieving commentator were that Mr. Kossovskyi's goal had been disallowed by Norwegian referee Len Pederson. The decision seemed to stop Ukraine's momentum and allow a rattled Croatia to regain its composure in front of 100,000 vocal supporters at the Republican Stadium.

A disheartening sleet began to fall. Then a Croatian defender flew, spikes first, into Mr. Shevchenko's legs as the Ukrainian was mounting one of his lightning runs towards the penalty area. No card. No foul.

Further disaster followed. At the 27th minute, Alen Boksic, a forward who plays for Italy's Lazio team, turned in front of the goal and rifled a shot that deflected off at least one player, sending the Ukrainian goalkeeper in the wrong direction and into despair.

With the score at 1-1, Ukraine needed another three goals, and Croatia could smell success. Their defense clamped down in an iron grip, and Ukraine's attack withered.

As reported by Reuters, at a press conference following the match, a visibly upset Ukrainian coach, Josef Szabo, said: "It was a clear goal" (referring to Mr. Kossovskyi's effort). "The referee's mistake cost us dearly. It forced us to change strategy." It also cost Ukraine a place in the World Cup.

The Ukrainian press was scathing. "What do we feel after Saturday's match?" asked the reporter for Kievskiye Viedomosti, "Frustrated. Dissatisfied. Insulted. It's as if some magic doll invited you into the fairy-tale kingdom of the World Cup finals and then slammed the door in your face."

Kievskiye Viedomosti said the rain on Saturday night in Kyiv and the two-year ban handed down to midfielder Serhii Nahorniak after he failed a drug test following the first leg had put Coach Szabo's young side off balance.

Miroslav Blazevic, the relieved Croatian coach, praised his opponents. "I feel sorry for Ukraine. In all my years of coaching I was never more scared than when Ukraine scored their second goal. Fortunately for us, the referee ruled off-side."

Earlier in the week, it was reported that the Croatian national coach was so worried about the return play-off in Kyiv that he had taken to tranquilizers and chocolates to stay in one piece.

For Coach Szabo it may unfortunately be the end. Ukraine did not qualify, but Mr. Szabo's effort to get so close was a great achievement. He deserved better.

Before the match on November 15, he was asked whether his future depended on the outcome. His response: "I hope not, but the decision lies with the Football Federation of Ukraine."

Mr. Szabo added that whether or not the national team reached France, Valerii Lobanovskyi should be its leader in the future. "We should use his talent and experience to build the basis of Ukrainian football," Mr. Szabo said.

According to a report in the November 13-19 issue of The European, Mr. Lobanovskyi "is the reason why many players have not followed the lead of former European footballer of the year Oleh Blokhin, Andrii Kanchelskis and so many others in moving West."

The result is a disappointment to the players also. Mr. Kalitvintsev is a Russian who chose to play for Ukraine, and was made captain. Since leaving Moscow Dynamo for Kyiv Dynamo, Mr. Kalitvintsev has given Ukrainian football excellent service and leadership.

When asked before the match what his reaction would have been had Ukraine drawn Russia for the playoffs, he said: "I was looking forward to it, but I would have preferred for both Ukraine and Russia to have qualified." Neither did.

The same day, dubbed by the football press as "the weekend of destiny," Russia and its Ukrainian players Serhii Yuran and Viktor Onopko (Mr. Kanchelskis was suspended for injuring the Italian goalkeeper in Moscow) lost to Italy 1-0 and were also out.

Serhii Rebrov will no doubt be distraught. As Ukraine's other outstanding striker, he scored the winning goal on no less than three occasions in this qualifying campaign.

Oleh Luzhnyi, the redoubtable fullback who refused to play for Russia in the 1994 World Cup after the Russian Football Federation blocked Ukraine's participation in it, will also be disappointed. It is to be hoped that Mr. Luzhnyi, a former member of a Soviet squad who will be 33 when the World Cup comes around again in 2002, has not missed his chance.

There is a saying that everything comes to those who are prepared to wait.

It appears that Mr. Shevchenko, 21, is willing to do just that. According to The European, in the past year he turned down offers from AC Milan and Manchester United, two of Europe's wealthiest and most successful clubs, so that he could continue his football studies in the Ukrainian capital.

"I am flattered by the interest of such famous clubs," Mr. Shevchenko said, "but I grew up watching players like Blokhin who were coached by Mr. Lobanovskyi. I am happy to learn from him also."

European Champions' League success

As Dominic O'Reilly put it in The European, "Napoleon would have appreciated the way Dynamo Kyiv have leapt from exile to majesty in barely a year."

In 1995 they drew a three-year ban for allegedly attempting to bribe a referee with furs before a match with Greece's Panathanaikos. After an impassioned appeal from Ukraine's federation head, protesting that this was a death sentence for his country's program, the ban was reduced to one year.

Instead of killing Ukrainian football, it seems to have had the opposite effect. Dynamo has ridden a sense of mission to right injustice and a newfound patriotism to crush powerful opponents such as Newcastle of England and PSV Eindhoven of the Netherlands. Recently it wreaked outright havoc and destruction on Barcelona (4-0 in Spain and 3-0 at home in the Ukrainian capital).

As Mr. O'Reilly mentioned in his report, under communism Dynamo was a rallying point for Ukrainians who objected to rule from Moscow, but after 1991, club officials stuck in Soviet times began discouraging displays of patriotism.

Now, according to a Ukrainian fan interviewed by The European, "the players applaud us when they see the flags and banners. They know we are celebrating the rebirth of the Ukrainian nation."

"Life is hard here," Ukrainian journalist Fidel Pavlenko told The European. "Success in football gives us a rare chance to come together, cheer and be proud of being Ukrainian. We used to see reports referring to 'Kiev of Russia.' Now everyone knows where Kyiv is."

The two multi-goal wins against Barcelona were particularly impressive. Although "Barca" no longer counts on Brazilian whiz kid Ronaldinho, it is still one of the strongest international teams, and includes three Brazilians: Rivaldo, Anderson and Giovanni.

Andrii Shevchenko put on a show in Barcelona, scoring a hat trick. He opened the scoring at the 10-minute mark of the first half, and had the Spaniards staring. They began to press and left themselves open to dangerous Dynamo counterattacks. As one local sports paper put it: "Shevchenko was diabolical and buried Barcelona's hopes with two more goals in the same period at 33 and 44 minutes. In the second half, Serhii Rebrov closed the count for Dynamo at the 25-minute mark."

On American Thanksgiving Day, November 27, they are at home hosting PSV Eindhoven. If they win, they will advance to the eliminatory playoffs of the Champions League competition.

Maybe it does take the Shevchenko family to bring back the glory days.

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