2003-2004 soccer season in Ukraine draws to a close (06/20/04)

2003-2004 soccer season in Ukraine draws to a close

by Petro Marusenko

KYIV - The 2003/2004 soccer season is drawing to a close in Ukraine. In some ways this season was similar to previous ones, yet different in others. Some problems that have plagued this sport in the past continue to do so today.

Similar to last year, the battle for first place was fought by the "big guns" of Ukrainian soccer, Kyiv Dynamo and Donetsk Shakhtar. The opportunities for these two clubs are based primarily on the deep pockets of their owners: brothers Hryhorii and Ihor Surkis, and Renat Akhmetov, some of Ukraine's richest businessmen. Both clubs have well-developed infrastructures and excellent training bases, the potential envy of many leading European clubs. They also have dedicated considerable funds to the purchase of players, especially those from outside of Ukraine.

It is no surprise, then, that the other soccer clubs in the Ukrainian Football League (UFL), which do not have the financial resources of Dynamo and Shakhtar, have difficulty competing with them.

This year, however, Dnipropetrovsk Dnipro pleasantly surprised Ukrainian soccer fans by showing that it could compete. Interestingly, among Dnipro's players, some have declined to play for Dynamo. Yevhen Kycherovsk's coaching wisdom and the unfulfilled ambitions of players gave the team the drive that took them up the standing's ladder this year.

After the winter break, Dnipro defeated Dynamo twice (in the Ukraine Cup and in the UFC championship) and Shakhtar once. Those in the world of international soccer suggested that Dnipro could win in a match against the future UEFA Cup finalist from Marseilles.

Before the final match for the Ukraine Cup, which took place in Kyiv on the last Sunday in May, Shakhtar and Dnipro were given equal odds for victory.

The parity extended even to the number of fans who came from the two cities to Kyiv to watch the game: 22,000 from Donetsk; 20,000 from Dnipropetrovsk.

Shakhtar, which began the second round of league play in the run for the national championship horribly, transformed before their fans' eyes, starting at the beginning of May. This change occurred after German-born Bernd Shuster retired as general manager, and Ukrainian trainer Viktor Prokopenko took over Shuster's position. Even after May 18, when Shaktar President Akhmetov hired a new coach, Mircha Lucheska of Romania, Prokopenko retained daily control over the team.

Under his leadership Shakhtar won all of the matches in the Ukrainian championships.

Noteworthy final

Their was much early excitment in the Ukraine Cup final between Shakhtar and Dnipro. The game had yet to reach the minute mark when forward Oleksii Biluk of Shakhtar scored the first goal. The early goal set the mood for the rest of the game.

Dnipro team captain Dmytro Mykhailenko said, "The early goal had an extremely negative influence on the team. Afterwards it was easy to notice a certain confusion among the players. It became the pivotal moment of the match."

Dnipro never lost hope for a saving grace. Oleksander Rykun even hit the crossbar at one point, but in the last minute of play the players from Dnipropetrovsk allowed another goal, this time by Donetsk team captain, Anatolii Tymoschuk. It was a 2:0 win for Shakhtar, and the Ukraine Cup had gone to Donetsk for the fifth time ever, a consistency that gives Donetsk the distinction of "cup capital of Ukraine."

After the game Shakhtar Coach Lucheska stressed that Prokopenko was the key to the team's win and its rise to the top. He noted that others had also contributed.

"Former trainer Bernd Shuster's work, which allowed Shakhtar to reach its potential, also played an integral part in this win," said Lucheska, "I was also with the team every step of the way, but in this instance I can only claim the third spot. I have many titles, but this is the first that I have received in Ukraine."

For his part, Prokopenko remarked that victory came as a result of a precise, varied and high-speed attack.

Until recently it seemed that Kyiv Dynamo would retain the Ukrainian championship easily, in as much as it led Shakhtar by as much as 9 points. However two defeats by the Kyiv team returned some intrigue when the difference between Dynamo and Shakhtar in the standings was reduced to three points, with three games remaining.

Even more interest lies in the "battle for survival," that is for the right to remain in the Premier League of Ukrainian soccer. The two teams that finished last in the previous season fall to the lower league. One team - Kirovohrad Zirka - has already taken the fall. While it is still not clear who will be the second to fall, much is being written.

There is talk about a coalition among some teams united to send Lviv Karpaty to the second division, a rumor mentioned in the newspaper Sport Sehodnia, as well as on the television show "Goal" on Novyi Kanal. Reports claim that certain players had been offered "generous bonuses" to help Kirovohrad Zirka defeat Lviv Karpaty.

There is no harm in motivating players to ensure a win, but it is never acceptable to lure them into throwing a game. But it is nearly impossible to prove that such things occur, even though there have been rumors for years about agreements to throw games.

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