Metallurg: hot spring of 2009

28-12-2009 20:54

This year pretends to be emblematic in the club history of Metallurg Donetsk.

The club returned after four years to group of teams which make a present of Ukraine to European tournaments. However practice makes perfect: in the final qualifying round Donchane lost the game to Austria (4:5 as a result of two matches). Is it appropriate to reason about importance of four victories over FC MTZ-RIPO and FC Interblock if Austrian team entered the group stage and Metallurg played 2,5 month without its key forward Mguni?

The players of Nikolay Kostov did not avoid a loss of points at the beginning of the season of the championship. The team had to reduce the lag from its competitors with help of leaders such as Dimitrov, Kingsley, Dislenkovic, Checher and Mario Sergio having injured its players: Vguni, Godin, Lazic, Tanasa.

New "summer" players as Mkhitaryan, Godin, Mguni, Korotetskiy ideally fitted in the team. Later in autumn Bogdan Shust appeared in Metallurg who substituted in several matches a key goalkeeper of the team Dislenkovic. Kostov sacrifice defence of the team ameliorating position of central defenders Checher- Korotetskiy which later was transformed in pair Volovyk-Checher. Experienced player Sergiy Danilovskyy showed his worth in different roles (except the role of goalkeeper) and confirmed that he was a jack of all trades. Vasyl Pryyma showed that he was a trusted halfback and Vitaliy Ivanko turned out the main joker in the key game of the Cup of Ukraine In Dnipropetrovsk (he was the author of decisive goal).

We should mention apart about the Cup of Ukraine. Metallurg won early stages and beat Dnipro  in the quarterfinal in its guest match. In spring Metallurg will play against Shakhtar. In the end, something about championship. After 16 rounds Metallurg has 27 points and consolidated the fifth position.  Dnipro outstrips Metallurg on one point and Tavria and Karpaty are placed in the League Table after the team from Donetsk. So competition for the place in the European championships is expected to be serious.

 REFERENCE
Progress report

Premier League – close group of five best teams of Ukraine sinking on one position in comparison with last year.

Cup of Ukraine – it is for the fourth time in its history that Metallurg became semifinalist. The team beat Neftyanik 1:1 (4:2 pen.), Karpaty 2:1 and Dnipro 2:1 (in additional time).

European tournament - participation in qualification of European League(6 matches - 4 victories, 1 drawn game and 1 defeat; goal difference - 14:6).

"Hot spots" 

Fiasco of the year – defeat in return game to Austria 2:3 which did not allow Metallurg to enter the group stage of European League.

Triumph of the year - victory 2:1 in additional time over Dnipro in ¼ of final of the Cup of Ukraine.

Crash power - midllefielders: from 25 goals of Metallurg in the national championship 14 of them were scored by midllefielders (8 goals were scored by forwards).

Reputation - fair play: Metallurg is the most disciplined team of the last part of the season (16 matches, 19 yellow cards and 2 red cards).

Weak spot - interest of the audience: the club has the 12 position of attendance in Premier League (in average 4513 spectators visit a match).

Hall of fame

 Player of the year - Vyacheslav Checher (Ukraine).

Discovery of the year - Henrik Mkhitaryan (Armenia), Musawengosi Mguni (Zimbabwe).

Mr. effectiveness - Henrik Mkhitaryan (Armenia). The top goal-scorer (7 goals) and assistant (4 passes).

Mr. stability – Nikolay Kostav (Bulgaria).

Jack of all trades - Sergiy Danilovskyy (Ukraine).

 

"Салон Дона и Баса"