Ukraine round-up: Health scare as Dynamo win again
Wednesday, May 8, 2002
Article summary
FC Dynamo Kyiv maintained their lead at the top but veteran coach Valeriy Lobanovsky was taken ill.
Article body
FC Dynamo Kyiv are still four points clear at the top of the Ukrainian Premier League after their 3-1 victory at FC Metalurh Zaporizhzhya, but their win was overshadowed when veteran coach Valeriy Lobanovsky was taken ill during the match.
Treatment from paramedics
Lobanovsky, whose health forced him to retire as Ukrainian national coach last year, received treatment next to the pitch from paramedics late on in the game and was subsequently taken to hospital.
Second-half goals
Midfield player Florin Cernat had given Dynamo an early lead, equalised by Andriy Demchenko, but the visitors stayed on course for a tenth successive Ukrainian title through second-half goals from Goran Gavrnacic and Valentin Bialkevich.
Still in touch
Second-placed FC Shakhtar Donetsk kept in touch with the leaders with a 1-0 victory over FC Tavriya Simferopol, courtesy of an 81st-minute Sergei Popov goal.
Clean sweep
Shakhtar now have to hope Dynamo slip up before their 3 June meeting at the Shakhtyor stadium if they are to stop the reigning champions continuing their clean sweep of all Premier League titles since independence.
Well adrift
FC Metalurh Donetsk, well adrift in third behind the two unbeaten top teams, stayed in their UEFA Cup-qualifying position with a 3-2 win against FC Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih, Oleg Matviev scoring twice, including the early opener and the 73rd-minute clincher.
Matviev's winner
His first strike was equalised by Volodymyr Musolytyn and Sergiy Shyshenko's goal to make it 2-1 was briefly cancelled out by Yuri Kudynov eight minutes before Matviev's winner.
Comfortable triumph
FC Metalist Kharkiv remain a point behind Donetsk in fourth after a comfortable 4-0 triumph against lowly FC Zakarpattya Uzhgorod, Vitaliy Pushkusta's hat-trick in the space of four second-half minutes adding to Andriy Holovko's earlier strike.
Goalless draws
There were no goals in the games featuring FC Karpaty Lviv and FC Polihraftechnica Olexandria, as well as FC Metalurh Mariupil's meeting with FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk, whilst bottom clubs FC Arsenal Kyiv and FC Vorskla Poltava also drew 0-0 to move within a point of Zakapattia.
