Rincón puts Dynamo in seventh heaven
Sunday, May 29, 2005
Article summary
FC Dynamo Kyiv 1-0 FC Shakhtar Donetsk Diogo Rincón's spot-kick hands Dynamo Kyiv a seventh Ukrainian Cup.
Article body
By Igor Linnyk
FC Dynamo Kyiv won the Ukrainian Cup for the seventh time in the competition's 14-year history on Sunday after Diogo Rincón's penalty defeated five-time winners FC Shakhtar Donetsk.
Early chances
Both sides had opportunities to score in the opening minutes in the searing 32-degree heat, with Shakhtar’s Zvonimir Vukic and Maxim Shatskikh of Dynamo both being denied by opposing goalkeepers. Dynamo did take the lead on ten minutes when Rincón converted a spot-kick after Latvian striker Maris Verpakovskis had been upended by Shakhtar captain Anatoliy Tymoshuk in the penalty area.
Shokovskiy miss
Mircea Lucescu‘s side were dealt a further blow nine minutes later when striker Ciprian Marica was dismissed for elbowing an opponent, though this seemed to spur on his team as they seized control of the game with Matuzalem and Darijo Srna dominating the midfield.
Penalty save
The Ukrainian Premier League leaders were given the perfect opportunity to level on 26 minutes when they were awarded a penalty of their own after Goran Gavrancic had fouled Mariusz Lewandowski, but the Polish defender saw his spot-kick brilliantly saved by Olexander Shokovskiy.
Goalkeeping heroics
Goalkeepers continued to dominate proceedings in the second half in what was a very open game. Verpakovskis, Maksim Shatskikh and Oleh Gusev were denied for Dynamo, while efforts from Brandao, Matuzalem and Srna failed to save Shakhtar from defeat.