| Lokomotiv lost its first match as the winner of the Russian championship The railwaymen's rival in the main European club tournament, Borussia Dortmund, surpassed the Russians in only one thing - the ability to convert chances. Matthias Sammer's team sent only two goals into Sergei Ovchinnikov's goal, but both of them reached the goal, reminding the fans gathered at the stadium in Cherkizovo of the famous German pragmatism.
However, the Lokomotiv players should blame themselves for the defeat (1:2). After Ignashevich put the team ahead, they lost their sense of reality and made a series of mistakes that allowed the guests to quickly change the score on the scoreboard. “From the first minutes of the meeting, Lokomotiv seized the initiative, probably in the first 30 minutes we generally showed our best game in the Champions League,” Sergei Ovchinnikov told a Vremya Novostei newspaper correspondent after the game. - However, having come forward, we relaxed. And, to be honest, I couldn’t help you out, because the blows of Frings and Koller could have been repelled.”
Special mention should be made about Borussia's tall Czech striker Jan Koller. The forward constantly put pressure on Lokomotiv's defense, winning almost all of the aerial duels. And although Yuri Semin, on the eve of the meeting, calculated how to neutralize the Czech, he nevertheless failed to carry out this plan. “Since it was not possible to beat him in the air, our players were instructed not to give him the opportunity to take possession of the ball, try to intercept passes or create an artificial offside position,” Semin shared his secrets after the match. “But when Koller scored the second goal, our defense could not do anything.”
The fact that Maminov did not come out for the second half, who was put out of action by the same Koller, who broke the eyebrow of our footballer in the fight on the second floor, also affected Lokomotiv’s game. Semin had to make adjustments to the team's actions, but in the end the score did not change. “Although we won, this match cannot be called easy by any means,” Dortmund goalkeeper Jens Lehmann shared his impressions of the match. - Obiora caused me personally the biggest problems. But I turned out to be more cunning and more self-confident than him. This is probably another argument in favor of the fact that Borussia was stronger.”
However, Lokomotiv will still have the opportunity to refute this statement by Lehmann. This is exactly what South African railway legionnaire Jacob Lekheto recalled: “It’s always sad to start a tournament with a defeat, but we also started the first group stage with a loss to Galatasaray.” So the result of the match with Borussia should not negate Lokomotiv’s hopes. We will not give up without a fight."
The Russian club will play its next match in the Champions League against Real Madrid only on December 11. This meeting will be the last for the railway workers in the most successful season in the history of Lokomotiv. And in order to end 2002 with even greater optimism, Yuri Semin’s team will have to perform well at the Santiago Bernabeu. But for this, the team’s players must maintain their playing shape, which will not be easy to do. And I really want to believe that the words of Borussia coach Matthias Sammer that “in Madrid, Lokomotiv will show football to the envy of many” will not remain an ordinary compliment from the winner to the loser. Denis VDOVIN |
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