The Champions Youth League is not over for the people of Žilina. In the rematch of the 2nd round, Ivan Belák’s men were able to erase the deficit from the first match and defeated Crvena zvezda Belgrade 2:0.
In an extremely exciting penalty shootout, it was only the eighth series that decided, and the people of Žilina celebrated at the end.
22 shots, 11 of them on goal
The Slovak champion lost the first match in Belgrade 1:3. The meeting was affected by the expulsion of defender Marek Rehák in the first half.
However, in the rematch, the Žilina youngsters were the masters of the pitch from the first minute. They didn’t let the opponent have any chance and created a lot of clear opportunities.
The home team had a total of 22 shots, 11 of which went on goal. The guests, on the other hand, had only three goal attempts and only one of them went into the goal area.
“There was only one team on the field today. The boys fulfilled what we said to ourselves after the away match, that we would be strong at home and could advance,” coach Belák said.
The guests wanted to drag out time practically from the opening minutes. They could not catch the quick combinations of the people from Žilina. František Kóša, who received the award for the best under-19 player a week ago at the Grassroots Gala, drove the guests’ defenders directly into despair and the stands into boiling water with some tricks.
On a cold early December evening, a little more than two thousand fans came to the stadium under Dubň, and football must have entertained them.
“We are grateful for every spectator who comes to youth football. I believe that next year it will be sold out again,” emphasized coach Belák.
VIDEO: The people of Žilina celebrate progress after penalties
“We thank all the fans. Fantasy has happened here again and we can still progress further and further,” said Patrik Baleja, the scorer of both goals.
Well-deserved progress
Žilina could have decided in regular time, the Serbian champion was stopped by the goalkeeper several times.
However, Patrik Baleja, who scored a goal in the first match, was able to beat him twice.
In the first half, he scored after a great pass from Kóš, and in the second, he found his way around the bounced ball.
“Unreal emotions. The goal in the first half encouraged us, we went after it and in the second half we scored the second. We deserve to be in the next round,” smiled the two-goal hero Baleja after the match.
“The field was already a bit broken, there were losses, inaccuracies, but we managed to deal with it and managed the match beautifully to zero,” he added.
They preferred experience
The Žilina team has already successfully managed one shootout this season. They advanced through the Irish Shelbourne FC so that the opponent did not score a single goal.
At that time, Tamás Tarcsi was in goal for the young Šošons, as Jakub Jokl was sent off at the end of the match.
After the penalty, Jokl returned to the goal, but he did not have much to do during the match.
“Even the goalkeeper coach leaned more towards experience. Jogi has more international experience,” explained the coach.
Penalties were forbidden
The people of Žilina believed in themselves before the penalties. “Usually we ask who is going to kick, who believes in themselves, and immediately six or seven hands flew up. You could see that the guys are set up in such a way that they can handle it in the shootout,” emphasized coach Belák.
Kóš started the shootout superbly, Marek Okál also converted.
In the third set, goalkeeper Savo Radanović caught Teodor Staník’s shot, but in the fourth set, visiting Ognjen Mišič also made a mistake, hitting the post.
Fabian Bzdyl, Manuel Yendare, Patrik Baleja, Tobiáš Pališčák and Kristián Stručka scored for the hosts.
“The guys practice penalties every day, but they were forbidden to do it on Monday and Tuesday before the game,” remarked the coach with a smile.
The referee did not throw them out
The people from Žilina were not deterred even when the referee Ben Mcmaster from Northern Ireland corrected the ball several times during the shootout and sent Yandare to kick the second ball from the field of play near the sideline before the fifth set.
“It upset me personally, because such things can happen with that player,” said the coach.
When a similar situation occurred in the next period before the visitors were supposed to take a penalty, the referee went to clear the second ball from the field himself.
In the eighth series, there was a mistake by the visiting player, Ognjen Ivkovič kicked the goal high.
The draw will be on Friday
Žilina made it to the playoffs among the 32 best teams. The draw for the next round will take place on Friday.
From now on, it is played for one match.
“We will wish for an attractive opponent, through which we will pass,” stated coach Ivan Belák.
