The case for Lviv

THE SUPPORT IN LVIV IS HOSTILE AND VOCAL

Ukraine have been drawn to play Slovenia in the Euro 2016 qualifying play-offs, a repeat of the Euro 2000 play-off. The question is, where should Ukraina play the home leg (the 1st leg) of the tie, Kyiv or Lviv?

During this qualifying campaign, Zbirna played two games in Kyiv and three in Lviv with vastly contrasting fortunes. Two defeats in Kyiv and three victories in Lviv, albeit the opposition in the Kyiv games (Slovakia & Spain) was stronger than those in Lviv (Macedonia, Luxembourg & Belarus).

Ukraina have a fantastic record in Lviv which has seen them win 11, draw 2 and never lose in the 13 games they have played in the city. The atmosphere at the Arena Lviv is as hostile and patriotic as they come in Europe.  The most recent game played at the stadium was the 3:1 victory over neighbours Belarus.  The former Dynamo Kyiv midfielder and current Belarus head-coach Aleksandr Khatskevic recently commented on the game, saying that his players were intimidated during the singing of the national anthems.  It is this kind of support that will help Ukraina on their way to (hopefully) finally ending their play-off curse.

This is not meant to be an attack on the support in Kyiv as the support in the city is also fantastic and Zbirna have produced magnificent performances in front of their home crowd, notably against France in the 1st leg of the World Cup Qualifier and against Sweden in Euro 2012.  However it can also put more pressure on Zbirna should things not go their way early on in the games, this was evident against Slovakia and Spain.  The more intimate surroundings at the Arena Lviv, a stadium without a running track, help the atmosphere and of course the residents in the city are among the most patriotic in the country.

FOMENKO HAS SPOKEN HIGHLY OF THE ARENA LVIV SUPPORT

The Football Federation of Ukraine (FFU) have moved key games away from Kyiv in the past, most notably the 2010 World Cup qualifying play off against Greece, which was moved to the Donbas Arena. So there is a precedent for the federation to take such a decision.   Ukraina have not got a good record historically in Donetsk but it is the opposite in Lviv.  The Ukrainian players always speak positively about the atmosphere in Lviv and hopefully the FFU takes this into consideration when deciding on the venue.  Mykhaylo Fomenko compared the atmosphere at Arena Lviv to the once he received while playing for Dynamo Kyiv when 100,000 people came to the old Respublican Stadium (before being re-named NSC Olympiyskyi).  After the win against Macedonia, Fomenko praised the crowd telling Sport Express “It was a stunning atmosphere at this stadium.  When so many people crowd the stadium and each one supports the teams, wills them on, the positive energy is transferred to the players and they don’t want to let the fans down”.  It is this sort of support that will guide Ukraina to Euro 2016.

ARENA LVIV IS SMALLER THAN THE NSC OLYMPIYKSYI BUT PRODUCES A HOSTILE ATMOSPHERE

Although the Arena Lviv is much smaller than the NSC Olympiyskyi it does not mean that it is worse for Ukraina. Wales have benefited from playing games at the smaller Cardiff City Stadium rather than the Millenium Stadium and this has helped them on their way to Euro 2016.  Slovenia rotate their games among stadiums, but there biggest, the Stozice Stadium in Ljubljana is only 15,000 in Ljubljana, so either stadium Ukraina play in will dwarf the Ljubljana Arena.  When the teams met in the Euro 2000 play-off the second leg was at the NSC Olympiyskyi but a freak snow storm levelled the playing field while the Bezigrad Stadium in Ljubljana is now derelict and has been replaced.

LE RENDES-VOUX

It is my personal opinion that Zbirn Ukraina would benefit from the game being played in Lviv.

The first leg of the tie will be in Ukraina on 14th November with the second leg in Slovenia on 17th.

It is expected that the announcement will be made on Tuesday as to whether the game is in Kyiv or Lviv.

Article by Petro Chymera, Vice-President of the UK Ukrainian Sports Supporters Club and co-founder of the Viktor Leonenko Hall of Fame. Follow Petro on twitter – @PMChymera89 & @DonetskWay2012