Epicenter Secures Narrow Victory Over Kudrivka: Rojas' Debut Goal and Red Card

In a tense match of the 22nd round of the Ukrainian Premier League, Epicenter clinched a crucial 1-0 victory against Kudrivka at the Lviv Bereg Stadium, marking their third win in the last four matches. This victory allows Epicenter to move out of the relegation zone, providing a much-needed boost as they aim to solidify their position in the league.

The standout moment of the match came from Spanish winger Carlos Rojas, who scored his debut goal for Epicenter in the 56th minute. After receiving the ball, Rojas skillfully maneuvered his way into the center of the penalty area, evading three defenders before delivering a precise shot into the far corner of the net, opening the scoring for his team.

However, the celebration of Rojas' goal turned sour as he received a second yellow card for removing his jersey in excitement, leading to his dismissal from the match. The 23-year-old had already received a yellow card in the first half, which came as a surprise to the team and left them with a numerical disadvantage.

Despite Rojas' early exit, Epicenter managed to maintain their lead and secure the vital three points. Head coach Serhiy Nahornyak addressed the situation regarding Rojas, noting that the player had been anxious about his lack of goals in previous matches. "I know that Rojas was very upset about not scoring. He received a yellow card for his first goal. What can I say? I liked what happened after the goal. The team became one unit, and let’s be honest, we didn’t give the opponent any chances," Nahornyak stated.

Nahornyak emphasized his awareness of Rojas' capabilities, as he sees him in training every day. "Believe me, he has an incredible shot. You saw how he was feeling. He is still getting used to Spanish football. Regardless of what happened, he did well and scored a very important goal for the team. He will only improve from here," he added.

The coach also pointed out that the team had tried to communicate to Rojas not to remove his jersey, but unfortunately, his grasp of the Ukrainian language was not sufficient to understand the instructions. "You saw it: he ran and immediately started taking it off. The guys started shouting, but unfortunately, he hasn’t learned enough Ukrainian yet," Nahornyak explained.

As it stands, Epicenter occupies the 11th position in the UPL standings. Their next match will be against Zorya on Sunday, April 12, at 15:30. This game will be crucial for the team, which is eager to solidify its league position and avoid relegation playoffs.

Previously, we reported on how a Dynamo legend assessed Kostyuk's team's chances of winning the UPL title, as well as comments from renowned coach Myron Markevych regarding the championship race in the Ukrainian Premier League.

Photo: flashscore.ua