Oleksiy Hutsulyak opened the scoring for Zhytomyr's "Polissya" in their Conference League qualifier, but it wasn't enough to prevent a 1:2 home defeat to Andorran side "Santa Coloma" in the first leg of the second qualifying round.
The Ukrainian club, managed by Ruslan Rotan, took the lead in the 21st minute when Hutsulyak capitalized on a well-timed pass from Oleksandr Andriyevsky. A promising start, indeed.
"We created our chances but failed to convert them into goals," could have been Rotan's assessment after watching his team squander multiple opportunities.
The advantage was short-lived, however. Just six minutes after falling behind, Ot Remolins equalized for the visitors after finding himself unmarked in the penalty area – a defensive lapse that would prove costly for the hosts.
Before halftime, David Crespo delivered another blow to the Ukrainian side. The defender drifted in from the flank, positioned himself at the edge of the penalty area, and curled a beautiful shot into the top corner, giving "Santa Coloma" a 2:1 lead they wouldn't relinquish.
The second half saw plenty of physical play and several chances for "Polissya" to level the score. Their finishing, however, left much to be desired. By the way, Rotan made multiple substitutions throughout the match, bringing in Taylor, Sarapiy, Filippov, Krushynsky, and Nazarenko in search of an equalizer.
Now the Ukrainian club faces an uphill battle in the return leg, scheduled for July 31 in Andorra. Can Rotan's men overturn this deficit on the road? The answer will come next week.
Match details: Polissya 1:2 Santa Coloma Goals: Hutsulyak (21') - Remolins Planes (27'), Crespo Surita (44')
