Startsev solves Metalist keeper crisis
Saturday, July 31, 2010
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SC Tavriya Simferopol's Ukrainian Cup-winning goalkeeper Maksym Startsev has answered the call of FC Metalist Kharkiv as they struggle with an injury to No1 Olexandr Goryainov.
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FC Metalist Kharkiv have drafted in former Ukraine goalkeeper Maksym Startsev as cover for injured No1 Olexandr Goryainov.
Startsev arrives on a three-year contract from Ukrainian Cup winners SC Tavriya Simferopol in time for Metalist's matches in the UEFA Europa League play-offs on 19 and 26 August. The 30-year-old former FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk and FC Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih player may even feature in these games should Metalist, third in Ukraine last season, consider Goryainov's regular understudy Dmytro Zhdankov too inexperienced.
Goryainov, a veteran of 264 Premier-Liha matches for Metalist, faces a month on the sidelines with an achilles injury sustained in the 2-1 home defeat by FC Dynamo Kyiv on 23 July. Startsev, capped twice by Ukraine in 2005, was part of Tavriya Simferopol's 2010 Ukrainian Cup-winning side. He also played in their subsequent 7-1 loss to FC Shakhtar Donetsk in the Ukrainian Super Cup earlier this month. Tavriya, like Metalist, enter the UEFA Europa League in the play-offs.
