Coach defiant after Dynamo Kiev dumped out of Europe

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Dynamo Kiev coach Anatyoly Demyanenko said he was not afraid of losing his job after the Ukrainian club were dumped out of European competition. Demyanenko has been criticised over his side's poor Champions League record, with club officials vowing to stage a "cleanout". But he told a news conference after Dynamo's 1-1 draw with Steaua Bucharest on Tuesday: "This is the way things go when you are a coach. I am not afraid of losing my job. My conscience is clear and I did what I could." Dynamo players criticised match officials after having two goals disallowed in a game that gave them their first point in Group E after four straight defeats but eliminated them from both the Champions League and UEFA Cup. "I don't want to discuss the officiating. I will just say that the referee took away our victory," goalkeeper Oleksander Shovkovsky said on Dynamo's Web site (www.fcdynamo.kiev.ua) after the game in Romania. "Take my words for what they are worth. And if you have any doubts, look again at the video." Dynamo had efforts disallowed in the 49th minute, when Valentyn Belkevich netted after a collision between two players, and 14 minutes from time when Maksim Shatskikh was ruled offside. Midfielder Rodolfo, forced out by injury after the first half, said Dynamo had outplayed their opponents and failed to understand Czech referee Jaroslav Jara's actions. "I am sure he has his opinions on the matter, but I saw no infractions in either instance," he told the Web site. "But we have to accept the referee's verdict and prepare for a more successful match." Dynamo's final Champions League match is at home to Real Madrid next month. In Bucharest, former FIFA referee Ion Craciunescu said the decisions were taken by the linesman. He believed the decision to disallow Shatkikh's goal was incorrect. "The linesman is responsible for the chief referee's decision to cancel Shatkhikh's goal after deciding a wrong offside position," Craciunescu told Reuters. "The same linesman made a perfectly good decision when ruling a Dynamo foul immediately before the 49th minute goal. The main referee Jaroslav Jara is not responsible. He made his decision in accordance with the linesman's signal." Bucharest daily Gazeta Sporturilor gave a four out of 10 mark to linesman Miroslav Zlamal's officiating while Sport Total daily was even blunter: "Zlamal overturned without reason a Dynamo goal."