Dynamo Kiev, the Soviet Soccer Team, Is Here to Do More Than Play the Sockers in an Exhibition : They’ve Come Across World to See the Sights

Don’t talk to players on Dynamo Kiev about how arduous National Basketball Assn. trips are.

The outdoor champions of the Supreme League in the Soviet Union left a cold and snowy train station in Kiev last Thursday morning. After spending a foggy day in Moscow, the 23-member traveling party flew to Brussels Saturday. From there, they flew to Montreal, then to Los Angeles Sunday.

Their 22-hour journey concluded with a bus trip from Los Angeles to the Hotel Inter-Continental in San Diego Sunday night. Dinner was served upon their arrival.

“Our dinner didn’t finish until close to 2 in the morning,” said Francis Reilly, Socker vice-president, who greeted the Soviet contingent in Los Angeles.

Dynamo Kiev is in the U.S. to play an exhibition match against the Sockers Wednesday night in the San Diego Sports Arena.

When Dynamo Kiev was unable to arrange another game against a Major Indoor Soccer League club, it appeared it would have one of the farthest one-game trips ever. However, at a late date, they arranged a game against an all-star team on Friday night in the Coliseum at Phoenix. The all-star team is comprised of former professional players and players living in the Phoenix area.

Playing games is just one of the many activities planned for the Soviet team. And if the players have their way, a trip to Disneyland will be added to the schedule.

At 9 Monday morning, the Soviet players and coaches were milling around the hotel lobby in preparation for a press conference. Except for star veteran forward Oleg Blokhin, the other 14 players on the trip were in the United States for the first time.

“California means Hollywood for me,” midfielder Vladimir Bessonov said.

Four of Dynamo Kiev’s top players (Sergei Baltatcha, Anatoli Demianenko, Bessonov and Blokhin), chief coach Valeri Lobanovski, head of the group Boris Voskresenski and manager and translator Mikhail Oshemkov represented the team at the press conference. Dynamo Kiev also has a team masseur in its traveling party.

The gathering was held in a room which offered a panoramic view of sailboats docked in a glistening San Diego Bay. It was a far cry from Kiev.

“Actually, it was warming up when we left,” Oshemkov said. “It was 5 degrees above zero at the end of last week.”

While Oshemkov searched for the correct words in English, Ron Newman, Socker coach, read his welcoming address in Russian off a note card.

Then came the official proceedings.

“Ladies and gentlemen and comrades,” said Lobanovski, through Oshemkov. “We accept the invitation to come here with great pleasure. We will try to do our best to show good soccer and to entertain the spectators.”

Newman had his turn.

“For our players, it is a great honor to play in this game,” he said. “To us, Dynamo Kiev is like the Los Angeles Raiders are to the Chargers. They have a great reputation.”

Dynamo Kiev has an international reputation in outdoor soccer. However, they use indoor soccer as a training game and play in halls without sideboards. They haven’t played an indoor game since competing in a tournament in Germany last January.

When asked about the differences between the indoor and outdoor games, Lobanovski said: “This game (indoor version) is to some extent limited in tactics.”

Standing next to Lobanovski at the podium, Newman could not let that comment slide by.

“I don’t think so,” Newman whispered.

Later in the day at the Sockers’ practice, Newman admitted he had the same feelings as Lobanovski when he first saw the indoor game. Four consecutive championships later, one of the innovators of the indoor game has sure changed his mind.

When the Sockers were practicing at the Sports Arena, the Soviets watched films. They got their first look at the Sockers by viewing a tape of a game provided by the San Diego front office.

It wasn’t just any game.

Roll the film of the Sockers’ 14-2 win over Baltimore in the fourth game of the Major Indoor Soccer League championship series on May 25, 1984.

“What the heck did you give them that for?” Newman asked. “They are probably on their way home now.”

After watching the film, Bessonov said, “We noticed a high standard of skills. The main technical problem for our players is that they are not used to the boards.”

Dynamo Kiev spent the early part of Monday afternoon running precision drills, getting accustomed to the boards and blasting rockets around the Sports Arena. Every shot resembled a right-footer by Branko Segota.

During practice, Oshemkov noticed the big American flag hanging in the arena. He asked about the size of the Soviet flag that will be hanging alongside of it Wednesday night.

Reilly said the Soviet flag would be smaller, and said he did not know of any larger Soviet flags in the San Diego area.

“I think the flags should be of equal size,” Oshemkov said.

At that point, Reilly said the Sockers will contact the Soviet embassy in San Francisco in an attempt to have a larger flag flown down for the game.

“We will do everything to accommodate them,” Reilly said.

After practice, the Russian team boarded a red double-decker bus and headed to Children’s Hospital for lunch and a tour during which they handed out postcards of Russia. Another practice session and a trip to Sea World are scheduled today.

“We really want to see the city and meet the citizens,” Blokhin said.

In between practicing, touring, and watching films, they might even get some sleep. But don’t count on it. They can do that on the return flights to Montreal, Brussels and Moscow and on the train ride home to Kiev.