Shakhtar sit in second in Champions League Group C as they welcome Atalanta at the final hurdle of the group stages! Whoever wins this tie will likely make next year’s knockout rounds!
After their valiant effort of drawing against Manchester City a fortnight ago, they will need to better such a performance tonight if they want to ensure their string of late comebacks in this season’s competition haven’t all been for nothing!
Shakhtar seriously impressed at the Etihad, despite missing their two most pivotal attacking players in Marlos and Taison. Their pace on the counter attack troubled City on a number of occasions and had some of their players been more clinical, a win was not beyond the bounds of possibility!
Furthermore, the defence looked resolute and assured, keeping the likes of Bernardo Silva, Sterling and Jesus quiet. Even when it was left down to Pyatov to save his side he was on hand to ensure there were no repeats of last season’s 6-0 defeat.
In what was a slightly makeshift Shakhtar side in that game, Castro has an almost entirely fit squad to choose from on this occasion. Changes can be expected along with a shift in the game plan. With Donetsk playing at home, they’re likely to play on the front foot.
As a result, Taison and, the recently returning from injury, Marlos can be expected to deputise. Alan Patrick looked world class against the Premier League champions and he will be expected to be pivotal once more, connecting defence and attack, whilst Stepanenko does the shadow work, cleaning up sloppy passes and hard impact tackles.
Tete impressed against City but it will be a toss up between him and Konoplyanka as to who will be sacrificed to bring back in the official Shakhtar captain Taison, whilst Kovalenko is the other player expected to move to the bench in favour of Marlos.
Predicted Shakhtar Line Up:
Pyatov
Dodo
Matvienko
Kryvstov
Ismaily
Stepanenko
Alan Patrick
Marlos
Taison
Tete
Moraes
The Miners come up against an Atalanta side this evening that have been impressing domestically but have had a seriously slow start to their debut campaign in the UCL.
After three consecutive defeats, in the past two fixtures, the Bergamo side have started to find their feet.
A draw with Manchester City and defeating Zagreb means this tie is finely poised, with a potentially winner takes all scenario for both sides.
Ruslan Malinovksyi did not start at the weekend against Verona but was drafted in as an early first half substitution. He rather aptly put on one of his best performances of the season; he not only scored a sensational 30 yarder, but was instrumental in the build up for the other goals his side scored!
It’s uncertain as to whether he will start today, with Gasperini favouring others in the previous fixtures but he is more than likely going to make an appearance of some sort. Shakhtar will need to be wary of him once or if he does come on!
This match is technically a cup final fixture (of sorts). If Shakhtar lose, Atalanta go above them. If Shakhtar win or draw (depending on whether Zagreb win or not) could still scrape through to the last 16. Meanwhile one eye will be on the game in Croatia, with Manchester City already qualified as group winners, wholesale changes can be anticipated from Pep’s starting XI!
It’s going to be tough, especially as it took a 95th minute winner to see off Atalanta in the reverse, back in Italy but if they can play to anything of the intensity and determination of the game in Manchester then Shakhtar should be in good stead for being a ball in Monday’s Last 16 draw!
It was a rather quiet week in Ukrainian football but a few notable pieces of news occurred nonetheless.
Ukraine were drawn into Group C at next year’s Euros and will play against Netherlands, Austria and one of Romania or Belarus/Georgia/Kosovo/N Macedonia! Their group stage games will take place at the Johan Cruyff Arena in Amsterdam & Arena Nationala in Bucharest.
Elsewhere the Ukrainian Player of the Year award saw Taison pick up the top Player of the Year in Ukraine award, Shevchenko picked up the Manager accolade whilst Oleksandr Zinchenko was named the best foreign player!
With no midweek football, it was only UPL action from last weekend that got us through to this week!
Zorya beat Karpaty 2-0 to keep up with Dynamo whilst the losers are now level bottom due to results elsewhere.
Dnipro-1 also beat a Lviv team as they won on the road to get a consecutive victory for the first time this season. Lviv remain joint bottom with Karpaty on 11 points.
The Yuri Maxymov revolution well and truly begun after a poor start the week before. His Vorskla side defeated Kolos by a single goal to draw level with Lviv and Karpaty. Making the relegation battle a 3 pronged race for now!
Desna then steamrolled a visibly European hungover Oleksandriya who were still feeling their Europa League defeat to Wolfsburg. Fillipov got back to scoring ways as they ended up 2-0 winners to keep up with Dynamo and Zorya in the medal spots!
Mariupol then shocked the league as they drew with a half strength Shakhtar! They claimed their first point over Shakhtar in the history of the UPL. However Shakhtar will be less worried by the result as they remain 11 points clear at the top!
Dynamo then concluded Matchday 16 with an eventually resounding win over Olimpik at the Lobanovskyi! They stunted the recent form of Vicente Gomez’s men despite getting back into the game at 1-1!
When Besiedin is scoring a brace, you know there wasn’t too much of a contest!
PREDICTION TIME
Shakhtar Donetsk v Olimpik Donetsk
After last week’s shock draw to Mariupol, Shakhtar will be looking to warm up in the right way ahead of their crucial ‘cup final’ group stage tie against Atalanta on Wednesday. They face Olimpik Donetsk, whose manager is fresh from winning November’s UPL manager of the month award.
Despite the fact that Olimpik ended up losing to Dynamo last time out, they weren’t too far off the pace, getting an equaliser and troubling the returning Boyko a few times.
However with it expected that Castro will give his senior side a run out ahead of the UCL tie, a victory for the hosts looks to be the only result on the cards here.
For all their fight, it will be another blip on Olimpik’s impressive recent record before they get back to playing against more level opposition next week. 3-0
Oleksandriya v Vorskla Poltava
Oleksandriya suffered from a European hangover last week. They not only lost in the UEL but also fell to the superior Desna in the league.
Vorskla on the other hand defied the odds and actually got a win under their plate, the first of the Maxymov era! They now have a chance of getting out of trouble if they string a few more positive results together because their closest rivals look to be in dire straits.
Even still, Oleksandriya will have had time to rejuvenate over the week, knowing that their final UEL game v Gent is little more than a glorified friendly. As such they will have greater focus on the immediate task at hand, aiming to keep in touch with Desna and the others as best they can.
Maxymov has not instilled any kind of revolutionary tactics into his team just yet but it’s not going to be easy for Sharan’s men to break Poltava down. However, goals at the other end won’t come freely either, with the current state of the Vorskla attack coupled with the solidity of the Oleksandriya backline.
This game is not going to be pretty or entertaining but you would expect a narrow win for the home side to be the minimum requirement for Sharan and the fans. 1-0
Kolos Kovalivka v Dnipro-1
Kolos come into this on the back of Vorskla’s ‘new manager bounce’ last weekend and as they have shown on more than one occasion this season, they don’t travel well. Hence one of the reasons for their loss.
However, when looked in the whole, Kolos just weren’t good enough. With the game this weekend returning to the Obolon Arena and the usual bussed in home crowd back in the stands, it should be a different story.
Viljhalmsson was off the pace last time round, still looking to return to 100% match fitness after playing his first bit of competitive football in almost six months over the past fortnight.
Dnipro on the other hand have had a slight uplift in fortunes, winning their first games back to back. Both sides have been current relegation fodder and as such it would have been expected to defeat such underachieving foes.
The flow with the youth looks to be slowly restarting as Kohut was on the scoresheet last week and Korkishko continued his own goalscoring form from midfield.
This has the hallmarks to be have a few goals in it. Neither defence is renowned for solidity and as such goals should be expected. Having said that, it’s difficult to separate the two over the course of the season so far on paper and how they actually end up playing. 2-2
Mariupol v Lviv
Mariupol will be on cloud nine after last week’s first ever point over Shakhtar in the league. Whilst the Champions did field a half weakened side, the ability to say that your side drew with what many call the ‘parent club’ can silence a few critics who say they usually just roll over in all other occasions.
However it was interesting to hear some accusations flying around that Mariupol were actually gifted this point by Shakhtar on purpose in order to aid the former’s chasing of a Championship group place. Once qualified they will be well out of their depth but the potential will be there for them to take points off of Shakhtar’s rivals in the title run in. Make of that what you will.
Regardless, Mariupol have played well at home this season and see Lviv travel from west to almost the furthest East of the country to try and save their own season. They’re level at the bottom of the table and judging on recent showings, it doesn’t look too optimistic in respects to staying up and even staying afloat as a club.
Mariupol have a more cohesive side, that can take the game to their opponents when they are in the mood. Lviv on the other hand can hardly score at all. There’s only one way this will be going. 2-0
Karpaty Lviv v Desna Chernihiv
Karpaty remain in serious trouble! They are level on points with two other sides at the bottom and boast the worst form in the league.
Unfortunately they’re facing Desna who have not been shy of scoring goals this season and challenging the big teams for a medal spot!
Chernihiv looked to be on a mission to avenge their surprise loss against Kolos a week earlier as they made rather light work of Oleksandriya. They neutralised their visitors’ counter attacking threat and Fillipov returned to the scoresheet. His impact has been missed in recent weeks but that goal should give him the confidence to continue in the same vein.
Meanwhile Karpaty were compounded to another loss. Despite the side on paper looking to be able to string more than a few passes together, the football on the field looks uninspired and clueless. How long does Sanzhar have left and can any other manager actually solve this mess? It looks to go way beyond the coach and his staff!
An away victory looks rather inevitable. It won’t be overwhelming but Desna look to have the squad and belief that they can easily pick off these lower sides now. 0-2
Dynamo Kyiv v Zorya Luhansk
There can be now qualms about this match being the main event of the UPL calendar this weekend!
Dynamo did their usual job of beating a side they were expected to but in stressful fashion whilst Zorya got a customary win over Karpaty. Just two points separates these sides who currently sit in second and third. As such whoever wins this will certainly look to be sitting in silver during the winter break.
However the advantage looks to be in favour of Dynamo as Zorya’s two star men this season are on loan from the club! Rusyn and Lednev are likely to miss out due to contract rules.
Although Dynamo may well be distracted with their own cup final type final group stage UEL game on Thursday. Lugano must be beaten at all costs. Whether this has any impact on the UPL game will have to wait and see but a similar line up to the Olimpik game would not be surprising.
Besedin up top and De Pena starting on the left.
Clashes between these sides are always entertaining and even without their key men earlier in the season, Zorya had enough to tie with Dynamo back in Zaporizhya (including a goal of the season nominee – a bicycle kick finish from Joel Abu Hanna to tie the game at 2-2)
As such a draw wouldn’t be too surprising to be seen here again. 1-1
What’s new in the UPL then? Nothing much really. Shakhtar still lead by 13 points and don’t look like slipping.
They opened Matchday 15 with a 4-1 win over Lviv in Kharkiv last Friday before flying out to Manchester!
Here they faced Premier League Champions Man City and actually came away with a result! They made up for last year’s embarrassing showing, wherein they lost 6-0 with a 1-1 draw that could have even been turned into a win.
Manor Solomon came off the bench to score Shakhtar’s first ever goal in Manchester to send the Shakhtar fans into ecstasy. Had it not been for a few further missed chances, The Miners could have left The Etihad with all three points!
Oleksandriya then took on Zorya and beat them 1-0 to tighten up the medal places race before travelling to Lviv and preparing for their vital Europa League tie with Wolfsburg. Unfortunately it wasn’t meant to be for Oleksandriya this season.
They fought bravely and should have deserved a draw at least in this game (to keep their slim KO round Qualification chances alive) but alas a Weghorst penalty was enough for the German side to take three points and secure their own spot in next February’s Round of 32!
Dnipro-1 stepped up to beat bottom club Vorskla in very controversial fashion. A very soft penalty which resulted in a non involved Vorskla player dislocating his arm, gave Dnipro-1 all three points and inflicted Yuri Maximov a managerial debut defeat at the helm of Poltava. He has A LOT to do if he is to save and rebuild the club’s fortunes on the pitch!
Arni Vihjmalsson was the talk of the terraces at the Obolon Arena as high flying Desna visited Kolos. But the Icelandic forward was ready to help his new side upset the odds. He inevitably scored on his debut as the hosts ended up as 2-0 victors and keep themselves in the running for a post winter break Championship Group spot!
Roman Sanzhar then hosted his former side Olimpik at Stadion Ukraina. Despite taking an early lead, thanks to Nazaryna, who is in electric form at the moment; the Donetsk outfit as they have a habit of doing against Karpaty in recent times, turned the game on its head. They won 2-1 to leave Karpaty with even more to think about. Another relegation embattled rest of the season looks to be on the cards!
Finally, Dynamo stepped up to dispatch Mariupol in comfortable fashion and took advantage of the clubs around them capitulating to move into second again! They beat the Azov visitors 3-0!
If only the Europa League was as easy as the UPL… Dynamo flew to Malmo to face their Swedish counterparts in what was predicted to be a low scoring boring affair. It was quite the opposite.
This goalfest began with Dynamo conceding inside 5 minutes, then turning the game around to lead 2-1 at the break. The second half was a complete role reversal as Malmo looked more determined and hungry for the result. They equalised shortly after half time before Sydorchuk got a second yellow for dissent.
Verbic actually put 10 man Dynamo infront before Malmo equalised again. As the game looked to be settling for a draw, in the 6th minute of 6 added on, the retiring Marcus Rosenberg was allowed to run unmarked into the box to connect with a cross and send the Swedbank Arena into raptures.
For Dynamo, it’s more questions to be asked of the manager and now they MUST beat Lugano at the Olympiyskyi if they want to play European football in the new year!
PREDICTION TIME
Zorya Luhansk v Karpaty Lviv
After underwhelming against Oleksandriya last weekend and already losing their brief stint as silver medal placeholders, Zorya will be wanting to get back to winning ways.
Fortunately for them, they come up against one of the most disappointing teams in the league.
Karpaty lost at home once again after being unable to hold onto and build on their opener. They have one bright spark this season and that is former Dynamo youth player Egor Nazaryna who seems to be the only creative and goalscoring outlet in the side at the moment. If it wasn’t for him, Karpaty could be sitting even lower than they already are.
Zorya will be confident enough, especially with the game at the Slavutych of resining their tours against the league’s weaker sides. Nazariy Rusyn needs to start for the Dawn, showing Skrypnyk that his dynamic mix of pace and strength is more valuable than a duo of Hromov and Kabaev. ‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ and trying to change up what was a successful and flourishing attack has not done Luhansk any favours.
Either way, they could start with any of their combinations up top and will still be expected to come away with all three points. One way traffic. 3-0
Lviv v Dnipro-1
Another Lviv side seriously struggling to string positive results together. It seems the only thing differentiating Lviv and bottom club Vorskla at the moment is that they were able to beat their relegation rivals, but then beyond that little much else.
Yet, despite the fact that Lviv kept Shakhtar at bay and even got back into their game against the leaders, the game ended 4-1. No real surprises there. It still beckons the question as to what Lviv offer the league. Their football is disjointed and their previously respectable defence has turned into a sieve.
On the other hand, the visitors have not been much better so far this season. They too beat Vorskla but made a meal out of it. Had it not been for a very dubious penalty decision, then three points would not have come.
Dnipro-1’s attacking threat has seemingly neutered itself, now relying on goals from midfield despite early promise when the campaign kicked off. The youngsters have faded away and the defence just seems to lack the quality to challenge for a top six place seriously.
Rather ironically, Dnipro-1 still stand a big chance of challenging for the final Championship group spot, sitting just three points off the pace. On paper they have the edge in terms of squad quality and as such should get this game over the line. It won’t be enjoyable and it certainly won’t be pretty. 0-1
Vorskla Poltava v Kolos Kovalivka
There’s only one name making the headlines ahead of this tie and it’s ARNI!
The Icelandic winger returned to the UPL in style last week and got the all important debut goal under his belt. Now he has hit the ground running, it would be expected of him to continue creating chances and rejuvenating a Kolos side that had been stagnating in form.
Yuri Maxymov’s first game in charge was markedly opposite. Not much changed in terms of playing style as his Vorskla side lost to Dnipro-1 (albeit unfairly). They looked slightly more organised at the back but that may have been more due to the fact that Dnipro-1 rarely threatened. Vorskla’s own attack was at is has been all season… impotent.
Chance creation and goals look like they will be steadily increasing for Kostyshyn’s Kovalivka. Lysenko looked sharp and games against lower opposition will be the main games to pick points up from. Kovalivka, whilst far from the setting the UPL alight are certainly a more structured and entertaining side than their opponents and should edge this one. Another misery compiler for Poltava fans. 0-2
Mariupol v Shakhtar Donetsk
The Donbas Derby (otherwise known as ‘the ‘unofficial’ sister club showdown). Shakhtar look to continue their latest UPL win streak as they return to their home oblast.
Buoyed by their sensational performance in midweek against Manchester City, a full strength Shakhtar should get a run out against a weakened Mariupol.
How many of Mariupol’s on loan Miner players are allowed to play against their parent club is something that will need to wait and see until the line ups are out. However it wouldn’t be surprising to see a large number sit out. Not that a full strength Mariupol would be a match for Shakhtar anyway.
There will be goals. It’s also impossible to see any other outcome than an away win. Shakhtar won the reverse fixture 5-1 back in August and not much has changed since then other than Shakhtar settling in further under Castro’s management. Is there potential for a European hangover… absolutely not! 4-0
Desna Chernihiv v Oleksandriya
These sides go into the tie level on points in the table! They sit just three points off of Dynamo in second! So this game presents both a chance to keep in touch with that silver medal place whilst also creating distance between a close rival!
Desna go into this game on the back of a surprise defeat to Kolos. Their opponents may have had ‘new player bounce’ but that’s still not an excuse for Desna’s rather tepid performance. Their intensity had dropped in this one and defence looked to be one step behind the play.
Luckily due to events around them, both clubs still have a chance of medal spots and look to be well on course for a Championship group finish.
Oleksandriya go into the match rather disappointed that their Europa League knockout dream is over. In what was a tight game against Wolfsburg, Oleksandriya looked the better side for most of the game. It will depend on whether confidence and concentration can be maintained for the remaining fixtures of the year!
There may be a chance for a Europa League hangover but with focus now reverting back to the league and cup; focus needs to be return immediately. Oleksandria also have a final game against Gent, which is more essential for the hosts to win (KAA G) over the Ukrainians.
Olimpik Donetsk v Dynamo Kyiv
To conclude this week’s action, a wounded Dynamo face Olimpik Donetsk at the Lobanovskyi. A home game away from home for the both sides.
Olimpik have seriously impressed and improved since Vicente Gomez arrived at the helm. The former Dynamo Kyiv coach, will be wanting to try and replicate Mykhaylcyhenko’s debut match in charge which saw Olimpik pick up their first point of the season in a 1-1 draw at the Olympiyskyi!
A lot has changed since then. Dynamo have continued to fall behind Shakhtar whilst shifting in between 5th and 2nd on an almost weekly basis.
Their loss in midweek to Malmo will also be a worrying point. Dynamo not only let a lead slip twice, they conceded 4 goals in the process. The usual lack of attacking potency and coherent counter attacking build up play was to blame.
It’s likely they will come back to the UPL this weekend, dust themselves down and get back to winning ways. Albeit the problems will just be papered over as is usually the case with European failures.
Rodrigues and Sol will be sat on the bench frustrated that they aren’t being given more chances when Besedin who keeps being rewarded with starts can’t seem to find the net either. Maybe it’s time for Mykhaylychenko to actually change the formation and implement a playing style?
Gomez’s Olimpik won’t be pushovers either so this should be an entertaining game with the underdogs likely to give it a real go. However, Dynamo to scrape by on this occasion. 1-2
Dynamo Kyiv return to Scandinavia as they face up against Malmö, just across the water from Copenhagen who they played in the previous Matchday!
Malmö is the side whom Mykhaylychenko broke down in tears against as Dynamo scored late on to overrule an underwhelming performance in Kyiv and secure an opening night win in the Europa.
Since then Dynamo have failed to win in Europe. They have drawn all three games, including two rather identical matches against Copenhagen. Malmö are weaker than their Danish counterparts, but play a similar style of football. All the teams in Group B are rather inept at finishing and as such a low scoring game is highly likely.
Fortunately for Mykhaylychenko he has a rather strong squad to call upon. One notable absence who has impressed recently is Popov at the heart of defence. However Kadar should be a more than apt replacement.
Dynamo can also take some positives from the fact that Denys Boyko has travelled, looking to make his return from injury. Tonight may be a game too early but his comeback is a boost nonetheless.
Benjamin Verbic rescued Dynamo a point in Denmark last time out in the Europa League and having celebrated his birthday yesterday, the omens look good for him to perform once again tonight!
The question that still seems unanswered is who will start upfront. Besiedin seems the likeliest of candidates but as is well documented he is far from the most effective. Dynamo will need to find goals from somewhere though if they want to top the group. They trail Copenhagen on goals scored with the rivals up against bottom club Lugano.
Oleksandriya welcome top of the group Wolfsburg to their adopted European home tonight, knowing anything but a win will seriously hinder their chances of continuing to play Europa League football in the new year!
Oleksandriya have impressed recently, especially after recording three consecutive comeback draws; twice against St Etienne and once against Gent. The previous fixture between tonight’s opponents resulted in Wolfsburg coming out as 3-1 winners back in Germany. However, Oleksandriya showed a really good account of themselves and hinted at what was to come.
Tonight’s game at Arena Lviv will be tough. Wolfsburg need to win themselves to challenge Gent for top spot and edge further away from the chasing Ukrainian side and french counterparts, St Etienne.
Fortunately, Volodymyr Sharan doesn’t have too many injury problems ahead of the game. Sitalo misses out as does Protasov but both are rather easily replaced. Bezborodko is expected to come in for the former, having scored in the last Matchday.
The manager can take respite in the fact that his side have kept consecutive clean sheets domestically ahead of this fixture. A confidence boosting 1-0 over a potent attacking side in Zorya on the weekend shows the defensive qualities and organisational skills of Sharan’s men.
Once again, the game will be won in the final thirds. Oleksandriya have had a few issues with finishing in their previous UEL ties and such limited chances will need to be converted if they are to get past Wolfsburg tonight. Likewise, the influential Luchkevych and Tretyakov on the wings and Kovalets through the middle will need to perfect their passing and feed whichever forward ends up starting.
Wolfsburg won in the league on the weekend but beforehand lost four consecutively. Albeit, all the sides they’ve faced have been the traditionally stronger Bundesliga clubs. Nonetheless, it proves that Wolfsburg are beatable.
Despite the gulf in class and disparity in squad value, Oleksandriya will go into this tie knowing that they have a good chance. A supportive Lviv crowd should assist the players’ morale but ultimately it’s down to Oleksandriya on the pitch to overcome the greatest challenge in the club’s history and make the knockout rounds!
Shakhtar Donetsk are in Manchester tonight as they face an all too familiar opponent in the Champions League!
Manchester City’s Etihad stadium plays host to yet another meeting between the English and Ukrainian Champions. It’s likely that players from both sides will be hoping this is the last time they will meet for a while, with the last three consecutive seasons playing out this now regular fixture between the two clubs!
None more so than Shakhtar, who are likely fed up of being soundly beaten in 4 of the last 5 ties, including a rather unfortunate but equally devastating 6-0 thrashing at this evening’s venue just over a year ago!
This season’s UCL campaign began with The Miners welcoming City to Kharkiv, where a far from full strength Guardiola team rather comfortably dispatched the Ukrainians 3-0.
It was still early days under new manager Luis Castro in mid September and his first major test as manager brought him back down to earth with a thud. Improvements would be required if they were hopeful of making the knockout rounds.
A last minute win against Atalanta helped boost morale, whilst two draws against Dinamo Zagreb, mean that the Donetsk side need to better their Croatian counterparts’ final results if they’re to pip them into second.
Shakhtar have been far from perfect in this edition of Uefa’s premier competition, with valiant but rather fortunate ends to matches aiding them in their pursuit of a Last 16 place.
Talismanic attacking midfielder Marlos is suspended but elsewhere Castro has a full strength squad to choose from. Rather uncharacteristically, he started with a rather strong side in their last league game before this midweek action. In the four previous occasions, wholesale changes were made to ensure the players were fresh for the upcoming European tie.
The international break likely played a role in this decision.
Moraes broke his recent goal duct to record a hat trick as Shakhtar routed second bottom Lviv 4-1. The result can be hardly classified as an optimal warm up in terms of quality of opposition but a win is a win nonetheless.
Castro should go all out for this one, especially with expectations rather low. They are facing Pep’s Premier League Champions after all.
Expected line up:
Pyatov
Ismaily
Matvienko
Kryvstov
Dodo
Tete
Stepanenko
Patrick
Kovalenko
Konoplyanka
Moraes
This had the billing of an All Ukrainian showdown with Zinchenko in opposite ranks but unfortunately due to his recent knee injury and subsequent surgery, he is still a week or so off from returning to first team action.
Nonetheless, City need a point to guarantee top spot, something the majority are expecting them to achieve and go one further by getting a comfortable win.
Even without the injured Aguero (who was unlikely to start this game anyway) Jesus has wreaked havoc before and will be wanting to further his impressive record against the Donbas club.
Will the winless record of Ukrainian clubs in England continue or can Ukraine’s current top club side break with history and against the odds?
International football has now officially declared itself over until the end of next March. Whilst it’s a sad time for all involved with Ukraine, who likely wish 2019 will never end, the UPL and European competitions don’t go into hibernation for another few weeks! So strap yourselves in as Ukrainian sides aim to see out the year in positive fashion and ensure that there is still something to play for in the spring!
UKRAINIAN FOOTBALL ROUND UP
The UPL returns two weeks after it found itself in worldwide news for all the wrong reasons.
The main game of Matchday 14 was the Kharkiv hosted version of the Ukrainian Clasico. In what was largely an uneventful game, which saw Shakhtar contain Dynamo rather comfortably; Dynamo’s Ultras weren’t going to let it end without incident.
In the 75th minute, Taison was through on goal and was brought down just inside the final third. As he got up, he heard what sounded like monkey chants coming from the Dynamo away end and acted angrily by showing the group a middle finger and then kicking the ball into the stand.
The referee shortly paused the game whilst an announcement was read out, as is according to UEFA protocol in the stadium. After 5 minutes the sides returned to the pitch whilst Taison was shown a red card for his gesture. This decision was met with derision across the world but the referee was following the laws of the game.
The UAF has since revealed the punishments for all parties involved. Taison will face a one game suspension for the middle finger whilst Dynamo are forced to hold one game behind closed doors and pay £16,000. A real shame that it’s the negatives that propel the UPL into the rare international spotlight.
Shakhtar ended up winning that game 1-0 thanks to a Kryvstov header and this means The Miners now sit 12 points clear a the top whilst Dynamo fall into fourth; 13 points away…
Elsewhere Mariupol and Karpaty held an entertaining game in the Donetsk Oblast. Mariupol took a dreaded two goal lead but found out the hard way as to how dangerous of a scoreline it is, as a Egor Nazaryna brace, including a last minute penalty ensure that there was a share of the spoils.
Desna’s recent winning streak hit a stumbling block as they were held at home to Dnipro-1. Albeit, as results elsewhere went their way, they remain only a point away from Zorya who sit in second.
Lviv got their first win in weeks as they won the ‘six pointer’ 2-0 against Vorskla, succumbing the latter side to another week at the bottom of the table. So much so that Vorskla parted ways with manager Kosovsky as the club look to have crisis point! Rapid change needs to be afoot under new manager Maximov if any improvements are to be seen.
Zorya then took advantage of the teams around them failing to win, by picking up their fourth consecutive league victory to move into the silver medal spot for the first time this campaign. They beat Kolos 2-0.
Viktor Skripnyk’s young side are doing everything right at the moment. They’re beating the teams in front of them and playing attractive football on top! However will inexperience price detrimental or can they maintain this for the remainder of the season…
Olimpik then closed the UPL off ahead of that final international break, getting a deserved draw against Oleksandriya. The visitors looked to have been suffering from a Europa League hangover after putting in so much effort and energy in their 2-2 draw against St Etienne. The UPL tie ended goalless.
Following these exciting fixtures, Ukraine were then in action for their final fixtures of the 2019 calendar year, aiming to end it unbeaten for the first time in their history… and they DID IT!
Ukraine began with a friendly against Estonia in Zaporizhya. This game was a chance for Shevchenko to experiment with some of the fringe players. Whilst Ukraine dominated the game, the end product was lacking. Fortunately a very late deflected Roman Bezus free kick ensured that the debut fixture in the city of the Kozaks, went down as a victory in the record books!
Next up came Serbia. It was the first time Ukraine would be playing their Southern Slavic counterparts in the Balkans. A hostile atmosphere was expected with Serbian Ultras notorious for being aggressive and highly energetic when it comes to support. However on the day of the day game this wasn’t the case. It turns out the fans are disillusioned with the current national team set up and the famous Delije end of the Maracana was overwhelmingly empty.
Ukraine went behind twice as the influence of missing midfield duo of Zinchenko and Stepanenko was plain to see. However as has been the case on many occasions this year, Sheva’s men did not give up. They got themselves back in it once and then equalised again in the 93rd minute to ensure that the Zbirna remained invincible in 2019!
Keep your eyes peeled on Zorya Londonsk over the next week for an in-depth analysis of Ukraine’s record breaking year and what can be expected from 2020 for Shevchenko’s Kozaks!
PREDICTION TIME
Shakhtar Donetsk v Lviv
It’s yet another Friday fixture for Shakhtar this season as they restart the UPL after the international break with a match up against Lviv.
This will be Shakhtar’s first game since the Ukrainian Clasico and the unsavoury events that marred that game and projected the UPL into the worldwide spotlight for all the wrong reasons. No investigative findings have been published yet and as of yet no punishments have been handed out and Taison’s red has not been rescinded either.
Whilst they may miss their key man, Shakhtar still have more than enough talent to see off a Lviv side experiencing a so far brief new manager bounce. Shakhtar sit 12 points ahead of their closest rivals, whilst Lviv sit second bottom. The gulf in class is enormous.
This won’t be the most challenging of ‘warm ups’ ahead of travelling to Manchester to face Zinchenko’s City on Tuesday and it wouldn’t be surprising to see yet another reserve side have a run out in Kharkiv.
Lviv may have shocked in Matchday 14 when they defeated an even poorer Vorskla but they really have underwhelmed this season. No giant killing on the cards here. With a weakened Shakhtar side taking to the pitch, it will be closer but still extremely one sided. 4-0
Oleksandriya v Zorya Luhansk
Fifth take on a surprising (but deserved) second placed in the Tie of the Round!
Oleksandriya ready themselves for their vital Europa League fixture with Wolfsburg with a matchup against the high flying Zorya.
The hosts will be wanting to get back to winning ways after a disappointing goalless draw against Olimpik last time out. Whilst they’re still very much in contention for second place alongside the three teams above them, this game could prove vital as to whether they start to fall behind the chasing pack.
On the other hand, Zorya are not only in form but they’re also out for revenge. Just under a month ago, Oleksandriya came out victorious on penalties in a repeat of this fixture in the cup.
Rusyn continued his fine development in the international break, scoring twice for the U21s whilst Lednev also impressed. Zorya need to maintain their winning run if they are to continue edging out the close Desna and Dynamo, with Oleksandriya not too far behind either.
It’s all well and good battering the likes of Vorskla and Dnipro-1 but the real test comes against the top half sides. It’s going to be tight and it looks difficult to separate these two. 1-1
Dnipro-1 v Vorskla Poltava
This game has a lot more intrigue to it than it would have done a few weeks ago. Vorskla, bronze medalists just two seasons ago have continued their steep decline and now sit bottom of the UPL. Vitaliy Kosovosky left his post as manager during the domestic hiatus and was replaced by another Dynamo Kyiv star of the late 90s – Yuri Maximov.
The problem is, Maximov is hardly a stellar name when it comes to coaching with mediocre spells at Metalruh Donetsk and a few Kazakh clubs in the past. He’s hardly got a track record as a survival specialist but he should be allowed to be given a chance. Vorskla aren’t down and out by any stretch and can leave the automatic drop zone with just a couple positive results.
However, the real interest will come from whether any consistency can be created under the new coach and whether the squad of players are able to reincarnate themselves into something that is the opposite of tired, ageing and uninspired as they have looked throughout the season so far.
Dnipro-1 are also not in the greatest of circumstances at this current moment. They may have somewhat shocked followers when they picked some points off of Desna but the campaign up to this point has been far from impressive.
They have the perfect opportunity to distance themselves from any sort of impending relegation scrap by getting a win at home this weekend. The distance between themselves and the final top six spot is not that great but it will require winning games to re-enter the challenge for it.
As has been noted on numerous occasions during these weekly previews, the exciting youngsters have stagnated in their progress, following an explosive start. Paired up with a porous defence, confidence needs to be restored in some way or another.
Vorskla have the ‘new manager bounce’ card to play with here. It could well prove pivotal that a new manager with fresh ideas has been able to spend over a week with his squad but the fact that Maximov’s reputation is not that evoking and paired with an underwhelming squad, Dnipro-1 have a chance to get a rare win. 2-0
Kolos Kovalivka v Desna Chernihiv
The international break was probably welcome respite for Kolos Kovalivka who have been having a seriously tough time of late. Their UPL honeymoon period seems to be over and some routine losses have become more common place.
Coupled with the fact that they have lost their two best players to injury for the foreseeable future, things do not look to be on the way up soon.
They welcome a Desna side who will have had time to reflect over the minor break, giving them a chance to regroup and plan on how to get back to winning ways after dropping points against Dnipro-1 last time out and scraping a win against lowly Vorskla.
Goals need to return and maybe the reintroduction of Fillipov alongside Khlyobas could help assist this. Kolos aren’t pushovers but can have the game taken to them, especially when being countered against.
It’s not going to be straightforward for Ryabokon’s travelling men but they should have enough to get the victory based on the consistency of their performances so far and the fact that they are so dangerous from set pieces, should help them get this win over the line.
Whilst Kolos are the side everyone does hold a touch of sympathy for due to their injury misfortunes, football can be unforgiving sometimes. With a lack of depth in quality due to the size of the club, it would be impressive if they were to get anything out of this one. That being said, it’s highly unlikely. 0-2
Karpaty Lviv v Olimpik Donetsk
This fixture doesn’t look the most glamorous on paper but it’s provided some of the most entertaining UPL games in recent times. Many have been as a result of Karpaty taking leads and screwing games up from winning positions.
However, earlier this season, whilst Olimpik were in their ‘total collapse’ phase and looking to be beyond all help, even at that early stage, Karpaty finally got three points against what has become a rather enthralling rivalry. This was before Vicente Gomez arrived at Olimpik and revolutionised the Donetsk’s club tactics and mentality.
Meanwhile Chyzhevskyi was seemingly instilling his own style of play on his Lviv squad. Whilst not particularly underachieving at the time, the Karpaty man was abruptly replaced by former Olimpik head coach Roman Sanzhar. This is his first meeting against his old side since leaving Donetsk’s second club.
It will undoubtably be an intriguing affair, especially with Olimpik trying to chase down Mariupol for the final Championship group spot, whilst Karpaty will want to increase the gap between themselves and the bottom and ensure city rivals Lviv remain below them. With questions continuing to be asked of Sanzhar’s capabilities, results need to start picking up soon or else Karpaty will be onto their third manager of 19/20 before the winter break.
Both teams drew their respective fixtures last time out and this tie is always a difficult one to predict. Another high scoring draw would not seem too far fetched. 2-2
Dynamo Kyiv v Mariupol
The finale to the weekend takes place in Kyiv. Dynamo have had a tumultuous past couple of weeks after their fans aimed monkey chants at Shakhtar’s players. They now face a £16,000 fine and a guaranteed one game spectator ban. Whether that match will be this one has not been decided yet.
Regardless if there is a crowd or not, Dynamo need to win if they want to keep themselves in the running for second place. They sit in fourth, just a point off the silver medal place seat warmers, Zorya. However they’re 13 points off of the top now after that defeat in the Clasico.
The title charge is as good as over so striving for second and a big run in the cup and Europa League need to be made the priorities. With European football on the cards in midweek, Dynamo may take a slightly relaxed approach to this one, rather wanting to reserve their energy for a big fixture in Malmo on Thursday.
Mariupol are no walkovers and certainly will try to make things difficult for the hosts if they can. However, as is with most of the sides trying to make that final Championship group spot, inconsistency is their regular downfall.
The Azov Seagulls are from being in great form at the moment and Dynamo regularly do get themselves over the line in fixtures against this particular side.
It’s likely to be a difficult watch, with action in the final third being scarce but Dynamo will get there in the end. 1-0
Ukraine play out there final game of the year as they travel to Belgrade to face a wounded Serbia! This is the reverse fixture to that famous June night in Lviv when the Zbirna came out as 5-0 winners!
Ukraine have already qualified for EURO 2020 and are guaranteed to finish as group winners on top. But they still require a solitary point to ensure that they begin the final tournament draw as one of the top seeds in two weeks time!
It is Serbia’s first time playing the role of hosts against Ukraine, with all previous fixtures between the sides ending in wins to the Yellow & Blues! Based on the amount of games to win percentage, Serbia are Ukraine’s ‘favourite’ all time opponents. This will be the seventh meeting (if including games against Serbia’s predecessor; Serbia & Montenegro) or fifth if solely against the current incarnation of the Balkan state. The bogey team for the hosts is very much in town!
Both sides have very much different motivations going into this match. Serbia will be looking to avenge their humiliation in Lviv whilst Ukraine aim to secure a space in pot one. However, that is not all that avoiding a loss would entail. With at least a draw, Zbirna can secure a first ever unbeaten calendar year to their name! They went close last year but let themselves down in their final competitive fixture. Let’s hope there’s no repeat of that this afternoon!
The atmosphere within the stadium itself is going to be a strange one. Under 10,000 tickets have been sold for the Rajko Mitic stadium which holds just over a 55,000 capacity. Presumably most of those taken seats will be within the North stand, synonymous with the DELIJE of Crvena Zvezda.
The Ultras are notorious for creating a hostile mood and it can be expected that a few anti-Ukrainian chants and slogans will occur. Gasprom adorns the seats of the stadium elsewhere after all, so that says everything you need to know about where solidarity lies in the city and country as a whole!
Furthermore, due to the potential for conflict and ugly scenes between the two sets of opposing supporters, both FA’s mutually decided to not allow away fans to the respective fixtures between the countries. Serbia didn’t officially bring any to Lviv whilst Ukraine have done the same in Belgrade. However, it’s still expected that a number of Ukraine fans will make their way to the stadium this afternoon; albeit undercover!
Nevertheless, the Ukraine camp seem to be in high spirits as they have done throughout this qualifying campaign. The unity amongst the squad looks to have seriously aided the collective performances and this was none more evident against Portugal last month.
Shevchenko commented that it will be difficult without support but they need to remain professional and see the job out.
He also mentioned that Konoplyanka will be able to play if selected as he has returned from illness. The remaining 24 players also trained last night.
With Stepanenko serving a red card suspension in this game and Zinchenko recovering from knee surgery in Kyiv (estimated to be back in 2 weeks) , it’s still uncertain as to who the manager will pick to replace them. It could any one of Sydorchuk, Shepelev, Ivanisenia, Kovalenko and Bezus… Meanwhile to shore up one of the midfield spots, Malinovksyi has returned to the setup after the birth of his first child and will be looking to cap the occasion with a goal! Tsyhankov starred in the home game of this tie back in June with a double and having celebrated his birthday on Friday, he’ll be raring to Mark the occasion too!
Ukraine ‘HOSTs’ Estonia in the penultimate International fixture of the year in Zaporizhya, as they play in the historical city for the very first time!
Home to the famous Ukrainian horse back warriors, the longest avenue in Europe and an enormous hydro electric dam; it is Zaporizhya’s Slavutych Arena that gets the latest nod to host a senior Ukraine game! This fixture’s location is the latest in the UAF’s attempts at branching the reach of the Zbirna across all corners of the country.
Despite it being only a friendly, this will be the first time for many natives of the Southern Ukrainian city at seeing their exciting home nation live in the flesh and it has been confirmed as a sell out!
Shevchenko’s men go into this break at relative ease. Qualification for next summer’s EUROs and top spot in the group was confirmed on a famous night against Cristiano’s Portugal last month, leaving the final fixtures as extra preparation for the 2020 tournament.
The game against Estonia is an official friendly and its wholly expected that the head coach will experiment in this game at a minimum. These two fixtures will give Sheva, a good gage into the strength in depth that he has at his disposal; ticking off the remaining names on his future squad list for next year.
A lot of his changes on this occasion will be forced upon him due to injuries and suspensions. Naturalised Ukrainians, Marlos and Moraes are injured. Zinchenko is also recovering from knee surgery. Konoplyanka has just recovered from a hamstring problem but is touch and go for today after suffering from a temperature yesterday. Mykolenko is still recovering from a knock but will be back for Sunday’s tie.
Meanwhile, Malinovksyi, who was carrying a light training injury has been given a few days off in order to witness his daughter’s birth, who was born yesterday. Stepanenko was not called up due to his one game suspension that will be enacted against Serbia. This has meant that Dmytro Ivanisenia of Zorya has been given a call up and is highly likely going to get some minutes in the makeshift squad tonight at his club side’s ‘home’ stadium.
This match shouldn’t come as too much of a real test for Ukraine, with Estonia similar to their Baltic neighbours, Lithuania in terms of ability. The Estonians have not won a single game of qualifying in their own respective group and have failed to score in 306 minutes prior to this game. On paper, this should be a walk in the park. Goals should be expected regardless of the Zbirna’s XI.
It will be a good warm up ahead of the final qualifier in Serbia, that Shevchenko has reiterated his side will be taking very seriously despite their comfortable circumstances. Furthermore, tonight’s game is a real opportunity for some of the fringe squad players to show what they can do.
Ukraine are also chasing a personal record in these final two fixtures. If they avoid defeat in both, they will ensure a first ever unbeaten calendar year.
What a past week it was in Ukrainian football. The UPL rumbled on whilst the European representatives secured draws across the board!
Desna kickstarted last week’s Matchday 13 with the narrowest of 1-0 victories against lowly Vorskla. They keep the pace up with Dynamo for another week!
Shakhtar were up next as they fielded an almost entire reserve team against Karpaty, as they rested players ahead of the UCL in midweek. It didn’t affect them though as they still managed to brush aside Karpaty 3-0. Strength in depth there!
Shakhtar then travelled to Zagreb to take on their first Dinamo of the week. It was a must not lot lose game as the two teams are the prime challengers for the sole ‘second place’ in the group. Shakhtar got off to a good start as they took an early lead before being pegged back inside the first half. Shakhtar were the better side for most of the second too until Dinamo had a man sent off. They were unable to make the man advantage count, before Marlos was shown his own marching orders.
Then in the final 10 minutes a load of chaos ensued. Zagreb went 3-1 up scoring their third in the 89th minute thanks to a Pyatov shocker. Into injury time and Moraes pulls one back with a minute and a half remaining. Up comes Pyatov for a free kick and within seconds he’s bundled over in the box. The referee blows his whistle, checks VAR and points to the spot. Youngster Tete steps up and converts to carry the second place battle on to another match-day.
Back to the UPL, Zorya faced Dnipro-1 at the Dnipro Arena. The hosts who were already on a losing streak had this continue as Skripnyk’s side secured another 4 goals in a game and left as 4-1 victors!
Oleksandriya don’t really have the player capital to be making wholesale changes ahead of a UEL game. They faced Mariupol on goalkeeper Yuri Pankiv’s birthday and won 3-1. Following this they readied themselves for the huge fixture against St Etienne in Lviv.
Arena Lviv was far from full on Thursday but the atmosphere created by the travelling Oleksandriya contingent and Lviv’s traditional high spirits ensured it was still rocking. The game didn’t get off to the best of starts as Pankiv gave away a penalty leading it to be 1-0 at half time. Oleksandriya thought they got back in it but their goal was adjudged to be offside. Shortly after this decision, St Etienne went up the other end and converted to make it 2-0… little did they know about the dangers of this scoreline. It was then time for a Volodymyr Sharan masterclass as he made some substitutions, with Bezborodko and Zaderaka coming on.
Bezborodko pulled one back in the 86th and the hosts continued to press until the final kick. Ruffier, then came out to the penalty spot to punch a ball, it fell to Zaderaka on the half volley outside the box who sublimely finished directly into the top corner. Cue pandemonium! Another superb showing by Oleksandriya and arguably the most exciting Ukrainian side in Europe this season!
Returning to the league, Dynamo were then up against the UPL’s bottom side. Lviv arrived in Kyiv already in low spirit and that was made even lower as the hosts won 4-0 on the night. Dynamo then packed their bags and headed for Copenhagen. In what was a battle for top spot, the game was rather underwhelming due to the way both sides play. It was very much a carbon copy of the reverse fixture a fortnight ago.
Copenhagen went 1-0 up inside five minutes. Tsyhankov continued a disappointing start to the season as he missed a penalty. Then former Copenhagen man, Verbic scores with a finish from outside the box. The group is delicately poised and looks it will go down to the wire to see who tops the group!
Finally, Matchday 13 came to an end as Olimpik recorded another impressive victory against Kolos, to move 2 points away from the top 6 places. They beat their hosts 2-1 on the night to continue a recent winning streak. It’s still early in the campaign but they look transformed under Gomez and a far cry from the side who were pointless and bottom of the league when he arrived!
PREDICTION TIME
Mariupol v Karpaty Lviv
These sides kickstart the weekend’s proceedings, off the back of both suffering defeats last week.
Neither defeat was either a surprise or unprecedented. They were facing Ukraine’s European grande after all, in Oleksandriya and Shakhtar.
However the fashion in which Karpaty lost, in particular, to a Shakhtar reserve side would have been even more demoralising. After almost beating Dynamo the week before, which would have been rather fortunate, it just showed the lack of cohesion in Roman Sanzhar’s side.
Mariupol on the other hand brought a recent impressive run of victories to an end but due to their unpredictable nature, and the fact that they’re playing at home, should put them in good stead to win this game.
As mentioned in previous previews, despite the fact that Mariupol play without an out and out forward due to injuries, they are still able to create chances and goals for that matter from their midfield and defence. Travelling to the South of the Donetsk Oblast seems to be a rather daunting tasks for UPL sides.
With Karpaty now comfortably reverting to their form of seasons’ past, it’s difficult to look beyond the hosts in getting a narrow win. 2-1
Desna Chernihiv v Dnipro-1
Desna are continuing to pursue and don’t look to be likely to slip up anytime soon. Sitting in 3rd with the second best defensive record in the league are Shakhtar, Ryabokon’s men continue to surprise.
Their narrow victory over Vorskla last week showcased the character of the team that has been ever present throughout their performances this season. It was a tight game, with limited chances but due to Chernihiv’s ability to produce goals from anywhere on the pitch; the defenders once again contributed at both ends to ensure three points were secured.
Top scorer Fillipov started on the bench after his comeback from injury last week, with him slowly being introduced back into the team after his understudies impressed in his absence. With Desna being up against a seriously out of form Dnipro-1, another win looks to be on the cards.
However as is always the case in the football and in the UPL in particular; all records must come to an end. The run of six defeats for Mykhailenko’s men who visit the Gagarin stadium may just get themselves a lucky break.
They have been able to get themselves a few goals in recent games despite losing and this should add at least some sort of silver lining that the squad can build upon. It’s the defence that leaves a lot of questions to be answered. Sitting a mere three points off of the bottom doesn’t leave room for many more losses.
Desna look comfortable favourites and should see out a win as they aim to move above Dynamo, knowing that their league rivals face Shakhtar (with every chance of dropping points in that one). 2-0
Lviv v Vorskla Poltava
It’s a huge six pointer in Lviv this weekend as the UPL’s two bottom clubs meet in a fixture that instantly presents the slightest bit of breathing space for the victor when it comes to the early relegation battle.
Both sides are on woeful losing streaks in the league. Vorskla have been on a steady decline since the start of the season with their serious lack of strengthening a depleted and ageing squad in the summer becoming seriously apparent.
A once reputable defence is no longer what it once was. Whilst the attacking problem has not been solved since the departure of (the not so prolific but scorer of some goals) Kulach back in January.
Lviv have also been in free fall since February last season. The achievement of finishing in the top six and playing in the Championship Group turned out to be a curse as a number of sides in the relegation group surpassed Lviv’s points.
Now they’re bottom, suffering second season syndrome with a Ukrainian-Brazilian hybrid squad that just isn’t effective. Strong defence and flair in front was the motto last season but with Duarte departing and defenders looking like shadows, it’s all gone downhill.
This game has the markings to be a shocker. That is despite the fact this game ended 3-2 in favour of Vorskla back in August. The teams have lost considerable morale and just do not possess the quality to provide much entertainment. Both sides desperate for a win can only signify one thing. 0-0
Zorya Luhansk v Kolos Kovalivka
Surely Zorya can’t score 4 goals in a game for the third week in a row?
Well on their current form, you wouldn’t put it past them and with their opposition in a natural and expected slump, it wouldn’t be too surprising either.
Zorya have looked like quite the side in recent weeks as October’s UPL Manager of the Month – Viktor Skripnyk and his young men look to be at the genesis of an abundance of collective talent. Bohdan Lednev, October’s UPL Player of the Month, has been the man of the moment scoring in three consecutive games and being the primary chance creator for his side. It could and should be argued that he is THE most inform player in the league.
The Dynamo loanee and his parent club teammate Rusyn were the standout players in this fixture earlier on in the season and they will likely be heavily involved once more.
Kolos on the other hand will need to cope without their one of their stars of the season so far, Denys Kostyshyn who limped off (with help) in last week’s defeat to Olimpik. He’s out for the season after having knee surgery in the week.
The devastating news won’t help Ruslan Kostyshyn’s side who already struggle in the final third. One less player to convert chances and another big player to add to the injury list could prove serious in the near future if performances don’t improve.
Nobody was expecting too much from Kolos this season and they’re still in with a chance of the top six but they are class below the top five. Zorya will look to record a fourth consecutive win if they can beat this week’s opposition. This should be another one way traffic type of match. 4-0
Shakhtar Donetsk v Dynamo Kyiv
This is undoubtedly the GAME OF THE WEEKEND!
It’s the fourth time these sides have met ALREADY this season and it will be the second occasion in the league.
Just under a fortnight ago, in Kyiv, Dynamo slayed their arch rivals in the Cup after a tightly contested battle on the pitch.
Dynamo dominated large periods of that game but were unable to convert anything from within the box from open play. Likewise, it was difficult to tell whether it was Dynamo playing well or Shakhtar being poor, as the visitors were well below their best.
At the end of the day it was a one off cup tie and as such showed where each side’s priorities really lay. Shakhtar comfortable with the league and want to push on in Europe; whilst Dynamo are desperate to end their current trophy-less period.
Now that this tie returns to its league setting, the tables and intensities may turn once again. Fans and media alike, commented on how the Dynamo performance in the Cup was their best in years, so the pressure is now on to try and actually beat Shakhtar in normal time.
Both sides come into this fixture on the eback of draws in Europe. Shakhtar’s was rather the more impressive but equally the final results showed that neither side is ready to give up easily. However, the fact that both were unable to win despite being the better sides in their matches could be cause for concern.
Junior Moraes is on a slight goalless streak. Marlos has not been his usual self recently and Pyatov has not covered himself in glory between the sticks. Similarly Dynamo have seen Tsyhankov fail to turn up in big games and continue to play strikers who can’t score goals…
If anything all this uncertainty and inconsistent form should ensure that this fixture lives up to its hype, even if it may be occurring way more often that people would like.
As the pinnacle of Ukrainian football, these two sides will certainly pick up a whole host of cards in a wild tempered game whilst getting some goals to match. To end all square. 1-1
Olimpik Donetsk v Oleksandriya
Two inform sides go head to head in the final fixture of the week before the UPL’s brief international break hiatus begins.
Ukraine’s debatably most impressive European representatives Oleksandriya may still be high off the back of their last minute draw against St Etienne on Thursday but Sharan won’t allow room for any complacency.
European hangovers are often mooted when it comes to the domestic fixture directly after a continental game but Oleksandriya have not become victims to such a statement so far this season.
They’ve not lost one of their following UEL, UPL games; winning one and drawing two – including being the only side to have taken points off of Shakhtar so far this season!
They go into this game in confidence knowing that they’re able to perform at both ends of the pitch when it matters. Bezborodko is showing serious signals that he should become the starting forward with goals in his last two games and just looking a lot more lively than the more one dimensional and far from prolific Sitalo.
Olimpik are also enjoying a rich vein of form in recent times, with Gomez finally looking like he has worked out his best side and instilled the way he wants them to play. Importantly the Donetsk side have picked up important results against sides closest to them in the table and have excelled themselves to a serious chance of sixth place after spending a prolonged time at the bottom of the table earlier in the campaign.
Oleksandriya are well organised and as such may prevent Olimpik from playing their rather attack minded gameplan. Goals have been frequent in their previous fixtures but this could well be stumped by the visitors. Their positive does arise from varied goalscoring outlets in positions across the pitch.
The hard fought battle on Thursday may prevent energy levels from being at their highest level and with Olimpik no longer pushovers, this one would be pressing for a score draw. 1-1
ZORYA LONDONSK 