In one of the most eagerly anticipated games for Ukraine in recent times, the entire country will have its eyes on Kyiv this evening as the Zbirna take on Portugal in a battle for TOP spot in Group B!
After Friday’s comfortable 2-0 win against bottom side Lithuania, Ukraine need just a point to qualify for the Euros, whilst a win today would guarantee them as Group winners and Pot One seeding at Euro 2020!
Arguably the world’s most well known player, Cristiano Ronaldo will be aiming to stop that as he chases a 700th career goal and his first ever against Ukraine.
As Oleksandr Zinchenko reminded the press last night; The pressure will be on the visitors as they trail this stellar Ukraine side in the table. ‘There’s nothing to be afraid of, we are playing at home in front of our fans, you couldn’t pick better conditions.’
Andriy Shevchenko, who now has a fully fit squad to choose from is likely to revert to a similar line up that drew 0-0 in Lisbon back in March. Mykolenko is ready according to the coach and he will likely come in for Sobol. Meanwhile, Yaremchuk will replace Moraes. The only uncertainty is who will deputies on the left wing. Will it be Marlos or Konoplyanka?
Ukraine have shown a serious signal of intent throughout this campaign and to secure qualification with a game to go would round off a highly successful year for its players both with their clubs and their country! A strong performance at next year’s Euros would be a necessity after all that has been seen from Shevchenko’s men!
A full house is expected at the Olympiyskyi tonight and with it being Defenders of Ukraine Day there will be added impetus to help the country celebrate this holiday! There will be a number of soldiers in attendance tonight as is customary during countless NT & UPL games!
Here’s our predicted line up:
Pyatov (GK)
Mykolenko
Matvienko
Kryvtsov
Bolbat
Malinovksyi
Stepanenko
Zinchenko
Yarmolenko
Konoplyanka
Yaremchuk
One more BIG push is needed! Let’s make history tonight!
Ukraine face Lithuania tonight in the first of their October qualification double header. This evening’s must win game takes place in Kharkiv as Ukraine pushes closer to securing that spot at next summer’s Championships.
As it stands, it is all in their hands as to whether they top their group or subsequently collapse. However the latter seems highly unlikely after the campaign the side has had so far!
Lithuania travel to North Eastern Ukraine just a month since the two teams faced off in the tiny LFF stadium in Vilnius. Tonight’s venue is 8 times the size of it and with 35,000 tickets sold so far, accounting for last minute sales, it can be expected to be a sell out.
Shevchenko’s men are in optimum condition and morale. He has a fully fit squad to choose from and countless players who are on top form for their respective clubs both in Ukraine and across the continent!
Yarmolenko is now fully fit, scoring goals and putting in key performances for West Ham. Malinovskyi has helped his Atalanta side to sit 3rd in Serie A. Meanwhile Shakhtar’s contingent have won 10 consecutive games in the league & beat their latter compatriot’s side in the Champions League. So it looks rather positive & hopeful that these players can transfer these displays when playing in yellow & blue.
Shevchenko revealed that he may have a sleepless night in the lead up to these two games with a selection dilemma. He has too many players, playing well that it’s proving difficult to pick his starting side!
Regardless of this, Shevchenko does not want to be complacent. He’s unlikely to rest anyone for Monday’s fixture, rather wanting to get tonight’s result resolved as early as possible before introducing changes in the second half.
This being said, Sobol may deputise at left back to give Mykolenko some extra recovery time. Bolbat should also retain his spot at right back.
Yaremchuk is expected to lead the line, with it being uncertain as to whether Konoplyanka will return to the starting fold with his Shakhtar playing time being mostly reserved to being a substitute (albeit a regular one).
Lithuania arrive in Ukraine with a mere 100 fans but they will be made to feel welcome! However, their team is in less than a good state. They’re missing a whole host of key players, with up to 6 starters missing including their captain.
Their coach revealed that they think they can take points off of Ukraine tonight, after learning from the mistakes of last month. But he also admitted how difficult this is going to be…
As such, everyone in Ukraine and the media are expecting a solid signal of intent from the Zbirna tonight. If they win here a point will be enough from their final two games for automatic qualification!
The UPL convenes once more ahead of the International break with some blockbuster fixtures! It’s Matchday 10 and everything is to play for (apart from top spot!)
Ukrainian Weekly Round Up
Shakhtar got us started last week as they rested a heap of players in their game against Vorskla. It didn’t make too much of a difference though as Konoplyanka helped his side to a 4-0 victory on his first start for the club! He marked it by converting penalty along with Valeriy Bondar who also celebrate his first goal for the club! Alan Patrick and Moraes got the others!
Shakhtar then travelled to Milan to face Atalanta. They’re playing European games at the San Siro whilst their stadium gets renovated. It was an exciting game that Atalanta edged in the first half. However, Pyatov heroics ensured his penalty save from Illicic meant he moved joint second in the all time UCL saved penalties record list. He’s now only behind Casillas!
However his mastery was undone, by himself no doubt. He came flapping for a cross, got nowhere near it and Zapata was able to head into an empty net. However, Moraes was able to equalise before half time with more explosive speed and then a strong finish to first past Atalanta’s keeper.
Malinovksyi came on and had chances but he was unable to help his side take the lead. It was heading to a draw but then in the 5th minute of added time, Dodo raced through before playing in Solomon who duly finished and sent the Donetsk side into ecstasy! A big win for the Miners and for Ukrainian coefficient!
The other games on Saturday saw Kolos travel to Karpaty. Smyrnyi opened the scoring before Nazaryna pulled one back for the Green Whites. However, Volkov was able to squeeze a goal in before half time and the second half was spared of any real action. A big win for Kolos on the road whilst a third consecutive defeat in a week sees Karpaty start to slip into their annual decline!
Oleksandriya were then next up as they entertained Karpaty’s city rivals Lviv. They saw them off with ease thanks to goals from Banada and Bezborodko. This performance put them in good stead ahead of their Europa League tie against Gent.
The game at Arena Lviv didn’t get off to the best of starts after Depoitre opened the scoring for the visitors. However, Oleksandriya rallied back and had a good few chances of their own. Then in the second half they were by far the better side, they managed to expertly stifle Gent’s Yaremchuk and kept him quiet before equalising through a tap in rebound goal that involved some lovely build up play. Sitalo was the scorer and his goals picked the Kirovohrad oblast side a historic first ever point in European competition!
Desna then beat Mariupol away. Whilst the result in itself was not surprising, the scoreline with which they did it was emphatic. Khlyobas and Fillipov both got braces as the the Chernihiv team continue their unprecedented stay in second. It was 4-0 come Full Time.
Dynamo Kyiv then welcomed Dnipro-1 in the River Derby. This game was about as uneventful as it gets with the goals bringing any sort of respite to the suffering fans… of both sides. Dnipro-1 showed little and had minimal chances on goal. It was thanks to a nice worked goal from Verbic and a Tsyhankov penalty.
Unfortunately when it came to the UCL, both these match winners decided not to turn up. Both were highly wasteful and Dynamo were unable to carve out anything serious against a Lugano side who were bottom of the Swiss league and on a winless streak stretching seven games. The mask seems to be slipping after a few positive performances, same old Dynamo showing their head once more…
The final UPL game of MD 9 saw Zorya visit Kyiv to take on displaced Olimpik. Many were expecting a comfortable win for the away team but didn’t expect the onslaught that did eventually occur. Nazariy Rusyn scored a well taken brace, whilst Yurchenko, Lednev and Kabaev also got in on the act to complete the 5-0 drubbing and end league proceedings for another week!
PREDICTION PREVIEW
Vorskla Poltava v Mariupol
Two of last week’s whipping boys meet in the opening showdown of the weekend. It looks to be crisis point once again for Vorskla as they stare down a run of four consecutive losses.
An aggregate loss of nine goals to nil against Dynamo and Shakhtar in recent weeks may not be a true show of the team’s ability but it certainly won’t help morale.
The defence has resembled as much of a sieve , conceding on average 2 goals a game; ranking second worst only to bottom side Olimpik. Also news of the owner being ordered to payback money to a bank doesn’t assist matters with rumours circulating about players not being paid.
This game really could lead to any sort of scoreline, with Mariupol far from being at their best in recent games. However, their rescheduled cup win against Rukh in midweek should get the side going ahead of this away trip. Mariupol find goals hard to come by to, but their defensive structure is certainly more disciplined.
It’s difficult to see a goalfest here, but the away side look like they’re in a slightly better situation to take the points. 0-1
Desna Chernihiv v Olimpik Donetsk
The world is currently Desna’s oyster at the moment. They’ve faced the traditional ‘Big Two’ and now can look forward to seeing off the rest of the table. After their 4-0 demolition in Mariupol last Saturday; one can only imagine how they will fare against the league’s bottom side.
Fillipov is in the form of his life at the moment, leading the line with Khlyobas. They will be looking to add to their brace’s from last weekend as they come up against an Olimpik defence that shipped FIVE against Zorya. Fortunately, if the strikers don’t perform, Desna can count on their defenders to ensure that the scoreline is kept down. This is unlikely to be much of a problem in this fixture though.
As mentioned previously, Olimpik were brought back to reality with a bump after beating fellow strugglers Lviv. Zorya walked all over them and they are inevitably going to struggle against sides that have even a semi potent strike force. Goals are hard to come by for usual outlets; Pasich & Dieye and the defence just can’t cope.
They’re unlikely to turn over as easily as they did last time out but it looks like a nailed on victory for Chernihiv in this one. 3-0
Lviv v Zorya Luhansk
Zorya Luhansk have another rather favourable fixture for the second week in a row. Their dismantlement of Olimpik in Kyiv last Sunday, will have sent out significant warning signs to Volodymyr Mazyar’s men. The ease with which Rusyn, Lednev, Kocherhin and Kabaev were able to threaten a paper thin Olimpik defence and put five goals (could have been a lot more) can easily occur once again this Matchday.
Lviv have lost the last four consecutive league games against many of their rivals in the bottom half of the table. They may have conceded minimally in those games but crucially they have been unable to penetrate at the other end!
A lack of goals with Lviv’s Brazilian forwards drawing blanks is pushing the side into crisis. It’s quite astonishing that a there’s a worse side than them at the moment with Olimpik still sit below them in the table. They’ve even lost to them!
Now they face one of the most potent attacking lines in the division and it’s looking like one way traffic will be the norm in this game.
Viktor Skripnyk’s men had a bit of a winless blip before last week’s match but his youthful side showcased why so many people in Ukraine are excited by the former Bremen manager’s new project. This could be another big win for the boys from Luhansk. Lviv’s defensive edge over Olimpik will see them lose more ‘narrowly’ though. 0-3
Dnipro-1 v Shakhtar Donetsk
It was a big toss up between this game and the next in the schedule for the Match to Watch this week, however after Dnipro-1’s woeful showing against an almost on par drab Dynamo. This one might not be as interesting as it looks on paper.
Even with the permitted loanee Supryaha, Dnipro-1 failed to trouble Dynamo for the entirety of their game. With Shakhtar already in electric form in the league, this is likely to be another no contest.
Buletsa is likely to return to return for the hosts after sitting out the game against his parent club but even so, he’s unlikely going to be able to completely pull this game in Dnipro-1’s favour.
Shakhtar will be buoyant after their superb performance against Atalanta in midweek and will feel confident that if they can beat one of Serie A’s grande, then they can see off a newly promoted side domestically.
After fielding a second string team against Vorskla (and still winning 4-0) Castro is likely to return to his usual first choice line up. Marlos and Moraes can expect to get a run out ahead of the international break.
It’s difficult to see Shakhtar not picking up their TENTH consecutive win since the start of the UPL season. 0-3
Kolos Kovalivka v Dynamo Kyiv
This is the game that is being put forward as the ‘One to Watch’ this weekend. The so far surprising and for some overachieving Kyiv Oblast village side Kolos face up against the big city slickers; Dynamo.
Well Dynamo used to be slickers… The visiting side makes the short trip north up to the Obolon Arena after an absolutely embarrassing performance in Switzerland for the Europa League. Dynamo were held against a Lugano side who sit bottom of the Swiss league and have failed to win in their last seven games.
Apart from the clean sheet, there was nothing much positive to say about that and with this UPL game coming so soon after that display, a hangover could well impact the final result.
Kolos will be under no illusions that they are the underdogs in this match but Ruslan Kostyshyn’s side aren’t the kind of side to be just turned over.
Dynamo seemingly we’re getting back into the groove of things in recent weeks but their last league tie and the game in Europe highlight how much of their recent result success is very much a facade. The side can easily beat sides who are unmotivated but when they come up against dogged opposition regardless of quality they are stumped.
Dnipro-1 could have got something against them had they shown any sort of attacking prowess and with Kolos playing at home with a likely big crowd being biased in from the provinces, they could definitely cause a shock.
Manager’s son, Denys Kostyshyn was recently awarded Kovalivka’s player of the month accolade with keeper Volynets also having been in contention. Both sides of the pitch seem to have equilibrium at the moment.
Goals are being scored, whilst not high in quantity, they are key result deciders. A win here would see them leapfrog Dynamo due to the head to head record. So there’s a lot to play for in a fixture than in season’s gone by would have been a nailed on away team victory.
Kolos will trouble Dynamo and it really wouldn’t surprise if they went on to pick up a narrow win. However, it’s more likely to be a drab affair with points shared with both defences being rather good at their jobs of late. 1-1
Oleksandriya v Karpaty Lviv
The home side’s approach to this game can go one of two ways. Oleksandriya can take inspiration from drawing in the Europa League and push on by pairing that up with a strong performance at home or fall under the hangover curse and crumble against a limp Karpaty.
Volodymyr Sharan, certainly knows what he’s doing as manager and will want his players to go into the international period with serious momentum.
There are a few concerns after the game with Gent. Bright spark Luchkevych hobbled off with a suspected groin problem whilst Pankiv, in goal seemed to have tweaked something in his foot near the end.
There’s still time for both to potentially recover. However, if they don’t, the versatility in the squad can see Shastal potentially slot in on the right.
On the other hand, Sharan’s counterpart Roman Sanzhar is already under pressure despite being in the job for just over a month. As is the topsy turvy world at Karpaty, it’s difficult to understand as to how they can play so poorly despite having a much more in depth squad than many of the league’s lower half sides.
A number of forwards have been brought in at the Lviv club but none of them seem to be making any kind of impact. Defensively, they do look ok but even still conceding is a regular occurrence.
With this being an away game for Karpaty, it looks like the odds are stacked against them. It would not come as a surprise if they somehow came out of this with a goalless draw. Oleksandriya also has a tendency for a nice stalemate but even still Oleksandriya are far more organised and their transitional play from back to front in leaps ahead of the opponents. This will help them scrape it. 1-0
Dynamo are in Switzerland tonight to face the ‘minnows’ of their Europa League group, Lugano!
The Kyiv club have been on an upward trajectory ever since the side beat Malmo in Matchday 1!
That first victory for Mykhaylychenko has spurned on the side on to win three consecutive league games, with the club’s key men finding their form for the first time this season.
Viktor Tsyhankov and Benjamin Verbic have been pivotal in Dynamo’s last few performances and the manager will be looking to them tonight to unlock the Lugano defence.
Malmo match-winner Buyalskyy will also be in the spotlight to see if he can add to his impressive tally so far this season.
Going into this fixture, anything but a victory would be seriously disappointing for the Ukrainian club with their Swiss counterparts on a long winded winless streak. This includes an opening 1-0 loss to Copenhagen in the first MD.
However, looking at their recent results, they look to be rather tricky to break down and do not ship a lot of goals often. Dynamo will need to be weary of this and try not to turn this into another Malmo performance where only a late goal spared their blushes!
On paper, Dynamo have more than enough to get past Lugano, who are not playing at their own home stadium. Rather they will face the Ukrainian side in St Gallen; yet another factor that could go in the away side’s favour.
They need to get the points on the board in this one, before they end up facing their main challengers for top, Copenhagen, in consecutive matches.
A reminder that more wins for Ukrainian sides in Europe mean more coefficent points!
Oleksandriya host a Ukrainian infused KAA Gent side in their first ever ‘home’ Europa League group stage tie!
Tonight’s game takes place at Arena Lviv, a few hundred miles away from Oleksandriya’s real home stadium, NSK Nika in Kirovohrad oblast. However, this venue did not meet the UEFA standards for infrastructure, both structurally and logistically.
Hence the hosts opted for the city that they thought would most likely get behind another Ukrainian side. With Karpaty nowhere near the level of European football for the foreseeable future, their bet is likely to pay off.
On the pitch, Oleksandriya will be optimistic that they can steal a result on this big occasion. After a brave display in Wolfsburg a fortnight ago, where despite being well beaten, getting a goal and showing a good account of themselves will be helpful experience ahead of tonight’s encounter!
Since that loss to the German side, Oleksandriya have drawn one and won, sitting fourth in the UPL. The defensive displays have been impressive of late and if they are able to stifle the potent Gent attack then a result could well materialise.
Sharan is likely to field a similar side to the first group game; maybe swapping out one of the midfielders for the more attacking minded Kovalets. Bezborodko has impressed more than Sitalo up top of late. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see him start after a goal on the weekend.
Meanwhile, the visitors boast a wealth of Ukrainian talent. ‘The Gent Tryzub’ as they have been dubbed. Current star man is one time Oleksandriya forward, Roman Yaremchuk. His blistering start to the season, caught the eye of Roma before the window closed but nothing was able to progress. Roman has scored 9 in 12 games and will put nostalgia to one side when he steps out in his hometown stadium.
He scored twice here for the National Team back in June, so it wouldn’t be surprising to see him do that again. Ihor Plastun, has travelled but has just returned from injury, so it will be touch and go whether he begins the game at the back. Roman Bezus, the final Ukrainian is likely to start on the bench.
Many Ukrainians will be in two minds as to who to cheer on tonight. However as always it would be quite some achievement to see Oleksandriya pick up surprising some points in this group, not only for their fans but also for Ukrainian coefficent rankings!
It’s a big week ahead for Ukrainian football. The UPL goes into Matchday 9 with Shakhtar looking to continue their 100% record in the league. Meanwhile Dynamo, Desna and Zorya are out to try and leapfrog the others in the battle for second!
Then after the weekend, we have Shakhtar travelling to Milan to face Malinovksyi’s Atalanta in the Champions League! Then in the Europa League, Dynamo fly to Switzerland to come up against group outsiders Lugano. Then Oleksandriya host another side full of Ukrainian contingent as Gent come to Arena Lviv!
Ukrainian Football Round Up
The past week has been a relatively quiet one for domestic Ukrainian football! No managerial changes to speak of and nothing too controversial either! If you want some real drama, then check out the political arena!
Last week’s action started on a Friday also! Dnipro-1 welcomed Karpaty to the Dnipro Arena and comfortably beat them 2-0 thanks to a Supryaha double.
Karpaty then went on to draw with Inhulets in the Cup and subsequently lost in the penalty shoot out. This is now the fifth year in a row where the side has been knocked out by second tier opposition! It’s also the second year in a row where Inhulets have taken them as a scalp! Dnipro-1 on the other hand progressed easily to the next round as they saw off Agrobiznes 3-1 away.
Olimpik Donetsk then picked up their first win of the season as they defeated Lviv and moved to within a point of ‘safety’. It looks like crisis point for Lviv at the moment as Mazyar’s appointment has not brought much joy three games in. Gomez’s men look to be getting back to normal in front of goal, something the side had struggled with in the early stages of the season!
Lviv did beat Bukovyna in the Cup but this win can’t be much of a representative of form in the league. Olimpik also progressed as they just about saw off Kremin in a 3-2 thriller.
Zorya then took on Mariupol, in a game many anticipated the home side to claim a victory in. Unfortunately after two red cards (one a piece) in the first half, the game fizzled out. Zorya continued to threaten even without the sent off Budkivsky but were unable to break down the resolute Mariupol back line.
Desna were then in action, hoping to end Shakhtar’s win streak. However despite beating Dynamo the week before, Shakhtar narrowly edged it. Desna will count themselves unlucky as they actually looked more promising going forward and caused Shakhtar some serious problems. However, Marlos was on hand to bring an eight consecutive win for the Miners in the league and they remain comfortably top of the table!
Dynamo Kyiv, buoyed by their Europa League victory went into this game in a more confident tone than they had done in recent UPL games. They ended up winning 5-0 in a scoreline which flatters Dynamo more, with Vorskla being extremely poor and uninspired a big factor in the scoreline. Tsyhankov showed us a performance that reiterated his quality, maybe he has finally clicked back into gear after a slow start to the campaign. He got a goal and two assists as Shabanov, De Pena (2) and even Besiedin got in on the goalscoring action. However the win came at a big cost. Mykyta Burda came off with a serious knee injury and the player has required surgery. It’s likely he will be out for a lengthy period. A big blow for Dynamo’s back line and for Ukraine’s wider squad!
Dynamo were then in action again in midweek as they travelled to the Azov coast to face Mariupol. This game in hand was carried over from Matchday 4, due to each side’s European commitments (at the time). The game will not go down in the memory as it took until the 91st minute for a serious moment to occur. Khudzhamov, in the Mariupol goal, pulled off a few good saves in the game but there was nothing to suggest that a goal was on its way, for either side. Then at the very death, Benjamin Verbic, returning to the starting line up after a suspension, grabbed a last gasp header to cruelly deny another point for the hosts! Dynamo extend their winning run to three games and moved level on points with second placed Desna!
Oleksiy’s at the wheel? Slightly too early for that yet but the past week has been positive enough. Still a lot to work on!
Oleksandriya then closed the weekend off as they drew in a 1-1 fixture against Kolos. This ensured the league remained extremely tight across the board.
Then in the Cup, a second string Oleksandriya side needed penalties to progress to the next round against Dinaz Vyshohrad after a goalless draw.
Now all sides can ready themselves for a big weekend and for some week ahead!
PREDICTION TIME
Shakhtar Donetsk v Vorskla Poltava
Shakhtar start Matchday 9 off for us with a home tie against Vorskla! After their 8th consecutive win of the season, nobody is expecting that run to stop on Friday.
Shakhtar were made to work against a well oiled Desna last week and they will count themselves lucky that they came away from that game with all three points.
The occasional lapses in defensive concentration still needs working on, especially with the Champions League returning for Matchday 2 next week.
However, Shakhtar’s opponents look to be in a bit of a rut and as such will be not looking forward to facing the Miners on their ‘home’ patch. Vorskla were completely toothless against Dynamo in Matchday 8.
Yes, it should be noted that Dynamo have suddenly found a bit of form but they’re not a completely different side to the one that was winless for six in a row. The result was more damning for Vorskla, who literally let Dynamo score five unanswered goals.
As is the case in football, you hardly ever see a top flight team get completely demolished two games in a row. But for some reason, as the opponents are Shakhtar this time it could get ugly. If Dynamo can get five, then it wouldn’t be surprising to see either Shakhtar match or out score their rivals.
However, with one eye on the UCL, Shakhtar’s intensity is likely to drop off in the later stages, with subs and cautionary measures. Also with their salient lead at the top of the table, it’s just less essential to go all out in this one. 4-0
Karpaty Lviv v Kolos Kovalivka
The past week was pretty devastating for Karpaty as they paid homage to poor performances of seasons gone by. Their loss to Dnipro-1 was uninspiring to say the least and even with the extra bit of rest (the UPL game was played last Friday) the Green-Whites were unable to get the better of new bogey team Inhulets in the cup!
The fallout from this cup defeat has been pretty severe with many criticising the owner’s decision to sack Chyzhevsky once again.
However it will be interesting to see how they bounce back this weekend. They face a relatively comfortable Kolos. Newly promoted and getting the results when it matters. Their football at times isn’t the most appealing to watch but they’re hard working which helps them to get stuck into games!
They’ve not travelled particularly well so far this season, so that may play a factor. Karpaty have had a few impressive performances at home but have still only picked up limited points in those matches.
This game is unlikely to be a goal fest, with Kolos relying on the manager’s son, Denys Kostyshyn as their sole outlet for goals in recent games. Meanwhile, for the amount of attacking talent Karpaty has on paper, it never ends up transferring onto the pitch. Hustulyak can be dangerous but his end product leaves a lot to be desired and Ponde up front seems to be rather lethargic of late.
It’s going to be a tight one. Although, both side’s defences are prone to conceding. 1-1
Oleksandriya v FC Lviv
Oleksandriya prepare for their first Europa League home game of the campaign as they host the lowly Lviv.
The hosts come in as big favourites with the visitors experiencing an atrocious run of form. The start to Mazyar’s Lviv managerial career has not gone as intended at all.
If anything the side are performing worse than they did under Blavatsky. At least under the previous manager, the side had faced a few of the top clubs. Now they risk dropping into the automatic relegation spot with Olimpik improving.
Oleksandriya will feel satisfied with their campaign so far. They showed that they have the ability to get themselves back into games when behind and will once again use this as a warm up for Thursday, when they will face the Belgian-Ukrainian side KAA Gent!
Albeit, Lviv will pose much less of a threat than their Europa opponents, but it will test their concentration and grit into getting a job done against a beatable side but who even so concede a low amount of goals.
This won’t be a rout but it will be comfortable for the home team. 2-0
Mariupol v Desna Chernihiv
After a disappointing last minute loss to Dynamo in midweek, Mariupol remain at home as they welcome high flying Desna to the Donbas.
Mariupol played quite well against Dynamo, in what was quite a forgettable match. However, they were unable to hold on and now no longer have a ‘game in hand’ to count on as a potential points boost.
They entertain the surprise package (for now) Desna who also were unlucky to taste defeat in their previous UPL game against the leaders, Shakhtar! Chernihiv caused the Miners problems and looked quite comfortable keeping the top team at bay, barring the goal of course.
They’ll take that performance more positively than Mariupol will from there’s especially as they seem to have a number of players who can score goals when it comes down to it. Mariupol, for all their defensive qualities, look rather lost without a solid goalscorer up front. The loss of Fomin has been detrimental to their early season form.
Without the midweek game and extra rest ahead of the bumper journey from Northern Ukraine to the South East, Desna should feel relatively fresh.
They’ll return to winning ways in this one but it won’t be too straightforward. 1-2
Dynamo Kyiv v Dnipro-1
Dynamo are looking to make it four wins on the bounce as they play Dnipro-1 for the first time in the league.
Oleksiy Mykhaylychenko’s side look to be slowly but surely arising from the crisis they found themselves in a little over two weeks ago.
They’ve shown that they can do it in style, as their 5-0 thrashing demonstrated but also be able to conjure up just one vital moment in a game to win it at the death. The win in midweek against Mariupol was far from a good performance but they vitally got the job done. That won’t get them through other games this season but considering the disjointed over 8 hour journey, it puts the side in high spirits before Dnipro-1.
Initially, this game would have been considered a write off for the visitors as two of their key men were on loan from Dynamo. However, according to reports U20 World Cup winner Vladyslav Supryaha has stated that he is available to play in this fixture. Buletsa is the other player on loan, but no comment has been made regarding his eligibility as of yet.
Dnipro-1’s youthful forward line up if completed by Buletsa is likely to cause Dynamo problems. Mariupol were a relatively straight forward test, threatening little in the final third, rather defending well and attempting to control the midfield.
Dnipro-1 will be able to counter more efficiently this weekend and if Dynamo’s games against Shakhtar or Desna are anything to go by, they can be exploited against especially down the flanks.
This is the most intriguing fixture of Matchday 9 and it should be expected to be entertaining. Fortunately for Dynamo, Dnipro-1 are not too coherent at the back and as such goals are available if the home team’s forwards have their finishing boots on.
Dynamo will also have one eye on their Europa League so will prefer not to be chasing for a win into the final minutes. Dnipro-1’s defensive complacencies will cost them. 3-1
Olimpik Donetsk v Zorya Luhansk
In the final game of Matchday 9, it’s another Donbas Derby in exile. This time Vicente Gomez’s resurgent Olimpik aim to get another positive results against Zorya Luhansk.
Olimpik have shown marked improvements since their new Spanish manager’s appointment. They look to be more coherent in their build up play and they’re once again scoring goals.
Their 3-2 away win at Kremin in the Cup in midweek will further boost the team’s morale after a vital ‘six pointer’ victory against current automatic relegation spot rivals Lviv last weekend. They now have the opportunity to leapfrog their Western Ukrainian counterparts as they sit just a point behind them in the table.
However it’s not going to be too easy to get a result against the visiting team. Zorya may have been shut out by Mariupol last time round but when you lose an attacking player to a red card it’s always going to be difficult to penetrate against a traditionally defensive side.
Fortunately, Olimpik still showcase porousness at the back and the Zorya attacking line, especially with the suspended but also lethargic Budkivsky out of the picture. Zorya should be able to inject more fluidity into their attacks, with their transitional play benefitting more from players who are better facing goal than holding up play.
Expecting an interesting game but anything other than a Zorya win will be a negative for the visitors who need to stay toe to toe with a resurgent Dynamo. This is a Dynamo that has actually gone above them in the league after their midweek win!
Mariupol welcome Dynamo Kyiv to the Azov coast in this Matchday 4 game in hand!
After being given special dispensation by the UPL to move this fixture in order to prioritise key European fixtures in the summer, this fixture is finally being fulfilled.
It’s a long away trip to make, with the War making it extremely difficult to get to in terms of travel time. Dynamo flew from Kyiv to Dnipro on Tuesday, before still needing to embark on a lengthy coach journey on top. Will this have an impact on the final result?
Returning back to the football, Dynamo look to be benefiting from a recent bounce in form. They followed up their narrow win against Malmo in the UEL with a 5-0 demolition job of Vorskla. However, only time will tell whether it was Dynamo’s performance or Vorskla’s lack of one that contributed most to such a flattering scoreline.
In that game in Poltava, Dynamo suffered a couple of key personnel losses. Malmo matchwinner, Buyalyskyy came off in the first half before Burda was stretchered off. Buyalskyy’s injury looked a lot less serious and it’s expected he will be back soon. However, Burda has had to have knee surgery and is expected to be sidelined for a number of months.
Fortunately his centre back partner, Artem Shabanov has had a good few games at the back. Andriy Shevchenko has called the defender up to his next NT squad in place of the injured Burda. Also, as a result of the injury; Copa America runner up, Zambrano has made the travelling squad for the first time under the manager.
Mariupol have drawn their last two games against bottom club Olimpik and then the more formidable Zorya last time out. Due to their lack of a consistent goal scoring striker, they rely heavily on their defence to get them results. If compact and organised, then they could cause problems for Dynamo, who despite their recent goal scoring exploits have shown they are more than capable of being shut out by inferior opposition.
However, the morale in the Dynamo team looks to have improved over the past week, in line with results. Initial signs point to a Dynamo win but as many will know, it’s never that straight forward.
One thing that is for certain is that regardless of the result, the ‘they’ve still got a game in hand’ excuse used to part justify Dynamo’s lowly position in the table expires later today!
The return to domestic football after the international break brought us some serious shocks.
Oleksandriya got us underway with a convincing 2-0 victory at home to Dnipro-1. They warmed up nicely ahead of their Europa League debut against Wolfsburg. Dovhiy and Sitalo got the goals before the team travelled to Germany. However, it wasn’t as plain sailing ‘on the continent’ as Wolfsburg scored a freak long ranger that bounced and caught Pankiv off guard. Then former Dynamo man, Mehmedi scores a beautiful lob to make it 2-0 to the hosts.
Banada briefly got the side back in it; heading in a long range ball in from a free kick. Wolfsburg almost immediately killed off the comeback a minute later and the game ended 3-1. The hardest game is out of the way now and Oleksandriya should take positives that they kept the scoreline relatively tight. The rest of the group stage awaits.
Shakhtar then entertained Zorya in one of the games of the season! Zorya went 2-0 up thanks to goals from Yurchenko and a Pyatov pass howler let Kocherhin angle a goal (just) into the empty net. Taison got a goal backjust before half time which kept the Miners in it.
The second half began with Yevhen Konoplyanka coming on for the ineffective Tete. Marlos then pulled it back before Moraes got his first goal of the night to pull Shakhtar ahead for the first time. Lednev levelled it once more for Zorya on the 85th minute and it looked like it was ending all square. Then in the 89th minute, Konoplyanka made one of this trademarks runs to the byline and passed it along the line to the open Moraes to get the winner. 4-3 full time.
Taison got seriously injured in this one, as Ismaily’s knee impacted the back of Taison’s head causing the latter to have a mini seizure on the pitch. He was unable to continue and was brought off. However post match, he seemed fine and was talking to people in the mixed zone. He returned to training on the Tuesday with a Petr Cech like headguard on and started against Man City.
His inclusion didn’t help much as the side lost 3-0 to Oleksandr Zinchenko’s visitors. The less said about the performance the better as Castro’s men showed little and were rather porous at the back. The UPL may be a walk in the park but it was a baptism of fire in the UCL!
Karpaty then welcomed Vorskla to Lviv in Roman Sanzhar’s first game in charge. The Lions went behind in the first half but rallied back in the second thanks to goals from Ponde and Martins.
The Luxembourgish duo of Martins and Hall look to be quite shrewd acquisitions and the team are looking like they could be on the up with their new manager in charge. Time will tell but the initial viewpoints or positive.
Sunday saw Mariupol meet Olimpik in Vicente Gomez’s debut game in charge of the Donetsk outfit. After the hosts took the lead, the visitors rallied back to level it before Politylo missed a penalty and prevented Olimpik from nothing their first three points of the season. It’s early days yet but the initial signs of the new coaching staff look like they could help the team leave the relegation zone at some point this season…
Then it was the turn of Dynamo Kyiv. Five winless games on the bounce was met with the Kyiv side facing the new second placed team in the table. Desna have been solid at the back so far this season and boasted the best defensive record. It was another strange line up as Besedin started for Dynamo. When you need to score goals, that’s not who you want up front.
Desna took the lead through Dynamo ‘reject’ Vladyslav Kalitvintsev, getting a sweet revenge against the side that rejected him. Then after the break and rather ironically it was Besiedin who equalised got Dynamo. However, the side was unable to hold it level. A move reminiscent of Shakhtar earlier in the season, led to Desna breaking down the right and pulling the ball back to the in form Fillipov in the middle. He was ready to unleash a cheeky backheel flick to fool Boyko once again this season. Dynamo tried to get back into it but it just wasn’t working for them. It ended 2-1 and Dynamo sat in 5th a good 13 points off top.
Crisis point was announced and rumours were circulating that if they failed to beat Malmo in the Europa League then the team would be fined some sort of discrepancy. The entirety of the Europa League game was a rather drab affair. It was slightly end to end in the first half but neither side was able to break the deadlock as both were incredibly wasteful in the final third.
The second half was much improved, with Dynamo playing more through the middle. However the biggest chances came from set piece deliveries but it was down to the Malmo keeper and non clinical finishes that prevented Dynamo from opening the deadlock.
Then in the 84th minute, Shepelev picked up the ball halfway through the Malmo half and put a beautiful ball into Buyalskyy who beat the last man and finished through the keeper. Oleksiy Mykhaylychenko broke down in tears in the dugout when the goal went in. A sigh of relief that the fine would likely not be applied.
A new dawn at Dynamo now? Who knows… but many are expecting the reaction from the players who dedicated the win to the coaching staff to buck up now and pull their socks up!
The final game of the weekend was match up between Kolos and Lviv. The game was a non event for most of the game as Volodymyr Mazyar’s first game in charge of Lviv ended up reinstating their defensive shape of last season. It was up to ‘manager’s son’ Denys Kostyshyn to come on as a sub and get the winner 3 minutes from time to wrap up all three points for the home side Kolos. They moved into fifth and dropped Dynamo into sixth…
PREDICTION TIME
Dnipro-1 v Karpaty Lviv
A Friday matchup gets us underway in Matchday 8 this weekend. Out of form Dnipro-1 host a resurgent Karpaty Lviv, who travel to Ukraine’s fourth most populous city buoyant after last week’s win against Vorskla.
Roman Sanzhar will be happy with the way his side fought back after going down and will now need to keep this in mind especially away from home. Mykhailenko’s mens’ form on the other hand has been similar to that of a yo-yo.
A victory against Kolos was thrown out the window with last week’s loss to Oleksandriya. There seems to be a real disconnect between the backline and the conceding of so many goals is looking to be detrimental.
This is going to be a closely run affair with Karpaty’s two Luxembourgish men of the moment needing to maintain their impressive form in recent games. There’s certainly going to be goals in this one. But it’s difficult to separate the sides as a result. 1-1
Lviv v Olimpik Donetsk
This fixture is an intriguing one. It’s a showdown between the UPL’s two bottom clubs. Both sides have new managers and neither has yet had the time to fully stamp their authority or style of play on their respective squads.
Volodymyr Mazyar’s Lviv we’re unlucky to come unstuck at the very end of the game against Kolos last week. It’s clear to see that the Ukrainian-Brazilian dynamic in the squad is a feasible model. They just need more consistency going forward, with none of the attackers yet to showcase anything similar to the likes of the departed Bruno Duarte.
Vicente Gomez’s side are in the opposite predicament. They have an abundance of talent up top. Matar Dieye being the standout performer in the team, but he has yet to get the ball rolling.
The main problem is that the side is discombobulated due to the sheer amount of summer signings that have been brought in. The chemistry is not right yet and with a team that is already on its third coach this season, a period of consistency and stability is going to be needed if the club are to leave the automatic relegation place. Former Ukraine U21 captain, Lukyanchuk, returns to his former club to shore up the defence but it’s still difficult to see them not shipping goals going forward.
It will still take a bit of convincing to say that Olimpik could revolutionise themselves under Gomez but likewise Lviv don’t show too much promise themselves.
The Brazilians will help to edge this one. Shakhtar 2.0 to nick it. 2-1
Zorya Luhansk v Mariupol
Zorya look to put their last minute loss to Shakhtar behind them as they go up against another Donbas team; Mariupol.
Zorya have shown real promise this season and the combination of youth and talent has so far worked well for the Luhansk side. They were cruelly denied a point against Shakhtar after leading and then coming back from behind all inside 85 minutes.
Lednev has turned into the main focal point of the team. He helps create a host of chances and is contributing to the goal scoring burden too. Rusyn also impressed after coming off the bench and will be expected to start against the Azov coast visitors.
Mariupol didn’t play all that well against Olimpik and there are obvious deficiencies in the squad that look to prevent this side from replicating another shock 4th place finish.
Zorya will be our for revenge after finishing 5th last time out, looking to restore some order to the UPL rankings.
Expecting a solid victory from the hosts, with the visitors showing glimpses but being outclassed by their higher calibre of youth talent across the park. 3-1
Desna Chernihiv v Shakhtar Donetsk
Now this the match up of the weekend!
The Dynamo slayers meet for the first time this season in a battle between second and first!
Despite Dynamo’s poor form of late, nobody was really that confident that Desna would be able to beat them on their home patch. They did that and with a bit of class as well. Their playing style is reminiscent of Oleksandriya’s run last season.
Strong defensively and rather limited in the goal department, but they still get the goals that count. It will be a real test to see whether they can keep a steamrolling Shakhtar out. However, judging from Shakhtar’s shaky defence of late, the goals may be more easy to come by.
Shakhtar on the other hand will be reeling from their ‘as good as’ no-show performance against City in midweek. Can Desna inject any kind of intrigue into the title race?
A full strength squad is expected from Shakhtar including Taison who started against City despite his head trauma. As much as every neutral would like this game to have a shock ending, it’s difficult to look beyond the visitors. Moraes and Marlos may have not done much against City, but the UPL is their playground. Expect a few goals in this one but not a total battering. 0-2
Vorskla Poltava v Dynamo Kyiv
This game suddenly got a lot more interesting than it before the European fixtures. Dynamo’s late win at home to Malmo stirred all the emotions but ultimately may catalyse the start of a more positive run after six winless games.
Dynamo didn’t actually play all that well against Malmo despite creating a whole host of chances. As usual they were wasteful in the final third and much of their attempts ended up being blocked or fizzled out entirely. Had Malmo been a better side, it may have been a different story.
Luckily for Dynamo, they face an indifferent Vorskla side who so far this season are just getting by. Their performances have been average at best with a few wins sprinkled here and there. They’re on a two game losing streak and there’s nothing to suggest that they could get a result against a now buoyant Dynamo.
The question will be whether Dynamo can build on their performance in midweek or whether they are going to revert back to the side that was defeated by Desna; Disorganised, lethargic and non clinical. Now the threat of a fine is off the line (or is it?) the players might relax. It’s an unpredictable time for Dynamo at the moment, but even so, Vorskla are nothing too special to worry about.
The narrowest of victories for the away team here. 0-1
Kolos Kovalivka v Oleksandriya
After their debut Europa League game gave Oleksandriya a small dose of reality and showcased the gulf in class between themselves and Europe’s elite, Sharan’s men travel to the Obolon Arena.
Despite their defeat, they won’t be feeling too disheartened. Whilst it was obvious that Wolfsburg were a better side; Oleksandriya didn’t capitulate and will take respite from that.
However, it will be the first chance to see whether Oleksandriya suffer from any kind of European hangover.
They face Kolos, who got their first win in a while last weekend. Ruslan Kostyshyn’s men will also be looking to build on this and take advantage of the strong home crowd that the Kolos hierarchy buses in from Kovalivka and surrounding villages.
Oleksandriya have looked rather good in the UPL of late and as such may cause a few problems for Kolos, especially if Kovalets is back in the starting line up.
Kolos still struggle for goals and as such this won’t be the highest of scoring. 0-1
GROUP B: Dynamo Kyiv, FC Copenhagen, Malmo, Lugano
Key Fixtures:
19/9 – Dynamo Kyiv v Malmo
3/10 – Lugano v Dynamo Kyiv
24/10 – Dynamo Kyiv v FC Copenhagen
7/11 – FC Copenhagen v Dynamo Kyiv
28/11 – Malmo v Dynamo Kyiv
12/12 – Dynamo Kyiv v Lugano
Season outlook:
Dynamo’s season has already been a rollercoaster of events and emotions and it’s only a month and a half old! Dynamo’s domestic season has seen two blips thus far and puts them on the back foot in their title challenge against Shakhtar. They have lost to their arch rivals and drawn with bottom side Olimpik. Further compounding Dynamo fans’ misery was their exit from the UCL qualifiers, meaning the side has missed out on the Champions League group stages for the third season in a row. That is their worst run this century!
Fortunately, this turn of events meant that Ihor Surkis finally bit the bullet and sacked the unpopular Aleksandr Khatskevich. Unfortunately, his replacement was another school of Lobanovskyi graduate. Former Rangers player and ex-Dynamo Kyiv manager Oleksiy Mykhaylychenko was drafted in for a second stint in charge. Time will tell, as to whether this appointment was a mark of genius or ‘more of the same.’
Expectations in Europe will be high. With Dynamo progressing from the UEL groups in all three of the Khatskevich seasons; the same will be expected from the new manager. With Dynamo as first seeds, they have been gifted a more than manoeuvrable group. Copenhagen are not what they used to be, Malmo are also a shadow of their 20th century selves, whilst Lugano are relatively European novices.
Key Player:
Viktor Tsyhankov
On his day, Viktor Tsyhankov is unplayable. He was Dynamo’s player of the season last year and has stepped up to fill the boots of club legend Andriy Yarmolenko. The tricky winger can play on either the left or the right but has been predominantly used on the latter side. He has pace, pinpoint delivery and an eye for a long range goal. Whilst he has proven that he can cut it in the UPL, it’s on the European stage where his reputation will rise or fall.
He has been key in a number of group stage games over the past few seasons, scoring against the likes of Astana or Rennes and this can be expected to continue. However, he often goes missing in the bigger games and it will be a test to see if he can change this if the side do progress to the later rounds.
Manager:
Oleksiy Mykhaylychenko has returned as manager after his first go at the job was ended in 2004 by sacking. He did win silverware back then but that was very much a different era. As of yet, nobody knows too much as to how Mykhaylychenko will set his side up for European competition but early signs in the league scream of similarities to Khatskevich. Many are expecting more of the same; unadaptable game plan and a disorganised defence.
Predicted finish:
1st – Dynamo should finish top of this group with ease. Whilst the games do not signify that they will be high scoring, on paper at least, Dynamo’s squad looks to be the most experienced and superior in quality. The minimal expectations of fans and media is to better the European campaign of last season and make the Quarter Finals of the Europa League. It will all depend on whether Mykhaylychenko brings any sort of organisational improvement to the side, alongside his team selections.
Goal scoring forwards are something Dynamo have been lacking in for a number of years now. If Mykhaylychenko is able to get a tune out of Fran Sol or Rodrigues, then we could start seeing the beginning of something rather promising, after years of stagnation.
Oleksandriya
League Finish 18/19: 3rd
UCL Finish 18/19: N/A (Did not qualify)
UEL Finish 18/19: N/A (Did not qualify)
Home Stadium: Arena Lviv (Lviv)
GROUP I : Wolfsburg, KAA Gent, St Etienne, Oleksandriya
Key Fixtures:
19/9 – Wolfsburg v Oleksandriya
3/10 – Oleksandriya v Gent
24/10 – St Etienne v Oleksandriya
7/11 – Oleksandriya v St Etienne
28/11 – Oleksandriya v Wolfsburg
12/12 – Gent v Oleksandriya
Season outlook:
Oleksandriya were last season’s surprise package in the league. They comfortably finished third ahead of the likes of Zorya Luhansk and even challenged Dynamo for second place before the winter break. The efforts of Volodymyr Sharan’s men has been rewarded with an automatic group stage spot in the UEL.
However, due to UEFA rules, the Kirovohrad Oblast side will not be playing their fixtures at their home stadium, the NSK Nika. The transport links, number of hotels and stadium size all played a part in the decision. Oleksandriya have opted to play out their games at Arena Lviv, anticipating the city’s locals to be the most supportive of the side’s European campaign, out of all the alternative locations.
Having overachieved last season, Oleksandriya have had a mixed start to the season. They have registered a couple of wins but have also lost a few. It is unlikely that the club will reach the heights of last year but are still a difficult, well organised outfit to face.
Due to their novice European coefficient status, Oleksandriya were in Pot 4 for the draw. As such, they were drawn against some of the top clubs from Western Europe. Wolfsburg are no strangers to European competition, whilst St Etienne often give themselves a strong showing in Ligue 1. The most anticipated match up of the group will be against the Ukrainianized KAA Gent. It will see Ihor Plastun, Roman Bezus and former Oleksandriya man, Roman Yaremchuk return to Ukraine.
Key Player:
Yuri Pankiv
Yuri Pankiv is Oleksandriya’s veteran goalkeeper and was the recipient of the club’s 2018/19 Player of the Season award. His shot stopping was key in Oleksandriya’s low scoring matches last year; his clean sheet was usually followed up by a one or two goal margin victory. He’s also known for being fairly good at saving penalties.
With it being likely that the Oleksandriya defence will be overrun by Wolfsburg’s, St Etienne’s and Gent’s attacking lines, Pankiv will be the last outpost and the main man to keep the scores down. It’s going to be a busy campaign for the goalkeeper but one that will certainly help to bolster his reputation in his twilight years.
Manager and Line up:
Volodymyr Sharan
Volodymyr Sharan follows a rather pragmatic approach when it comes to his coaching. When playing against superior opposition such as Dynamo and Shakhtar, he sets his side up to soak up the pressure, before using his pacey wingers and full backs to counter down the flanks. With his formations usually employing a sole striker, it’s key that build up play stretches the opposition to allow space to be created for the forward. Oleksandriya’s line ups will be defensive minded, aiming to score the odd goal while keeping the scoresheet low.
Predicted finish:
4th – Oleksandriya will put on a brave show in their debut group campaign but the gulf in class and millions will be apparent to see. Their opener, away against Wolfsburg will be the litmus test as to whether the side can hold their own against a top side. It is possible to envisage that the side can get a result here or there; potentially a draw or a shock win at Arena Lviv. However, anything further than that would be seen as a bonus. The players and manager should savour this moment as it is unlikely that such an occasion will come around again for Oleksandriya.
The upcoming season of European football is a highly important one for Ukraine and its clubs. After largely disappointing UEFA Champions and Europa League campaigns in the previous year, Ukrainian sides will need to seriously perform this time round in order to preserve their amount of automatic group stage berths for the 21/22 season. The burden rests with Shakhtar Donetsk, Dynamo Kyiv, Oleksandriya. Mariupol fell at the Europa League Third Qualifying round hurdle. Whilst Zorya Luhansk were halted in the Play offs.
UKRAINE’S UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE REPRESENTATIVE:
SHAKHTAR DONETSK
Shakhtar Donetsk
League Finish 18/19: UPL Champions
UCL Finish 18/19: 3rd in Group F
UEL Finish 18/19: Round of 32
Home Stadium: Metalist Stadium (Kharkiv)
GROUP C : Manchester City, Shakhtar Donetsk, Dinamo Zagreb, Atalanta
Key Fixtures:
18/9 – Shakhtar v Manchester City
1/10 – Atalanta v Shakhtar
22/10 – Shakhtar v Dinamo Zagreb
6/11 – Dinamo Zagreb v Shakhtar
26/11 – Manchester City v Shakhtar
11/12 – Shakhtar v Atalanta
Season outlook:
Shakhtar started the season with a managerial change as Paulo Fonseca departed for AS Roma. Shakhtar replaced him with another Portuguese head coach, Luis Castro from Vitória Guimarães. There was only one major singing to speak of this summer, with Ukraine international Yevhen Konoplyanka signing on deadline day for under €2 million. As for the outgoings; there were no real big player losses, with Taison staying after interest from Milan. Castro has enjoyed a positive start to the league season, unbeaten at the time of writing, with wins over Dynamo and Zorya Luhansk already giving his side the edge in the early title race. After a catastrophic start to the season from Dynamo, many have already conceded that the league is over already! As a result, it is looking highly likely that more domestic silverware will come under the Castro era.
However, it is the European campaign, upon which Shakhtar will be judged upon the most. Expectations have been mixed regarding their draw. The Miners were grouped with Manchester City for the third season in a row, to whom they lost 9-0 on aggregate to last year. The prospects in those fixtures speak for themselves. Elsewhere Dinamo Zagreb should be beatable both home away, whilst debutants Atalanta could cause some surprises; they really shouldn’t be underestimated after finishing 4th in Serie A last season. The group also sees Ukrainians Oleksandr Zinchenko (City) and Ruslan Malinovskyi (Atalanta) return to their homeland and face their former club.
Key Player:
Marlos
Marlos pulls all the strings for this Shakhtar side. The attacking midfielder functions as as the intermediary between Shakhtar’s defensive midfield base and usually their one forward. As such he not only has to contribute through his passing and assists, but often takes it upon himself to share the goal scoring burden with mazy dribbles into the box and tidy finishes from anywhere inside the 18-yard line. He was hindered by a number of injuries last season and as such only played in three group stage games. He’s started the season exceptionally in the league and will be hoping to transfer this form into European competition.
Manager & Line up:
Luis Castro
It will be interesting to see how the Luis Castro takes to his own debut in Europe’s top club competition. League performance is not an accurate measure of how well the side will do in the UCL. However, if the line ups from his first few fixtures signal anything, Shakhtar can be expected to showcase some technical attacking displays.
Expected line up for Man City (H)
Pyatov (GK)
Ismaily (LB)
Kryvstov (CB)
Matvienko (CB)
Bolbat (RB)
Stepanenko (CDM)
Alan Patrick (CDM)
Konoplyanka (LM) – If Taison is declared fit he is likely to deputise
Marlos (CAM)
Solomon / Tete (RM)
Moraes (ST)
One to watch:
Tete
Tete is a young Brazilian attacking midfielder, who joined the club in January. He missed last season’s UCL campaign and will be looking to make his debut in this season’s offering. It is unlikely that he will start from the off but he will be a key substitution for Castro, especially if Shakhtar are in need of some creativity or a goal. In a similar mould to Marlos, the youngster is an expert dribbler, with an eye for driving into the box. He’s also a good finisher, so expect to see the player on the scoresheet sooner rather than later.
Predicted Finish
2nd – Shakhtar have every opportunity to qualify for the Round of 16. They hold the experienced edge over both Dinamo and Atalanta and have a versatile squad that has both the firepower and defensive poise to cause their opponents problems. Junior Moraes’ goals will be key in their progression, whilst the Brazilian youngsters could enjoy breakthrough European campaigns.
In the grand scheme of things, it would probably be better for Shakhtar to finish third and aim to have a good run in the Europa League; over a knockout tie against Barcelona which sees them exit Europe before March.
ZORYA LONDONSK 