Preview

August 4, Poltava, Oleksii Butovskyi Vorskla stadium, 15:30
Live stream will be available on UPL.TV

Match build-up

Shakhtar start the season as the current champions of Ukraine and will defend this title for the second time in a row. The team coached by Marino Pusic prepared for the start of the UPL at the training camp in Slovenia, where they spent 34 days and played 8 friendly matches (3 wins, 2 draws, 3 losses; goal difference: 13–7). In the summer, there were several changes in the squad of the Miners: Brazilians Vinicius Tobias and Pedrinho returned to the club, transfers of Ukrainian goalkeeper Kiril Fesiun and Tunisian defender Alaa Ghram were arranged, and Croatian defender Bartol Franjic joined the Orange-and-Blacks on loan.

Shakhtar trained at the Sviatoshyn training complex near Kyiv during the last week before the start of the new season, and the footballers who participated in the Olympic Games joined the team 2 days before the game.

Opponents

Vorskla, who finished in the 9th spot in the UPL in the previous season and were the finalists of the Ukrainian Cup, held their summer training camp in Poltava. During the month, Serhii Dolhanskyi’s team played 5 friendly games: they defeated Bukovyna (3-1), Uzhhorod (1-0), Skala 1911 (2-1) and Minaj (2-1), and played a draw with SC Poltava (1-1).

In the summer, Vorskla made several transfers: the club signed Nigerian forward Samson Iyede Onomigho from Horsens (Denmark), Ukrainian defender Oleksandr Chornomorets (Kolos), Slovenian Luka Gucek (Chornomorets), midfielders Denys Ndukve (Polissia) and Demir Skrijelj (Mornar, Montenegro) joined the club as free agents.

Match background

Shakhtar and Vorskla played 57 matches in the Ukrainian League: 42 victories of the Miners, 10 games ended in a draw, the Poltava team were stronger 5 times. Total goal difference: 114–38 in favour of Shakhtar.

Previous match

On May 15, Shakhtar and Vorskla played in the final of the Ukrainian Cup at the Avanhard stadium in Rivne. The first half passed under control of the Miners, and the team managed to open the scoring in the 40th minute, when Danylo Sikan finished Azarov’s cross with a header. After the break, the Pitmen widened their lead: Yukhym Konoplia scored in the 56th minute. 5 minutes before the end of the match, the Poltava team reduced the gap thanks to Mykola Kovtaliuk’s goal, but they did not manage to do more. 2-1 – Shakhtar celebrated the victory in the Ukrainian Cup and achieved a golden double of the season.

Vorskla vs Shakhtar match will be officiated by the judging panel headed by Mykola Balakin. Assistants – Volodymyr Vysotskyi and Semen Shlonchak. VAR system will be used during the game (Oleksandr Derevinskyi will be the referee).