Preview

The beginning of the season’s spring part was not easy for Shakhtar: their home defeat and away draw resulted in losing the lead in the league. But Serhii Shyschenko's lads have 10 more rounds to go, so the title fight is still ahead. The Donetsk team were preparing for the game vs Skala with the incomplete squad: Andrii Kulakov and Maksym Chekh helped the Ukraine U19 to secure the Euro berth, while Nazarii Muravskyi and Artem Holod took part in the friendlies vs Austria in the Ukraine U18 team. The Miners also filled the three-week league break with friendlies: they demolished Rubikon (Kyiv Oblast) 6-2, losing 0-3 to the First League representatives Sumy.

Opponents

Skala scored 19 points in 16 rounds, currently sitting in the 10th spot in the table, without hiding the desire to be in the top five. The Stryi team confirmed their ambitions with two great games in March: they had an away draw vs Zorya (2-2) and defeated Oleksandriia at home (2-0). Skala are considered the home team: in 8 away meetings they scored just 3 points, while suffering only two home defeats – at the hands of Shakhtar Donetsk and Vorskla Poltava.