Preview

November 11, Poltava, Oleksii Butovskyi Vorskla stadium, 19:30
Live broadcast on the Futbol 1 TV channel

Before the match

The encounter between the bronze medalists and the league winners this coming Sunday will close the matchday. After defeating Dynamo, Paulo Fonseca’s team are topping the league table 8 points clear of Dynamo Kyiv. However, most of the competition is still ahead (they have held less than half of the season games to date), with the Orange-and-Blacks not intending to slow down. Before the international break, Shakhtar will be happy with only the maximum result.
 
On November 9, the players who had taken part in the away game vs Manchester City, dedicated some time to their recovery and fitness, practising for another 90 minutes on the pitch of the Sviatoshyn suburban complex. Viacheslav Tankovskyi returned to the general group, and Mykhailo Mudryk continues training with the team. We also want to mention the availability of Larry Kayode after suspension. Only Taras Stepanenko will miss the match.
 
Opponents

Being the third best side last season, Vorskla have won a Europa League group stage berth. In four rounds, the Green-and-Whites lost to Arsenal and Sporting, then exchanging narrow away victories with Qarabag. In general, the Poltava side’s schedule is very different from last year’s one. For example, in the 2016/17 season, they were knocked out of the European competition qualifying rounds, spending the second stage of the UPL campaign among the top six sides.
 
In the current championship, Vorskla have never drawn. The team boast 8 wins, just as Oleksandriia, with the latter being 3 points ahead. In previous rounds, the Miners’ opponents broke the resistance of Olimpik and Lviv. Careca and Volodymyr Chesnakov will not enter the field on Sunday after earning four yellow cards each.
 
Vasyl Sachko, when he coached Vorskla, once took points away from Shakhtar in the championship: it happened in August 2015 in Poltava. After that, the Miners have always won. The unbeaten run under Paulo Fonseca vs the Poltava team comprises 7 games.
 
Head-to-head record
 
In 47 games, Shakhtar claimed 36 victories, Vorskla had 2 wins, another 9 games ended in a draw. The goal difference is 97–28.
 
Previous league meeting
 
On August 11, in Kharkiv, Shakhtar could have opened the scoring early, but Moraes’ attempt went just inches wide of the post. In the 25th minute, Vorskla complicated the Miners’ task (Sharpar headed a corner right into the back of the net). The Poltava showcased some exemplary defence before the break, but then the champions’ pressure materialised: Marlos scored one independently, and Stepanenko responded to Moraes' pass, making it 2-1. Shortly after that, Khocholava got on the end of Patrick's comfortable cross, with Taison providing an assist to the current league’s top scorer – 4-1.