Preview

October 15, Kyiv, NSC Olimpiyskiy, 17:00

Match build-up

Almost two weeks have passed since the previous Premier League match – there was another league break for the international duty. The 11th round starts with a major game between last season’s silver and bronze medalists who are just three points apart. You can purchase the tickets at shakhtar.com.

Shakhtar gained momentum in the second half of September: they thrashed Mariupol, then they defeated Dynamo and secured a clean sheet in the Super Cup clash, plus they extended the winning streak vs Veres (4-1). Then followed two draws (vs Internazionale in the Champions League and vs Dynamo in the UPL), with the Miners keeping clean sheets on both occasions.

The forced break affected the competitive balance to a certain extent when it concerns the sides with many internationals. A group of key players rejoined the team’s training sessions late, just before the game against Zorya. However, this is nothing more than a given thing – the Orange-and-Blacks are fully ready for the match and are aiming for the maximum result.

The preliminary list features 22 players:

goalkeepers: Shevchenko, Pyatov, Trubin;

defenders: Dodo, Vitao, Marlon, Matviienko, Konoplia, Ismaily, Bondar;

midfielders: Stepanenko, Maycon, Marcos Antonio, Marlos, Tete, Solomon, Mudryk, Alan Patrick, Sudakov, Pedrinho;

forwards: Sikan, Fernando.

We want to note the presence on the list of Fernando, Ismaily and Vitao who were recovering from injuries during the international break. Sergii Kryvtsov is missing this round due to earning four yellow cards.

Opponents

Zorya have not lost to anyone since the 3rd round (1-2 defeat to Dynamo in Zaporizhia). In the recent three matches, Viktor Skrypnyk's men have claimed three clean-sheet wins: over Chornomorets (3-0), Dnipro-1 (4-0) and Desna (2-0). The only flaw in this case is the fourth yellow card of the team's vice-captain Dmytro Khomchenovskyi – he will not be able to benefit the team in the match against Shakhtar. But the captain Vitalii Vernydub, without whom the Luhansk team were forced to do in the encounters with Roma and Desna, is apparently ready to return to the field after recovering from an injury.

Head-to-head record

Shakhtar had 46 league meetings with Zorya. Shakhtar won 36 of them, the opponents won seven, along with three draws. The goal difference is 108-32. In the last four matches (from March 2020 to March 2021), Viktor Skrypnyk's team took 10 points away from the Miners.

Previous league meeting