Preview

April 17, Dnipro, Dnipro-Arena, 18:30
Live broadcast on 2+2 TV channel
 
Before the match
 
Shakhtar continue competing for the domestic Cup. In the Round of 16, Paulo Fonseca's men defeated Olimpik, and at the next stage, they beat Dynamo in a penalty shoot-out in the tense clash. They are only a step away from the decisive match, but the encounter with the First League club does not signify a walk in the park.
 
After the bright victory over Zorya in the 24th round of the championship, the Orange-and-Blacks had one training session per day. On Tuesday, April 16, they also scheduled a morning session, and in the evening the team will fly to Dnipro. The striker Junior Moraes will miss the upcoming game due to suspension.
 
This is a reminder that Shakhtar are the 12-time Ukrainian Cup winners and the undisputed record holders for the number of trophies. In 2016, the Miners won a milestone award and then defended their title twice with Paulo Fonseca at the helm.
 
Opponents
 
Dnipro-1 are topping the First League enjoying a 9-point lead and having some excellent chances of promotion. In the recent round, the sport-club team thrashed Sumy 7-0, with the top scorer Stanyslav Kulish (16 goals) netting four goals. Scoring wise, Dnipro-1 have no equals: 60 goals in 21 games.
 
Dnipro-1 kicked off their Cup campaign in the preliminary rounds, defeating Metalurh Zaporizhia and Volyn, also beating Kalush in the Round of 16, and defeating the UPL representatives Vorskla 2-0 in the quarter-finals at home. The goals in the 78th and 83rd minutes were scored by the leaders Stanyslav Kulish and Ihor Kohut. Dmytro Mykhailenko's men held the match with the following squad: Yurchuk, Romanyuk, Lopyrenok, Lohinov, Polevyi, Batahov (Zahalskyi, 73’), Snizhko (Ochihava, 86’), Kohut, Chichikov (Shapoval, 61’), Kulish, Kuzyk.
 
We want to point out that Dnipro-1 advanced to the Cup semi-finals for the second year in a row. Last season at this stage, Dnipro-1 lost to Dynamo (1-4).
 
Head-to-head
 
The SK Dnipro-1 was founded in 2017. Shakhtar have not met with them yet. Previously, our regular opponents were FC Dnipro, with whom we met in the Cup on 16 occasions: 9 victories, 2 defeats, 5 draws, 25 goals scored and 10 goals conceded. On two occasions, the winners were determined in a penalty shoot-out, with the Miners being more successful in both cases.