Preview

February 22, Lviv, Arena Lviv, 15:30
The live broadcast will be available on UPL.TV

Match build-up

Shakhtar return after a two-month winter break and will play their first competitive match of 2026. In preparation for the second part of the season, the team coached by Arda Turan held a training camp in Belek, where the Miners played six friendlies, recording four wins and two defeats (goal difference: 16-8). The most prolific players for the Pitmen during the pre-season were midfielder Yehor Nazaryna and forward Kaua Elias (3 goals each). The only winter signing of the Orange-and-Blacks, Prosper Obah, scored for his new club for the first time (albeit in an unofficial match).

Shakhtar share top spot after 16 rounds with 35 points in the league table. The Miners boast the best goal difference in the championship: 42-12 (+30). The team’s leading scorers in the current season are Brazilians Kaua Elias (11 goals, 4 assists), Luca Meirelles (8/1) and Pedrinho (6/9).

Opponents

Karpaty begin the second half of the championship in 10th spot in the table, having collected 19 points from 16 matches (goal difference: 20-21). The team’s top scorer this season is Brazilian midfielder Bruninho (6 goals, 2 assists). During the winter, the club underwent a change of head coach, and since January the team have been led by 45-year-old Spanish specialist Francisco Fernandez, who previously managed Real Murcia, Alcorcón, Tenerife and Almería. The Green-and-Whites were also active in the transfer market. 8 new players joined Karpaty: Ukrainians Illia Kvasnytsia, Vitalii Kholod, Rostyslav Liakh and Marko Sapuga, plus foreign players Baboukar Faal, Edson, Xeber Alkain and Eriki. Karpaty held their winter training camp in Spain, where they played 7 friendly matches (2 wins, 1 draw, 4 defeats; goal difference: 9-9).

Match background

Shakhtar and the newly formed Karpaty have met three times in the Ukrainian championship: 1 win for the Orange-and-Blacks and 2 draws. Total goal difference: 8–5 in favour of the Pitmen.

Previous match

On August 10, 2025, in Lviv, at the Ukraina Stadium, the teams produced one of the most spectacular games of the first part of the UPL season. During the match, the Miners took the lead three times (goals from Newertton, Kaua Elias and Alisson), while the hosts equalised on each occasion (Neves, Bruninho and Krasnopir scored). The final score was 3-3.

Shakhtar vs Karpaty match will be officiated by the judging panel headed by Oleksandr Afanasiev. Assistant: Ihor Rybchenko and Denys Romanov. VAR: Mykhailo Raida.