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Opponents

Rukh is one of the youngest professional clubs in Ukraine. They hold home games at the Skif stadium in Lviv.

The team history dates back to 2003. In 2010, the club took part the Championship of the Lviv Oblast, with Hryhorii Kozlovskyi becoming its president the following year. Rukh won the regional championship on four occasions (2012 through 2015), raised the Cup three times (2012, 2014, 2015) and won the Super Cup once (2013). In 2014, they claimed the Ukrainian championship among amateur teams.

In the 2016/17 season, the club gained professional status. Moreover, the team did not got lost and began their Second League campaign with 6 straight victories, finishing in the second spot. Over a year, Rukh won the Second League title and in the summer of 2017 made their debut in the First League by defeating Kolos (1-0), ultimately claiming the 7th position, and securing the 11th spot a year later.

The Lviv outfit finished the opening part of the 2019/20 season as the league leaders (12 wins, 3 draws and 4 defeats), conceding the fewest goals (13) and boasting the best goal difference (+17). In December, the head coach Leonid Kuchuk left the team and was replaced by Yurii Bakalov. It was he who trained the football players during 3 winter training camps, 2 of which were held in Turkey. At the winter training camp under his leadership, they played 11 friendlies (7 wins, 1 draw and 3 defeats; goal difference 28-13).

Rukh were active during the winter transfer window. The squad was strengthened by the goalkeeper Oleksandr Bandura (FC Lviv), the defenders Taras Sakiv (Vorskla) and Maksym Belyi (Zorya), the midfielder Maryan Mysyk (Veres), and the striker Stanyslav Bilenkyi (DAC, Slovakia).

Head-to-head record

The UPL leaders Shakhtar and the First League leaders Rukh have never met on the football pitch. The opponents have never met in the Cup competition. At the same time, the Lviv side’s manager Yurii Bakalov repeatedly opposed the Miners at the helm of Arsenal Kyiv and Lviv.

In the 2018/19 season, Shakhtar defeated Bakalov’s Lviv 2-0 away (Marlos, Bolbat) and tied in Kharkiv (0-0). By the way, the goalkeeper of that team was Oleksandr Bandura - the current goalie of Rukh.