Preview

August 18, Lviv, Lviv Arena, 19:30
Live broadcast on Futbol 1 TV channel
 
Before the match
 
Only Shakhtar have lost no points in the current league edition: Luis Castro’s outfit defeated Oleksandriia (3-1), Karpaty Lviv (3-0), and Dynamo Kyiv (2-1). Junior Moraes and Marlos, whose goals determined a positive outcome in the Clasico, have netted goals in two rounds in a row. The team’s unbeaten league run has been going on for over a year, comprising 32 games.
 
On Sunday, central defender Sergii Kryvtsov may well make his 150th appearance for Shakhtar. This new season, he has participated in all games. And the team’s general objective is to extend their clean-sheet run as they have conceded no goals in five recent league meetings with Lviv.
  
Opponents
 
Lviv, who had no particular success competing for one of the top six spots in the second stage, began the new league campaign with an away victory over Chernihiv-based Desna (2-1). However, it was followed by a 0-3 away defeat to Dynamo and a combative match vs Vorskla in Poltava with the opponents exchanging goals throughout the game and the hosts scoring a decider in stoppage time.
 
Bohdan Blavatskyi, who headed the team in April, has continued his work in the summer. The senior managers set the task of getting into the top 6 again and competing for a European competition berth. After 3 starting rounds, the Lviv side are sitting in the 10th spot after conceding the most goals (7). In case of failure vs Shakhtar, they can get adrift of Karpaty or Olimpik who are facing each other on Sunday.
  
Head-to-head record
 
Shakhtar defeated Lviv in the league on four occasions, plus one draw and one win by the opponents. The goal difference is 12–2.
 
Previous UPL meeting 
 
Shakhtar finished the last season with an away game vs Lviv. The final round did not have any competitive motivation for the Miners, however, the team still dominated from the off in their usual manner. Dentinho struck high, Cipriano made Sarnavskyi show his reflexes, Solomon missed the target - these are the major highlights of the champions’ first-half play which ended 0-0. After the break, Dentinho - assisted by Kovalenko – opened the scoring, with Stepanenko and Matviienko making it 3-0.