Karpaty vs Shakhtar: match preview

After three rounds, the two leaders - Shakhtar and Dynamo - have a 100% result. They lead the closest opponents Zorya by 2 points, and other teams by 5 or more points. The Orange-and-Blacks need to continue winning the league games to ensure a positive attitude for the Europa League qualifier against Istanbul Basaksehir.

Two days before the game, the Pitmen held an open training session. Reporters had a chance to talk to Viktor Kovalenko and Ismaily, and after that the team focused on working with the ball and tactical exercises. Andriy Pyatov and Ismaily returned to the general group.

Referee - Kostiantyn Trukhanov (Kharkiv)
Assistant referees - Ihor Aliokhin (Khmelnytskyi), Oleksandr Korniyko (Myrhorod)
Fourth official - Ihor Paskhal (Kherson)
Referee observer - Oleksandr Shamich (Kyiv)

Karpaty are at the bottom of the standings, since they were fined 6 points by the FIFA Disciplinary Committee in the pre-season. After a win and a draw, the Lviv team decreased the deficit to -2 points. Karpaty started the season with a successful match against Stal (3-0 with a goal by Chachua and a brace by Blanco Leshchuk), after which the Green-and-Whites were defeated by Dynamo, and in the 3rd round in Poltava played a draw with Vorskla (1-1).

The team's coach Serhii Zaitsev consistently fields a number of young players. Hrysio, who made his debut this season, has already scored a goal in a duel with Vorskla. It should also be noted that Lobai appeared in all the matches this season, and Salamakha, Markovich and Zaikin were fielded as substitutes.

The teams played 46 matches in the league. Shakhtar won 29 times, Karpaty - 9, and 8 matches ended in a draw. Goal difference: 91-32 for the Donetsk team.

In 23 matches held with Karpaty being the home team, the Pitmen won 10 times, the Lviv team - 9, and 4 matches ended in a draw. Goal difference: 33-23 for the Orange-and-Blacks.

The match of the 25th round made no difference to the teams' standings. Nevertheless, on May 8, 2016, Shakhtar beat Karpaty 2-1 in an away game. In the opening minutes of the game, Kanibolotskyi deflected a penalty shot by Holodiuk, but the Lviv team still took the lead before the end of the half after a goal by Blanco Leshchuk. In the second half, the Pitmen were very active, and in the 64th minute Hitchenko cut the ball into his own net after a cross by Shevchuk. Marlos brought the win for the Donetsk team scoring a penalty shot on 88 minutes after Plastun's foul against Nem.

Darijo Srna has 498 appearances for Shakhtar.

Karpaty lost the only home game of the 2016/17 season.

The scoring streak of the Pitmen in the league started August 28, 2015 and has lasted 23 games (75 goals).

Leave your prediction for the Shakhtar v Karpaty game in the Guess the Score contest. Following the results in July and August, the winner will be awarded a Shakhtar jersey, while the other prize winners will receive gifts from the club and Nike.