U19. Shakhtar vs Karpaty: match report

Goals: 0-1 Lebedenko (29), 1-1 Topalov (71)

Missed penalty: Zavinskyi (60, goalkeeper)

Shakhtar: Kucherenko, Konoplya, Mate, Bondar, Korniienko, Chekh, Kashchuk (Kuzmenko, 70), Hudz, Kulakov (Porodko, 36), Topalov (c), Andruschenko

Unused subs: Vertei, Pavlish, Putrya, Chahovets, Semenikhin

Head coach: Serhiy Popov

Karpaty: Zadereiko, Zavinskyi (Bilyi, 79), Veremiienko, Derman (Oprysk, 72), Lebedenko (c), Dontsov (Malashevskyi, 46), Tolochko, Valenko (Silchenko, 46), Mykytin, Kos, Voitovych (Remenyuk, 72)

Unused subs: Yushchyshyn, Bodnar

Head coach: Roman Tolochko

Booked: Veremiienko (43) Korniienko (59), Porodko (59), Derman (61), Bondar (69), Silchenko (79)

Sent off: Veremiienko (87, second yellow card)

Referee: Dmytro Osaulenko (Kyiv)

The game was to be held in October, but it was postponed due to Ukraine U19 performance. In the previous game, the Pitmen claimed a home win over Volyn (3-0). Serhiy Popov decided not to change the winning line-up and fielded the same players who had appeared in the starting line-up against Volyn.

The teams quickly adapted to the snow-covered synthetic pitch and exchanged threats early in the first half, with the goalkeepers making saves on both occasions. Shakhtar dominated possession and played more fluidly in the opponents’ half of the field, though the visitors’ attacks were more dangerous. Yevhen Kucherenko twice rescued the team following Mykytin’s attempts from close range, but in the 29th minute he failed to help the Pitmen: Orest Lebedenko proved to be the most agile in the penalty area, scoring the goal after his second attempt. The Orange-and-Blacks tried to equalise in the first half, but failed to create any clear-cut chances.

Immediately after the break, the charges of Serhiy Popov took the situation on the pitch under control, with virtually the entire game taking place outside the box of Karpaty. At the same time, the visitors did not forget about counterattacks and earned a penalty in one of them. However, Kucherenko foresaw Zavinskyi’s plan and prevented him from scoring, stopping the ball in the right corner. Shakhtar immediately responded with two killer shots: Oleksandr Porodko hit the bar from a great position and Stanyslav Hudz shot it over the goal. Quantity turned into quality on 71 minutes. Dmytro Topalov took advantage of the Lviv team’s defensive error to beat the keeper from close range and make it 1-1. The ending of the meeting was not wintry at all. In the 87th minute, Karpaty central defender Veremiienko fouled on Andruschenko, leaving his team with just ten men after earning his second yellow card. Yefym Konoplya bent the earned penalty shot into the near top corner only to see it go wide. Immediately after that, Porodko got on the end of Andruschenko’s cross just to see his attempt whizz above the bar. Straight after that, Vladyslav Kuzmenko shot from a point blank range on target, with the keeper showcasing his great reflexes. The Pitmen did not leave attempts to snatch the win until the very final whistle, with the score still remaining 1-1.

It was the closing game of Shakhtar U19 in 2016. The Orange-and-Blacks finished the first half of the season in the 5th spot. The team leave for a winter break, with the U19 league resuming on April 1.