Epicentr vs Shakhtar: match preview
Sunday, August 3, 2025
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Shakhtar to play Epicentr away in the UPL round 1
August 3, Ternopil, R. Shukhevych Ternopil City Stadium, 15:30
The live broadcast will be available on UPL.TV
Match build-up
Shakhtar are set to kick off the new UPL season with a match against the newcomers. Meanwhile, Arda Turan’s team have already been playing competitive matches on the European stage for nearly a month. In four UEFA Europa League fixtures, the Miners have recorded three wins and one draw – first overcoming Finnish side Ilves (6-0, 0-0), then defeating Turkish Beşiktaş twice (4-2, 2-0) in the second qualifying round. The team’s top performers at the start of the season are Brazilians Kevin (4 goals and 2 assists), Alisson (3 goals and 5 assists) and Kaua Elias (2 goals).
This week, Shakhtar wrapped up their summer training camp in Slovenia, which lasted nearly six weeks, and returned to Ukraine after a winning match in Kraków to continue preparations for their Premier League opener. There are no personnel concerns for the Pitmen – only Dmytro Kryskiv and Marlon remain sidelined, though both are expected to return to action soon. No Shakhtar players are suspended for the upcoming match either.
Opponents
Epicentr are making their UPL debut. The club, founded in 2020, represents the city of Kamianets-Podilskyi in Khmelnytskyi Oblast. Since 2022, the team had competed in the First League, and in the 2024/25 season they won the competition (22 matches, 16 wins, 5 draws, 1 loss, goal difference: 39-15) to secure promotion to the top flight. The head coach is 53-year-old Serhii Nahorniak and the captain is Andrii Bezhenar. The top scorers last season were Danylo Kravchuk (14 goals), who joined LNZ in the summer, and Ivan Bandera (9 goals). During the current transfer window, the club have signed several players as free agents: goalkeeper Arsenii Vavshko, Spanish defender Nil Coch, wingers Denys Yanakov and Joaquinete, and forwards Vadym Sydun and Andrii Boriachuk. Epicentr were defeated 0-5 by Kolos in their final friendly before the season opener.
Match background
Shakhtar and Epicentr are set to meet for the first time in the clubs’ history. According to media reports, all available tickets for the match at R. Shukhevych Ternopil City Stadium have already been sold. Incidentally, the Pitmen last played at this venue on September 23, 2015, when they thrashed FC Ternopil in the Ukrainian Cup Round of 16 (5-0).
The Epicentr vs Shakhtar match will be officiated by the judging panel headed by Klym Zabroda. Assistants – Valentyn Kutsev and Vitalii Skoblia. VAR – Volodymyr Novokhatnii.
The live broadcast will be available on UPL.TV
Match build-up
Shakhtar are set to kick off the new UPL season with a match against the newcomers. Meanwhile, Arda Turan’s team have already been playing competitive matches on the European stage for nearly a month. In four UEFA Europa League fixtures, the Miners have recorded three wins and one draw – first overcoming Finnish side Ilves (6-0, 0-0), then defeating Turkish Beşiktaş twice (4-2, 2-0) in the second qualifying round. The team’s top performers at the start of the season are Brazilians Kevin (4 goals and 2 assists), Alisson (3 goals and 5 assists) and Kaua Elias (2 goals).
This week, Shakhtar wrapped up their summer training camp in Slovenia, which lasted nearly six weeks, and returned to Ukraine after a winning match in Kraków to continue preparations for their Premier League opener. There are no personnel concerns for the Pitmen – only Dmytro Kryskiv and Marlon remain sidelined, though both are expected to return to action soon. No Shakhtar players are suspended for the upcoming match either.
Opponents
Epicentr are making their UPL debut. The club, founded in 2020, represents the city of Kamianets-Podilskyi in Khmelnytskyi Oblast. Since 2022, the team had competed in the First League, and in the 2024/25 season they won the competition (22 matches, 16 wins, 5 draws, 1 loss, goal difference: 39-15) to secure promotion to the top flight. The head coach is 53-year-old Serhii Nahorniak and the captain is Andrii Bezhenar. The top scorers last season were Danylo Kravchuk (14 goals), who joined LNZ in the summer, and Ivan Bandera (9 goals). During the current transfer window, the club have signed several players as free agents: goalkeeper Arsenii Vavshko, Spanish defender Nil Coch, wingers Denys Yanakov and Joaquinete, and forwards Vadym Sydun and Andrii Boriachuk. Epicentr were defeated 0-5 by Kolos in their final friendly before the season opener.
Match background
Shakhtar and Epicentr are set to meet for the first time in the clubs’ history. According to media reports, all available tickets for the match at R. Shukhevych Ternopil City Stadium have already been sold. Incidentally, the Pitmen last played at this venue on September 23, 2015, when they thrashed FC Ternopil in the Ukrainian Cup Round of 16 (5-0).
The Epicentr vs Shakhtar match will be officiated by the judging panel headed by Klym Zabroda. Assistants – Valentyn Kutsev and Vitalii Skoblia. VAR – Volodymyr Novokhatnii.