Shakhtar vs Kryvbas: match report
Thursday, March 6, 2025
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Shakhtar faced Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih in the UPL round 20
Head coach of the Miners Marino Pusic made two changes in the starting line-up compared to the previous match: Heorhii Sudakov played in the middle of the field from the first minutes, and Eguinaldo was at the helm this time.
Before the match, Shakhtar honoured the memory of the fallen heroes of Ukraine. The team’s players took to the field wearing symbolic shirts in honour of those who gave their lives for our country. They feature a line from a poem by soldier and poet Maksym Kryvtsov (Dali), who fell in battle: "When they ask me what the war became, I will answer – names..." Each player wrote on their shirt the call sign of a soldier who defended Ukraine and became a hero. Among them were fallen Shakhtar ultras, relatives of footballers and staff, as well as club employees.
Defender of Ukraine Serhii Nesterenko (call sign Ziat) took the first symbolic kick. The senior officer in the Phoenix unit of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine took part in the battles for Kreminna and Lyman and defended Bakhmut. In January 2023, while evacuating the wounded, he became encircled and, thanks to his courage and determination, not only made his way out but also rescued his brothers-in-arms. The heroic soldier has been awarded the Order for Courage of the third class.
Dangerous moments that we failed to convert into goals
From the very beginning of the match Shakhtar players had the initiative in the game and created many chances to open the scoring in the first half. Sudakov could have scored in the opening stages, when he tried to turn Pedro Henrique’s wing cross home with a header, but the ball ended up in the goalkeeper’s hands. In the next attack of the Pitmen, Eguinaldo decided to make a long-range shot, but Klishchuk saved the visiting team again. Another chance for Eguinaldo came after a pass from Vinicius Tobias, but the shot of the Brazilian forward of the Orange-and-Blacks was not too powerful and focused. In the middle of the half, Nazaryna made two consecutive cannon shots – the ball went centimetres from the left post both times. The Kryvyi Rih team responded with a similar moment when Mykytyshyn made a long-range shot close to the post. And Kryskiv had a chance to score in the added time – above the target.
We conceded first, but played back thanks to Bondarenko’s goal
The second half also started with the moments from the Miners: first, Eguinaldo shot over the crossbar from an advantageous position after Shved’s pass, and then Nazaryna also narrowly missed the target in a counterattack. But the opponents did not sit back in defence, and if Riznyk saved Mykytyshyn’s attempt, then in the 57th minute, Mendoza accurately shot into the near corner from the left edge of the penalty area and opened the scoring. Nazaryna could have scored an equaliser immediately, but the ball flew past the post after his next shot. Marino Pusic reacted with a triple substitution, fielding Marlon Gomes, Bondarenko and Kaua Elias, and again the bet of the head coach of the Pitmen paid off instantly: a minute after entering the field, Artem Bondarenko played with Eguinaldo, broke into the penalty area and chipped the ball over the goalkeeper spectacularly – 1-1. After that, Kevin could have given the host team the lead, but his shot was saved by Klishchuk. Then a nerve-racking battle began on the field: the Orange-and-Blacks were pushing forward with great force, while the Kryvyi Rih players focused on defence and used all means to slow down the pace. Bondarenko and Kevin had opportunities to score the winning goal, but the goalkeeper saved the visiting team both times. And in the last minutes of regular time, Bondarenko shot powerfully from outside the penalty area, but the ball went close to the post after deflection. 1-1 – a draw in the match between Shakhtar and Kryvbas.
Marino Pusic’s team will play against Karpaty away in the next UPL round. The meeting will take place in Lviv on Tuesday, March 11. It will kick off at 18:00.
Shakhtar Donetsk 1-1 (0-0) Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih
Lviv, Arena Lviv, 2,500 spectators
Goals: 0-1 Mendoza (57′), 1-1 Bondarenko (66′)
Shakhtar: Riznik, Vinicius Tobias (Newertton, 84′), Bondar (Marlon Gomes, 65′), Matviienko (c), Pedro Henrique, Nazaryna, Kryskiv (Bondarenko, 65′), Sudakov, Shved (Kaua Elias, 65′), Kevin (Traore, 84′), Eguinaldo
Before the match, Shakhtar honoured the memory of the fallen heroes of Ukraine. The team’s players took to the field wearing symbolic shirts in honour of those who gave their lives for our country. They feature a line from a poem by soldier and poet Maksym Kryvtsov (Dali), who fell in battle: "When they ask me what the war became, I will answer – names..." Each player wrote on their shirt the call sign of a soldier who defended Ukraine and became a hero. Among them were fallen Shakhtar ultras, relatives of footballers and staff, as well as club employees.
Defender of Ukraine Serhii Nesterenko (call sign Ziat) took the first symbolic kick. The senior officer in the Phoenix unit of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine took part in the battles for Kreminna and Lyman and defended Bakhmut. In January 2023, while evacuating the wounded, he became encircled and, thanks to his courage and determination, not only made his way out but also rescued his brothers-in-arms. The heroic soldier has been awarded the Order for Courage of the third class.
Dangerous moments that we failed to convert into goals
From the very beginning of the match Shakhtar players had the initiative in the game and created many chances to open the scoring in the first half. Sudakov could have scored in the opening stages, when he tried to turn Pedro Henrique’s wing cross home with a header, but the ball ended up in the goalkeeper’s hands. In the next attack of the Pitmen, Eguinaldo decided to make a long-range shot, but Klishchuk saved the visiting team again. Another chance for Eguinaldo came after a pass from Vinicius Tobias, but the shot of the Brazilian forward of the Orange-and-Blacks was not too powerful and focused. In the middle of the half, Nazaryna made two consecutive cannon shots – the ball went centimetres from the left post both times. The Kryvyi Rih team responded with a similar moment when Mykytyshyn made a long-range shot close to the post. And Kryskiv had a chance to score in the added time – above the target.
We conceded first, but played back thanks to Bondarenko’s goal
The second half also started with the moments from the Miners: first, Eguinaldo shot over the crossbar from an advantageous position after Shved’s pass, and then Nazaryna also narrowly missed the target in a counterattack. But the opponents did not sit back in defence, and if Riznyk saved Mykytyshyn’s attempt, then in the 57th minute, Mendoza accurately shot into the near corner from the left edge of the penalty area and opened the scoring. Nazaryna could have scored an equaliser immediately, but the ball flew past the post after his next shot. Marino Pusic reacted with a triple substitution, fielding Marlon Gomes, Bondarenko and Kaua Elias, and again the bet of the head coach of the Pitmen paid off instantly: a minute after entering the field, Artem Bondarenko played with Eguinaldo, broke into the penalty area and chipped the ball over the goalkeeper spectacularly – 1-1. After that, Kevin could have given the host team the lead, but his shot was saved by Klishchuk. Then a nerve-racking battle began on the field: the Orange-and-Blacks were pushing forward with great force, while the Kryvyi Rih players focused on defence and used all means to slow down the pace. Bondarenko and Kevin had opportunities to score the winning goal, but the goalkeeper saved the visiting team both times. And in the last minutes of regular time, Bondarenko shot powerfully from outside the penalty area, but the ball went close to the post after deflection. 1-1 – a draw in the match between Shakhtar and Kryvbas.
Marino Pusic’s team will play against Karpaty away in the next UPL round. The meeting will take place in Lviv on Tuesday, March 11. It will kick off at 18:00.
Shakhtar Donetsk 1-1 (0-0) Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih
Lviv, Arena Lviv, 2,500 spectators
Goals: 0-1 Mendoza (57′), 1-1 Bondarenko (66′)
Shakhtar: Riznik, Vinicius Tobias (Newertton, 84′), Bondar (Marlon Gomes, 65′), Matviienko (c), Pedro Henrique, Nazaryna, Kryskiv (Bondarenko, 65′), Sudakov, Shved (Kaua Elias, 65′), Kevin (Traore, 84′), Eguinaldo
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