We extended our lead
Thursday, April 23, 2026
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Shakhtar played away against Zorya in the rescheduled UPL MD21 fixture
Shakhtar head coach Arda Turan rotated the squad compared with the previous match and named the following line-up: Riznyk started in goal as usual, Bondar and Marlon Santos were the centre-backs, Vinicius Tobias and Pedro Henrique operated on the flanks, Nazaryna, Bondarenko, Prosper and Newertton formed the midfield; while Kaua Elias and Meirelles formed the forward partnership.
Prosper’s first goal and a game with chances for both sides
The teams had barely settled when Shakhtar opened the scoring. In the 2nd minute, after a delivery from a set piece, Bondar flicked the ball into the centre of the penalty area, it deflected off Meirelles and fell to Prosper Obah, who finished on the volley with his second touch to beat the goalkeeper – 0-1. It was the Nigerian winger’s first goal for the Orange-and-Blacks in competitive matches. The hosts could have responded just as quickly when, in the 6th minute, Andjusic broke through one-on-one, but Riznyk came out on top. The sides continued to play end to end and trade chances: Kaua Elias struck the near post from the right side of the box, while Budkivskyi directed a signature header under the crossbar – Riznyk saved. Midway through the half, Kaua Elias had another opportunity when he went one-on-one with the goalkeeper, but Saputin denied the Brazilian. Moments later, Meirelles shot from the centre of the area but hit the keeper as well. And a minute before the break, it was Riznyk who had to rescue the visitors, tipping away a powerful low effort from Dryshliuk.
We snatched the win through Bondarenko’s goal
The start of the second half belonged to the hosts, who managed to equalise from a set piece as well. In the 51st minute, Zorya delivered from a right-hand corner, the ball dropped outside the penalty area to Malysh, who shot accurately into the left corner. After that, the Pitmen’s coaching staff made their first substitutions – Isaque and Eguinaldo came on and immediately created a chance: the midfielder played a pass to the edge of the goal area, but the forward hit Saputin. The Miners predictably took control of the game and pushed forward. Vinicius Tobias finished off a fine team move from the edge of the box, but the ball went just wide of the left post. Zorya responded with their own efforts – Slesar’s long-range shot was saved by Riznyk. Following another double substitution, Alisson and Traore added impetus to the Orange-and-Blacks’ attack. It was the introduction of the Burkinabe forward that helped the visitors take the lead again: Lassina, in a duel with Malysh, won a penalty, which Artem Bondarenko converted in the 82nd minute, calmly sending the ball and the goalkeeper into opposite corners – 1-2. Traoré could also have scored, but just failed to reach the ball after a delicate pass from Alisson. In stoppage time, Mykola Matviienko came on, and the Orange-and-Blacks snuffed out all of the opposition’s attempts to mount a push and held on to the required result.
2-1 – Shakhtar beat Zorya and strengthen their lead at the top of the UPL table!
Arda Turan’s side will play their next match on Sunday, April 26. The Miners will face Kudrivka on Ukrainian Premier League MD25. The game will take place at the Arena Lviv, with kickoff scheduled for 18:00.
Zorya Luhansk 1-2 (0-1) Shakhtar Donetsk
Kyiv, V. Lobanovskyi Dynamo Stadium, att.: 973
Goals: 0-1 Prosper (2′), 1-1 Malysh (51′), 1-2 Bondarenko (82′, pen.)
Shakhtar: Riznyk, Vinicius Tobias, Bondar (c), Marlon Santos (Matviienko, 90+1′), Pedro Henrique, Nazaryna, Bondarenko, Prosper (Alisson, 73′), Newertton (Eguinaldo, 58′), Kaua Elias (Traore, 73′), Meirelles (Isaque, 58′)
Prosper’s first goal and a game with chances for both sides
The teams had barely settled when Shakhtar opened the scoring. In the 2nd minute, after a delivery from a set piece, Bondar flicked the ball into the centre of the penalty area, it deflected off Meirelles and fell to Prosper Obah, who finished on the volley with his second touch to beat the goalkeeper – 0-1. It was the Nigerian winger’s first goal for the Orange-and-Blacks in competitive matches. The hosts could have responded just as quickly when, in the 6th minute, Andjusic broke through one-on-one, but Riznyk came out on top. The sides continued to play end to end and trade chances: Kaua Elias struck the near post from the right side of the box, while Budkivskyi directed a signature header under the crossbar – Riznyk saved. Midway through the half, Kaua Elias had another opportunity when he went one-on-one with the goalkeeper, but Saputin denied the Brazilian. Moments later, Meirelles shot from the centre of the area but hit the keeper as well. And a minute before the break, it was Riznyk who had to rescue the visitors, tipping away a powerful low effort from Dryshliuk.
We snatched the win through Bondarenko’s goal
The start of the second half belonged to the hosts, who managed to equalise from a set piece as well. In the 51st minute, Zorya delivered from a right-hand corner, the ball dropped outside the penalty area to Malysh, who shot accurately into the left corner. After that, the Pitmen’s coaching staff made their first substitutions – Isaque and Eguinaldo came on and immediately created a chance: the midfielder played a pass to the edge of the goal area, but the forward hit Saputin. The Miners predictably took control of the game and pushed forward. Vinicius Tobias finished off a fine team move from the edge of the box, but the ball went just wide of the left post. Zorya responded with their own efforts – Slesar’s long-range shot was saved by Riznyk. Following another double substitution, Alisson and Traore added impetus to the Orange-and-Blacks’ attack. It was the introduction of the Burkinabe forward that helped the visitors take the lead again: Lassina, in a duel with Malysh, won a penalty, which Artem Bondarenko converted in the 82nd minute, calmly sending the ball and the goalkeeper into opposite corners – 1-2. Traoré could also have scored, but just failed to reach the ball after a delicate pass from Alisson. In stoppage time, Mykola Matviienko came on, and the Orange-and-Blacks snuffed out all of the opposition’s attempts to mount a push and held on to the required result.
2-1 – Shakhtar beat Zorya and strengthen their lead at the top of the UPL table!
Arda Turan’s side will play their next match on Sunday, April 26. The Miners will face Kudrivka on Ukrainian Premier League MD25. The game will take place at the Arena Lviv, with kickoff scheduled for 18:00.
Zorya Luhansk 1-2 (0-1) Shakhtar Donetsk
Kyiv, V. Lobanovskyi Dynamo Stadium, att.: 973
Goals: 0-1 Prosper (2′), 1-1 Malysh (51′), 1-2 Bondarenko (82′, pen.)
Shakhtar: Riznyk, Vinicius Tobias, Bondar (c), Marlon Santos (Matviienko, 90+1′), Pedro Henrique, Nazaryna, Bondarenko, Prosper (Alisson, 73′), Newertton (Eguinaldo, 58′), Kaua Elias (Traore, 73′), Meirelles (Isaque, 58′)
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