Shakhtar vs Metalist 1925: match preview
Saturday, March 14, 2026
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Shakhtar will host Metalist 1925 on the UPL MD20
March 15, Lviv, Arena Lviv, 18:00
The live broadcast will be available on UPL.TV
Match build-up
Shakhtar continue to lead the Ukrainian Premier League with 44 points after 19 rounds (goal difference: 47-12). Arda Turan’s side started the spring part of the season with a series of wins: they defeated Karpaty (3-0), Veres (1-0) and Oleksandriia (1-0) in the UPL; moreover, the Pitmen have now gone 500 minutes without conceding in the national league. On Thursday, the Miners also claimed a victory in European competition, beating Poland’s Lech (3-1) in the first leg of the UEFA Conference League Round of 16. The goals in that encounter were scored by Brazilians Marlon Gomes, Newertton and Isaque, while the team’s top scorer this season, Kaua Elias, improved his tally with an assist and now has 11 goals and 5 assists.
Over the past week, the Orange-and-Blacks made a long journey along the route Oleksandriia – Istanbul – Poznań – Lviv, so they have had almost no time for full recovery and preparation for the upcoming clash. In addition, team captain Mykola Matviienko and Eguinaldo are currently sidelined, while Dmytro Kryskiv and Marlon Gomes picked up injuries in the previous match, so their participation in the meeting with the Kharkiv side is now in doubt.
Opponents
Metalist 1925 have 8 wins, 7 draws and 3 losses after 18 matches and currently sit 6th in the league table with 31 points (goal difference: 22-12). The Kharkiv side have started the second part of the season successfully: first a draw with Kryvbas (0-0), then a win over Oleksandriia (1-0), a smashing defeat of Lokomotyv Kyiv (3-0) and progression to the Ukrainian Cup semi-finals, while they beat Rukh (3-0) through goals from Yevhen Pavliuk, Baton Zabërgja and Artem Shabanov in the previous round of the UPL. The team’s top scorer this season is Nigerian forward Peter Itodo (8 goals and 1 assist).
Match background
Shakhtar and Metalist 1925 have played 6 matches in the Ukrainian Championship: 4 wins for the Miners and 2 draws. Total goal difference: 14–2 in favour of the Pitmen.
Previous meeting
On September 13, 2025, the teams met in the match of the first half of the UPL in Zhytomyr. The first half belonged to the Miners – Artem Bondarenko scored from the penalty spot in the 22nd minute, but late in the match the Kharkiv side managed to equalise, with Ivan Kaliuzhnyi finding the net in the 85th minute. 1-1.
The Shakhtar vs Metalist 1925 match will be officiated by the judging panel headed by Vitalii Romanov. Assistants – Volodymyr Vysotskyi and Dmytro Zaporozhchenko. VAR – Oleksandr Berkut.
The live broadcast will be available on UPL.TV
Match build-up
Shakhtar continue to lead the Ukrainian Premier League with 44 points after 19 rounds (goal difference: 47-12). Arda Turan’s side started the spring part of the season with a series of wins: they defeated Karpaty (3-0), Veres (1-0) and Oleksandriia (1-0) in the UPL; moreover, the Pitmen have now gone 500 minutes without conceding in the national league. On Thursday, the Miners also claimed a victory in European competition, beating Poland’s Lech (3-1) in the first leg of the UEFA Conference League Round of 16. The goals in that encounter were scored by Brazilians Marlon Gomes, Newertton and Isaque, while the team’s top scorer this season, Kaua Elias, improved his tally with an assist and now has 11 goals and 5 assists.
Over the past week, the Orange-and-Blacks made a long journey along the route Oleksandriia – Istanbul – Poznań – Lviv, so they have had almost no time for full recovery and preparation for the upcoming clash. In addition, team captain Mykola Matviienko and Eguinaldo are currently sidelined, while Dmytro Kryskiv and Marlon Gomes picked up injuries in the previous match, so their participation in the meeting with the Kharkiv side is now in doubt.
Opponents
Metalist 1925 have 8 wins, 7 draws and 3 losses after 18 matches and currently sit 6th in the league table with 31 points (goal difference: 22-12). The Kharkiv side have started the second part of the season successfully: first a draw with Kryvbas (0-0), then a win over Oleksandriia (1-0), a smashing defeat of Lokomotyv Kyiv (3-0) and progression to the Ukrainian Cup semi-finals, while they beat Rukh (3-0) through goals from Yevhen Pavliuk, Baton Zabërgja and Artem Shabanov in the previous round of the UPL. The team’s top scorer this season is Nigerian forward Peter Itodo (8 goals and 1 assist).
Match background
Shakhtar and Metalist 1925 have played 6 matches in the Ukrainian Championship: 4 wins for the Miners and 2 draws. Total goal difference: 14–2 in favour of the Pitmen.
Previous meeting
On September 13, 2025, the teams met in the match of the first half of the UPL in Zhytomyr. The first half belonged to the Miners – Artem Bondarenko scored from the penalty spot in the 22nd minute, but late in the match the Kharkiv side managed to equalise, with Ivan Kaliuzhnyi finding the net in the 85th minute. 1-1.
The Shakhtar vs Metalist 1925 match will be officiated by the judging panel headed by Vitalii Romanov. Assistants – Volodymyr Vysotskyi and Dmytro Zaporozhchenko. VAR – Oleksandr Berkut.