An epic triumph for the Alexandria defender and a blow to Polissia's ambitions. Here’s a recap of the 13th round of the UPL.
In the 13th round of the Ukrainian Premier League, teams ended in a draw in 2 matches. Overall, players scored 16 goals, with 4 of them occurring in a single match. The champion traditionally summarizes the most attractive league in the world and presents fresh thoughts for your consideration.
Event of the Round
Shakhtar Donetsk solidified their position in 3rd place. With the miners' victory over Zorya and Polissya's loss, Marino Pushych's team distanced itself from the Zhytomyr club by 4 points.
9Thus, the "orange and black" remain the main pursuers of the two leaders of the Ukrainian Premier League, Dynamo and Oleksandriya. The teams of Oleksandr Shovkovskyi and Ruslan Rotan have accumulated 32 points compared to the miners' 26.
Match of the Round
Dynamo faced Polissya in a confrontation at the Valeriy Lobanovskyi Stadium. Both teams are positioned high in the table and justifiably contend for European cups.
0The match was partly successful. Even considering Dynamo's slim advantage in the score (2:1) and the significant achievement of the club's legend, the Kyiv team had a considerable advantage during a significant portion of the match and generally controlled the game. Consequently, the Zhytomyr side suffered their second consecutive defeat, both against direct competitors. In the previous round, the "wolves" lost to Oleksandriya.
Player of the Round
Miguel Campos delivered the best match of his career. The Polissya player scored 3 goals in the 90 minutes played against Karpaty. The goals scored by the Portuguese were the only ones in the match.
1Following the match, Campos increased his goal tally for the 2024/25 season to 4. He achieved this in 11 matches. At first glance, this might not seem remarkable, but there's one nuance to consider: the 28-year-old Campos is a central defender.
Disappointment of the Round
Left Bank and Inhulets failed to score even a single goal between them. In a match between two of the main contenders for relegation, neither team impressed in attack and were overly focused on the result.
2This approach could prove costly for both teams' coaches. Neither Vitaliy Pervak nor Vasyl Kobin can boast of a strong position at the helm of their teams, and either could be dismissed at any moment.
Decision of the Round
Taras Mykhavko was benched for the match against Polissya. The decision to use another player in the position of the 19-year-old center-back likely stems from his recent poor performances in European matches, particularly in the game against Hungarian Ferencváros.
3Prior to the match with Polissya, Mykhavko had the highest playing time among Dynamo players this season, having played 1630 minutes.
Shock of the Round
Obolon secured their second victory of the season by defeating LNZ. The win against the Cherkasy club was the main surprise of the round, as Andres Carrasco's team was considered the undeniable favorite before the game.
4LNZ continues to alternate between victories and defeats. This pattern has been evident for the last 5 rounds in the UPL. The "brewers" have ended a 5-match winless streak on the domestic front.
Antihero of the Round
Bogdan Mykhailychenko received a red card in the away match between Polissya and Dynamo. The incident leading to the defender's expulsion occurred in the 44th minute, leaving the former Anderlecht player’s team to play with a man down for a significant part of the match.
5Mykhailychenko received the referee's sanctions, which led to this situation on the field, just 5 minutes in. He saw yellow in the 39th minute. Since the start of the season, the player has participated in 14 matches across all competitions and has 1 assist.
Team of the Round
Oleksandriya inflicted a crushing defeat on Karpaty. The Lviv club conceded 3 unanswered goals. As a result, the Alexandrians have increased their tally in the Ukrainian Premier League to 21 goals this season, ranking third in the division.
6This marks the 6th consecutive victory for the "agronomists" and their 4th straight in the UPL. The team from the region with the administrative center in Kropyvnytskyi has remained unbeaten in the league for 17 matches.
Coach of the Round
Ruslan Rotan once again outplayed his colleague, allowing his team to secure another victory, this time in a highly convincing manner. Oleksandriya left no chances for a strong and ambitious opponent.
7The team of the former coach of the Ukrainian youth national team was convincing both in attack and in defense. It's also worth noting the Alexandrians’ excellent play in recovery and set pieces.
Goal of the Round
Oleksandr Yatsyk is one of the most promising central midfielders in Ukrainian football. The 21-year-old midfielder continues to play on loan at Zorya and is doing so successfully.
In the match against Shakhtar, Yatsyk executed a bold run with a nice finish from the left flank, cutting into the center. The goal was as important as it was spectacular. This marks the 4th goal for the Luhansk club by Yatsyk this season in domestic competitions. He also has 1 assist to his name.
Quote of the Round
The head coach of Zorya, Mladen Bartulović, expressed doubts about the "legitimacy" of the penalty awarded against his team in a comment to the club's website.