The future of Ukrainian football: 4 young players from UPL clubs making a strong impact.
The champion continues to summarize the first part of the season. Now let's talk about those who have the potential to significantly contribute on the field in the near future, as they are a great hope for their teams and fans given their young age.
Illia Krupskiy
The 20-year-old right back of Vorskla is currently a hot topic of discussion. If rumors are to be believed, Krupskiy is already one foot in Kyiv's Dynamo. It's hard to argue against such a choice for a UPL leader – Krupskiy has certainly earned attention.
2The hallmark of the Poltava right back is his meticulous attention to detail. Krupskiy gives everything to the game; there are no moments for him where he can play at half his capacity. At the same time, Illia is quite an aggressive and tough defender, who sometimes struggles to control his desire to extract maximum from every situation, which can be exploited by craftier and more experienced opponents. However, all possibilities are opening up for this young man at his new club – it seems that his move to another city, wherever Krupskiy may end up, is a foregone conclusion.
Igor Krasnopir
When from late October to early December, the 22-year-old forward of Rukh "announced" a 7-match goal drought, Krasnopir became unrecognizable. Who knows where that prolific player from the beginning of the season went, the one who captivated all of footballing Ukraine. Nevertheless, by the end of the first part of the season, the former Obolon forward scored against Polissia, reminding everyone of his former self.
3Krasnopir's advantage lies in the actual scarcity of players in his position. The lack of a truly strong alternative among forwards makes the player from the Lviv club, with his ability to shield the ball, push opponents aside, and win aerial duels, a very attractive figure in the market. Even considering that Igor is still quite "raw" material. Hryhoriy Kozlovskyi paid 700,000 euros for Krasnopir, not hesitating to spend a significant amount by current "internal UPL" standards, and he intends to recoup this sum, if not double it. Given the progress in the forward's game over the last six months, such plans from the owner of Rukh currently seem quite realistic.
Artem Smoliakov
One of the problematic positions for Polissia unexpectedly turned out to be the right flank of defense. Newcomer Giorgi Maisuradze did not meet expectations and quickly disappeared from the first team of the "wolves," to the point where he stopped even making the match roster. The alternative in the form of Lucas Taylor, who has been familiar in this position since last season, turned out to be just as undisciplined and inconsistent. As a result, the need arose to resort to unconventional practices. This solution was found by Imad Ashur, who moved the specialized left back and left-footed player Bohdan Mykhailichenko to the right flank. And this new role for the national team player opened up new opportunities for the 21-year-old former Ingulec player and the hero of this section of our story.
4Artem Smoliakov's trust from such a young coach of Zhytomyr surprised only at the beginning. The footballer quickly overcame his initial nerves. He began not only to handle tasks on his half of the field but also to set the tone for his team's attacks. His contribution, which included 1 goal that was a highlight of the entire first half of the season, and a significant volume of work performed by Smoliakov, is not fully reflected. Now, before the start of the spring part of the season, if the "hole" on the right flank is filled with another newcomer and Mykhailichenko returns to his natural position, the intrigue will be about Smoliakov's place and role in the team. However, for now, everything is definitely in his hands.
Roman Didyk
While the main talents of Rukh among the defensive line are restoring their former conditions and levels, like Bohdan Slyubyk, or continue to suffer from persistent injuries (Marko Sapuga), the "black-yellow" talent factory of the Lviv club continues to produce new "products." No, Roman Didyk's name was known to the wider public before. However, it was only at the beginning of the current season that this young man revealed the facets of his talent from a new angle.
5The duo of center-backs Vitaliy Kholod-Roman Didyk attracts attention not only for their traditionally young average age for Rukh, which covers a vital area. Together, Kholod and Didyk are 42 years old. But much more importantly, the Lviv duo has managed to nullify more than one opponent's attack, and the 14 goals conceded by the team at the end of the first season speak for themselves. The "black-yellow" team conceded fewer goals than Shakhtar and maintains defensive statistics on par with the fifth club in the UPL. Among the two pillars of Rukh's defense, the "main" one should be named as the 22-year-old Didyk. It’s no coincidence that Roman has taken the captain's armband and has the confidence to guide, and even shout at his partner and teammates. Didyk also demonstrates leadership qualities in other areas. For example, in initiating and concluding attacks. 2+2 in the "goal+assist" system is not just a good indicator for a center-back but also figures that indicate Didyk's great potential as a versatile player.