Catching up with Oleksandriya, the Lviv derby, the fight to get out of the relegation zone: UPL weekend matches preview
Kyiv • UNN
The remaining matches of the 25th round of the UPL include the Lviv derby "Karpaty" - "Rukh" and Shakhtar's fight for positions. Key matches will also take place in the relegation zone and for European cups.
From Saturday to Sunday, the remaining matches of the 25th round of the Ukrainian Premier League will take place. For the first time since the merger, "Karpaty" and "Rukh" will meet in a Lviv derby, "Shakhtar" will try to reduce the gap to "Oleksandriya", and "Chornomorets" and "Inhulets" will try to "climb out" of the relegation zone, writes UNN.
Lviv derby
In the first match on Saturday at the "Lviv" arena, Lviv's "Karpaty" and "Rukh" will meet for the first time after announcing cooperation. The starting whistle will sound at 13:00 Kyiv time.
As previously reported, "Karpaty" was strengthened by four players from "Rukh" - Ihor Krasnopir and Oleksiy Sych, who will not play in the match due to an injury sustained while playing for the national team.
Also, Illya Kvasnytsya and Oleh Fedor moved on loan. Media reported that the head coach of "Karpaty" Vladyslav Lupashko will be able to count on the loaned players. According to the terms of the loan, they are not prohibited from playing against the team they belong to.
"Karpaty" have currently gained solid momentum, climbing to 5th place in the table. "Rukh", on the other hand, has slowed down and is in 9th place.
Bookmakers give a slight advantage to "Karpaty" - 2.2 for a win. For "Rukh" to win - 3.9, and for a draw - 3.4. In the first round, "Rukh" narrowly defeated "Karpaty" - 1:0.
Fight for European cups and getting out of the relegation zone
In the second match on Saturday, Zhytomyr's "Polissya" will visit the capital's "Livyi Bereh". The start of the match is scheduled for 15:30. "Polissya" is currently fighting for European cups, ranking fourth, trailing "Shakhtar", who are in 3rd place (which gives the right to participate in European cups), by 12 points. The closest pursuer in the person of "Karpaty" is 5 points behind the Zhytomyr team.
Meanwhile, "Livyi Bereh" is fighting for survival. The team occupies the 13th place (play-off zone), having gained 22 points in 23 games. In case of a victory, the "storks" will be able to get out of the play-off zone, but only if "Obolon" loses to "Dynamo".
In the first round, the teams drew goalless. Bookmakers give the advantage to "Polissya", whose win can be bet on with odds of 2.1. For "Livyi Bereh" to win with odds of 3.5, and for a draw - 3.2.
Catching up with "Oleksandriya"
In the last match on Saturday, Donetsk's "Shakhtar" and Kovalivka's "Kolos" will meet. The starting whistle will sound at 18:00 at "Arena Lviv". "Shakhtar", after defeating "Kryvbas", solidified their position in third place in the standings, and the gap to "Dynamo" is 10 points, and to "Oleksandriya" - already 4.
The day before, "Oleksandriya" confidently defeated "Vorskla" - 3:1, which increased their lead over the "miners", so the "orange and blacks" will only need a victory.
"Kolos", meanwhile, is located on the 11th line of the Ukrainian championship, earning 24 points in 24 matches. The advantage over the 13th placed "Livyi Bereh" is only two points.
Bookmakers give a confident advantage to "Shakhtar", whose win can be bet on with odds of 1.2, and for "Kolos" to win - 19.5. For a draw - 5.8.
By the way, the main goalkeeper Dmytro Riznyk is unlikely to help "Shakhtar", as he sustained an injury, so his place in goal will likely be taken by Kyrylo Fesyun, who moved to the "miners" from "Kolos".
Battle for the middle of the table
Sunday's matches will be opened by Kryvyi Rih's "Kryvbas" and Luhansk's "Zorya". The starting whistle will sound at 13:00 at the "Hirnyk" stadium in Kryvyi Rih. Both teams have played 23 matches and are in the middle of the standings. Yuriy Vernydub's side has accumulated 35 points, losing three matches in a row.
Meanwhile, "Zorya" also shows uncertain results, winning only twice in the last 5 matches. "Zorya" currently has 32 points in their asset, but a victory over Kryvyi Rih team will allow them to catch up with "Kryvbas" in points in the standings.
"Kryvbas" approaches the match without losses, which cannot be said about "Zorya". Pylyp Budkivskyi and Maksym Vasylets will not help the Luhansk team. In the first round, "Kryvbas" narrowly defeated "Zorya" - 1:0.
Bookmakers give the advantage to Vernydub's team - odds 2.2. For "Zorya" they give 3.3, and for a draw - 3.3.
Fight to get out of the relegation zone
In the second match of the Sunday round, the championship underdog "Inhulets" and Cherkasy's "LNZ" will meet. "Inhulets" remains the outsider of the championship, having gained 16 points in 23 rounds. The last time Vasyl Kobin's side won was in March this year against "Chornomorets" - 1:0.
In the last round, "Inhulets" lost to "Karpaty" - 1:2, but in that match, a unique record in the history of the UPL took place. "Inhulets" goalkeeper Oleksiy Palamarchuk saved a penalty from Bruninho and set a unique UPL achievement for the number of saved penalties - this shot was the sixth in a row that the goalkeeper saved. In the first round, "LNZ" confidently defeated "Inhulets" - 2:0. It should be noted that in that match Shota Nonikashvili failed to convert a penalty, and this shot was the second consecutive save for Palamarchuk.
Ingulets goalkeeper Palamarchuk sets unique UPL achievement14.04.25, 22:50 • 4878 views
If "Inhulets" wins, and "Chornomorets", who will play with "Veres", loses, then Kobin's side will be able to move up from the last place, but not far - to the second to last place.
"LNZ", in turn, despite three consecutive losses in the championship, is currently located on the 10th position in the UPL standings, ahead of "Livyi Bereh" from the play-off zone by 3 points.
Bookmakers give a confident advantage to "LNZ", whose win can be bet on with odds of 1.8. A win for "Inhulets" is estimated at 4.7. A draw - 3.4.
The match will start at the "Nika" stadium in Oleksandriya, Kirovohrad Oblast, at 15:30.
Struggle for survival
In the last match of the round, "Veres" will meet Odesa's "Chornomorets". The start of the match is scheduled for 18:00. "Veres" is currently located on the 7th line of the standings, after 24 played matches the "people's team" has gained 32 points.
"Chornomorets" continues the struggle for survival, having earned 18 points in 24 matches. However, in case of a victory, "Chornomorets" can catch up with "Vorskla" in the standings, thereby improving their position.
The "sailors" have won only once in their last five matches, in the match against "LNZ" - 1:0. They lost the rest.
"Veres", on the other hand, has won only twice in the last five matches, and lost twice, including in the Ukrainian Cup against "Polissya".
The first match between these teams ended in a draw - 1:1. Bookmakers give a slight advantage to "Veres" - 2.1. For "Chornomorets" to win - 3.6, and for a draw - 3.2.
The matches can be watched on UPL TV on OTT platforms Megogo and Kyivstar TV.
