UPL tour: flares, fights, and defeats — LNZ briefly topped the table
UPL tour: flares, fights, defeats, and a new leader that didn’t last long
Two consecutive victories for Epicenter — the team is gaining momentum. And LNZ, having defeated Metalist 1925, briefly topped the tournament table. In Lviv, there was a heated derby that ended in a hard-fought draw. Meanwhile, Polissya defeated Obolon 4-0 away. And while the Zhytomyr team was celebrating, Shakhtar and Dynamo kept pace with 4-0 victories of their own.
Curtain call
It was like a return to the good old days — flares, smoke, pyrotechnics. In the match between Oleksandriya and Epicenter, the fans put on a real show: the field and stands were filled with smoke, and the referee was forced to stop the game. The atmosphere was heated, even too much so. But the pause did not last long — the game resumed, and Epicenter managed to prevail, winning their second victory in a row.
Red card of the round
At the start of the second half of the Veres vs. Zorya game, the visitors organized a magnificent attack. Slesar was running alone, but Korniychuk stopped him roughly — a last-ditch foul, a straight red card. After that, the game changed dramatically, and Veres had a hard time.
Assist of the round
LNZ goalkeeper Palamarchuk proved once again that he not only saves goals but also knows how to create opportunities. It was after his long kick that the team scored the only and winning goal in the match against Metalist 1925. A pass from his own penalty area, a rebound, a pass — and the ball was in the net.
Tour leader
After their victory in Kharkiv, LNZ temporarily climbed to the top of the table. However, considering their crushing victory over Shakhtar (4:1), this result seems quite natural. But the joy was short-lived: on Sunday, Dynamo and Shakhtar confidently won their matches, and LNZ dropped to third place. However, for Ponomarev’s team, this is not a defeat — it is a statement of ambition.
Derby of the round
Lviv lives for football — and this time it exploded with emotion again. Karpaty vs. Rukh — a principled battle, but without goals. Before the game, the green-and-whites looked like the favorites, but it was the yellow-and-blacks who created more chances. In the end — 0:0. For the first time, these teams parted ways peacefully.
Fight of the round
How could it be otherwise? At the end of the derby, in the 90+2 minute, Slyubik from Rukh was tackled hard by two opponents — Krasnopir and Pedrosa. The referee did not intervene, and it began. The entire bench ran onto the field, emotions were running high. Even Karpaty coach Lupashko joined the dispute. In the end, everyone calmed down, and only two yellow cards were issued, although the situation smelled like red cards.
The blowouts of the round
Polissya is in fantastic form. Away, they beat Obolon 4-0. There were goals for every taste: combinations, shots, set pieces. This is Rotan’s third big win in four games. After the game, Obolon coach Antonenko took the blame, but the Kyiv team has more than one problem.
Meanwhile, Shakhtar gave Kudrivka no chance, and Dynamo did the same to Kryvbas. Class is class.
Goal of the round
A masterpiece from Haiduchyk. A pass from Talles from the flank, a perfect cross, and then a heel kick into the near corner. Haiduchyk did everything stylishly, coolly, and spectacularly. Such a goal is a real treat for the eyes.
Draw of the round
Kolos finally scored — twice. Against Poltava, the team looked livelier, created numerous chances, and had 24 shots on goal. But the result was the same — a 2-2 draw. After the game, Ruslan Kostyshyn honestly admitted: “The team is in crisis, but it is fighting.”
Penalty of the round
Kudrivka had a chance to score against Shakhtar at 0-3. A foul in the penalty area resulted in a penalty. But Korkishko failed to beat Riznyk: the goalkeeper guessed the direction of the shot and parried it. A few minutes later, the same Glushchenko who had earned the penalty beautifully outplayed four defenders and scored his first goal of the season.
Match of the round
Kryvbas vs. Dynamo was a match where everything was decided very quickly. By the middle of the first half, the score was 3-0 in favor of the Kyiv team. Shovkovskyi’s team played confidently, and Yarmolenko unexpectedly came on as a center forward. It was a game where everything was simple: Dynamo wanted it more, and Dynamo got what it wanted.
Number of the round
115 — that’s how many goals Andriy Yarmolenko now has in the Ukrainian championships. The Dynamo legend scored another goal against Kryvbas. He is now only two goals behind Yevhen Seleznyov. And it seems that it’s only a matter of a few rounds.
