Game Day: "Kudrivka" - "Metalist 1925"
October 20, 2025. Kyiv, "Obolon Arena". 9th round of the Ukrainian Premier League. The match starts at 18:00
Referee - Mykhailo Raida (Irshava, Zakarpattia region)
Assistant referees - Stanislav Marulin (Kherson region) and Denys Serdiuk (Poltava)
Fourth official - Maxim Koziratsky (Zaporizhia)
VAR referee - Roman Blavatsky (Lviv)
VAR assistant - Serhii Zadyran (Kyiv region)
VAR observer - Oleh Derevinsky (Khmelnytskyi)
UAF arbitration observer - Yevhen Aranovsky (Khmelnytskyi)
Live broadcast of the match on the TV channel UPL.TV.
Preview: "Metalist 1925" productively spent the break on national team matches. First, the team had a few days off, then returned to training. As part of the preparation cycle, "Metalist 1925" played a friendly match with "Kolos-2", in which Mladen Bartulovich applied wide rotation, giving playing time to both main and reserve players. By the way, Kharkiv residents won with a score of 3:1, with goals from Lytvynenko, Kohut, and Kalitvintsev.
Before the game with "Kudrivka," "Metalist 1925" has reinforcements, as Matviy Panchenko returned from the U20 national team, and Baton Zabergdja resumed training with the main group after an injury. However, Ari Moura, Ramik Hadzhiev, and Oleg Mozil are still in the infirmary. Also, Christian Mba got injured before the match, and his inclusion in the squad is in question. It is worth noting that "Metalist 1925" is in 6th place with 15 points (goal difference: 11-5) thanks to a successful series. Considering that all teams ahead of Kharkiv have already played their matches, a victory could lift Bartulovich's team to the second place in the UPL table.
"Kudrivka" is an absolute newcomer to the UPL, having sensationally secured the right to participate in the elite division last season by defeating "Vorskla" in a penalty shootout after a two-match confrontation. Vasyl Baranov's team, strengthened by experienced players in the offseason, started the season with a victory (over "Oleksandriya"). Overall, "Kudrivka" has been stronger than its opponents three times, ended one match in a draw, and lost in four matches. Currently, the team from Chernihiv region is in 11th place with 10 points (goal difference: 12-14). The team's top scorer is Andriy Storchous (3 goals and 1 assist). Interestingly, the team includes 2 players on loan from "Metalist 1925": Denys Nahnoyny and Raymond Ovusu, as well as our academy graduate Yuriy Potimkov, who is currently recovering from an injury.
The history of the teams' confrontations includes only 2 matches that took place last season in the First League. One match ended in a draw - 1:1, while in the other match, the opponent was stronger - 0:2 (goal difference: 1-3).
Support "Metalist 1925"!
Ukrainian Premier League. Round 8
Friday, October 17
15:30 "Poltava" - "Obolon" - 1:2
Saturday, October 18
13:00 "Rukh" - "Kryvbas" - 1:2
15:30 "Zorya" - "Dynamo" - 1:1
18:00 "Polissya" - "Shakhtar" - 0:0
Sunday, October 19
13:00 "LNZ" - "Kolos" - 1:0
15:30 "Veres" - "Oleksandriya" - 1:1
18:00 "Karpaty" - "Epicenter" - 1:3
Monday, October 20
18:00. "Kudrivka" - "Metalist 1925"
"Kudrivka" (Kudrivka). Profile
Established - 1980
Club colors - white and blue
Home stadium - "Obolon Arena" (capacity: 5,100 spectators)
President - Roman SolodarenkoHead Coach - Vitaliy Kostyshyn (de facto Vasyl Baranov)
Official website - https://fckudrivka.com/
Historical background:
History: The football club "Kudrivka" was created back in the Soviet era and existed at the amateur level. Later, the team from a village in Chernihiv region disappeared from the amateur scene until 2006. Between 2006 and 2020, the team competed at the district and regional levels. It wasn't until 2020 that "Kudrivka" first played in the Ukrainian Amateur Championship. In the 2023-2024 season, "Kudrivka" played in the Second League for the first time, finishing 7th, but due to the merger with "Niva-Buzova," the team earned the right to compete in the First League, where it played under the name "Kudrivka-Niva." In its debut season, the team finished 4th and earned a spot in the playoffs. There, "Kudrivka" swiftly defeated "Vorskla" and made its first-ever appearance in the UPL.
Achievements: Chernihiv Oblast Cup - 2019, 2021, 2022
Chernihiv Oblast Champion - 2021, 2022
Chernihiv Oblast Super Cup - 2021, 2022
Geography: "Kudrivka" has a rather unusual situation with the geographical distribution of the club's fans. Since the club is the only representative of Chernihiv Oblast in the UPL, it has significant support in the region. Additionally, "Kudrivka" has a wide fan base in western Kyiv, where the team played its home matches in PFL tournaments and still has its base. Moreover, this season "Kudrivka" has increased interest in itself even in Kyiv, as this year the team plays its home matches at the "Obolon" stadium.
Head Coach: In fact, Vasyl Baranov manages the "Kudrivka" team. His playing career began at his hometown club "Zorya," from where he moved to "Slovyansk" from Konotop. Baranov then played for the Belarusian clubs "Dnepr" and "Smorgon," and his last club was "Vaprus" from Estonia.
Vasyl Anatoliyovych started his coaching career in the youth team of "Zorya," then moved to "Vorskla" (also in the U19 team). The coach then assisted Roman Loktionov at "Kudrivka" for half a year before becoming the team's head coach.
Transfermarkt: During the offseason, "Kudrivka" strengthened with several experienced players: Bohdan Veklyak, Vladyslav Shapoval, Yevheniy Morozko, Andriy Totovytsky, and Denys Bezborodko. The club also took several young players on loan (Oleksiy Husev, Oleh Pushkarov). Interestingly, the team includes 2 players on loan from "Metalist 1925": Denys Nahnoyny and Raymond Ovusu. According to "Transfermarkt," "Kudrivka" is the 15th team in the league in terms of total player value (4 million 750 thousand euros), surpassing only "Poltava." The most valuable players of "Kudrivka" are Valeriy Rohozynsky, Maksym Melnychuk, Andriy Storchous, Oleksandr Kozak, and Oleh Pushkarov - their combined value is 300 thousand euros.
