Game Day. "Metalist 1925" - "Karpaty"
May 12, 2026. Zhytomyr, "Central City Stadium". 28th round of UPL. The match starts at 18:00
Referee - Denis Shurman (Vyshneve, Kyiv region)
Assistant referees - Viktor Matyash (Donetsk region) and Viktor Nyzhnyk (Vinnytsia)
Fourth official - Oleksandr Kalonov (Khmelnytskyi)
VAR referee - Ihor Paskhal (Kherson)
VAR assistant - Denis Reznikov (Kamianske)
VAR observer - Yevhen Aranovskyi (Khmelnytskyi)
UAF arbitration observer - Oleh Derevinskyi (Khmelnytskyi)
UAF Delegate - Ruslan Khobotov (Kyiv)
Live broadcast of the match on the TV channel UPL.TV.
Preview: the sun has already risen above the earth, so today, closer to the moment when the sun is supposed to set in Zhytomyr, the match between "Metalist 1925" and "Karpaty" will begin, two ambitious teams that currently hold the 5th and 9th positions in the standings before the start of the round. The team from Kharkiv has 46 points, while the team from Lviv has 37 points.
"Metalist 1925" has been unable to secure a victory in four consecutive matches. After losing in a penalty shootout in the Ukrainian Cup semifinals, the Kharkiv team drew with "LNZ," lost to "Polissya," and in the last round, Mladen Bartulovich's team lost the lead to Zorya in the second half, allowing the Luhansk team to equalize.
"Karpaty" have one victory in their last four UPL matches (against "Rukh"), two draws (with "LNZ" and "Epitsentr"), and in the last round, they suffered a minimal defeat in an away match against "Kryvbas."
The first-round match remains the only one in the history of the confrontation between the two clubs. At the end of November last year, "Metalist 1925" managed to secure an away victory. Antyukh opened the scoring in the first half, and before the break, Bruninho managed to equalize. However, in the second half, Antyukh scored a brace and secured the victory for his team.
Vitaliy Kholod is suspended for the match for "Karpaty." According to information from social media, Lviv's team will also be without Marko Sapuga and Babukar Faal, and the participation of Bruninho, Stenio, Pedrosso, and Paulo Vitor in the match is questionable.
All players of "Metalist 1925" are available for selection for this match.
UPL. 28th round
May 12
13:00 "Oleksandriia" - "Zorya"
15:30 "Epitsentr" - "Polissya"
18:00 "Metalist 1925" - "Karpaty"
18:00 "Veres" - Kryvbas"
May 13
13:00 "Kudrivka" - "Rukh"
15:30 "Dynamo" - "Kolos"
15:30 "LNZ" - "Poltava"
18:00 "Shakhtar" - "Obolon"
Profile — FC "Karpaty" (Lviv)
Year of foundation: January 18, 1963
Club colors: green and white
Home stadium: "Ukraine" Stadium, Lviv; capacity — approximately 28,000 spectators.
General director: Andrii Rusol
Head coach: Francisco Fernandes
Official website: fckarpaty.org.ua
Historical background: FC "Karpaty" was founded in Lviv in 1963 based on the local team "Silmash." The club started its journey with performances in the Soviet football divisions, and within the first years of its existence, the "green and white" made a name for themselves at the national level. The most significant achievement of the Soviet period was the historic success in 1969 — "Karpaty" sensationally won the USSR Cup, becoming the only team in the tournament's history to win the trophy without playing in the Top League.
In the 1970s, the Lviv team became a stable participant in the top division of the USSR, where they played a total of ten seasons. The club also won medals in the Ukrainian SSR championship three times.
In the first Championship of independent Ukraine, "Karpaty" started in the Top League and quickly established themselves as one of the most stable elite teams. The most significant success came in the 1997/1998 season when Lviv's team won the bronze medals of the Ukrainian championship.
Twice the team reached the final of the Ukrainian Cup - in 1993 and 1999.After the 2000s, the club experienced both successful periods (including performances in the Europa League) and crisis stages. In the 2010/2011 season, "Karpaty" reached the group stage of the UEFA Europa League, where they faced "PSG," "Borussia" Dortmund, and "Sevilla," entering the history of Ukrainian club football.
In 2020, due to economic and organizational difficulties, the club was forced to withdraw from the UPL. Later, the process of relaunch began - the team continued its path from lower divisions, restoring its structure and gradually returning to professional football. In 2023, "Karpaty" secured a place in the First League, and in the 2023/2024 season, they consolidated their position at the professional level and continued to fight for a return to the elite of Ukrainian football.
Today, "Karpaty" remain one of the most recognizable and traditional clubs in Ukraine, with a strong fan base and a long football history that dates back to Soviet times and continues with a new chapter in modern Ukrainian football.
Achievements: Winner of the USSR Cup - 1969
Champion of the USSR - 1970
Silver medalist of the USSR - 1972
Bronze medalist of the USSR - 1968, 1988
Bronze medalist of the Ukrainian Championship - 1997/1998
Ukrainian Cup finalist - 1992/1993, 1998/1999
Winner of the Ukrainian First League - 1995/1996, 2023/2024
Silver medalist of the Ukrainian First League - 1993/1994
Winner of the Ukrainian Second League - 2005/2006
Silver medalist of the Ukrainian Second League - 2003/2004
Participant in the group stage of the UEFA Europa League - 2010/2011
Geography: The fan base of "Karpaty" is primarily concentrated in Lviv and Lviv region, where the club has the strongest fan base and long-standing support traditions. The "Green-Whites" are popular overall in Western Ukraine - the team is actively supported in neighboring regions, including Ivano-Frankivsk, Ternopil, and Volyn.
Head Coach: The head coach of "Karpaty" is 46-year-old Spanish specialist Francisco Fernandez.
Coaching Career: He did not play professional football. He started his coaching career in the youth structure of "Almeria," eventually taking over the main team of the club. He also worked as the head coach of "Alcorcon," "Tenerife," and "Murcia." He took over "Karpaty" in January of this year.
Transfermarkt: According to Transfermarkt, the total market value of the "Karpaty" squad is 16.23 million euros. The most expensive players of the club, according to the portal, are Ilya Kvasnytsia and Bruninho. The team has 9 foreign players: one from Moldova, Gambia, Spain, and the rest from Brazil.
