Virt predicted all matches of the first round of the UPL
Former goalkeeper of the Ukrainian national team and Shakhtar Yuriy Virt exclusively for "UF" shared expectations from all matches of the first round of the UPL season 2026/27.
It's back! Today, on Friday, July 31, the 19th season of the Ukrainian Premier League will start.
Journalist of the "Ukrainian Football" website Viktor Hlukhenkyi, before the start whistle in Kyiv, where the opening match of the new UPL season between Zorya from Luhansk and Kolos from Kovalivka will take place, talked to the legendary goalkeeper of Shakhtar Donetsk, now a TV expert Yuriy Virt.
The expert shared his pre-match expectations for each game and predictions for all matches of the first round.
"UPL battles were definitely missed"
"I missed high-quality domestic football for over two months 🙂 However, there was enough quality football in June and July: World Cup, club friendlies of UPL, qualification matches of Dynamo, LNZ, Polissya. UPL battles were definitely missed, but overall - I didn't get bored without football," - Yuriy Mykolaiovych started the conversation and moved on to discussing all the matches of the first round chronologically.
July 31 (Friday, 18:00). Zorya - Kolos
Yuriy Virt: "I don't see a clear favorite in this match... The teams are more or less on the same level. I lean towards a productive draw 1:1.
Overall, hot weather is predicted across Ukraine this weekend, I don't think we will witness a downpour of goals. I believe there will be a lot of cautious football, not too dynamic."
"Patrick van Leuven lost many of his leaders in the summer..."
August 1 (Saturday, 13:00). Kryvbas - Karpaty
Yuriy Virt: "At the start of the new season, Kryvbas is a mystery to me. Patrick van Leuven lost many of his leaders in the summer. Leading players like Dibango, Zaderaka, Mendoza, Araujo left Kryvyi Rih. Has the team with newcomers had enough time to gel? Only the game and time will show.
In this match, I am more inclined to believe that Karpaty will win, although the Lviv team also lost several key players - Domchak, Bruninho, Faal. My prediction is 2:1 in favor of the "lions".
August 1 (Saturday, 15:30). FC Kharkiv - Veres
Yuriy Virt: "Kharkiv are clear favorites in this game because Mladen Bartulovich significantly strengthened the team in the summer. FC Kharkiv had a good transfer campaign. The signings of Smolyakov and Yermakov alone are worth mentioning. Considering this, if FC Kharkiv really wants to compete for European competitions, they need to start collecting points from the first rounds, without hesitation, and stay constantly in the top three.
I bet on FC Kharkiv to win 2:0."
August 2 (Sunday, 13:00). Chornomorets - Polissya
Yuriy Virt: "I congratulate Chornomorets on returning to the elite, but from what I see, Grigorchuk's team is still in the process of coming together. I think the "sailors" will reach their optimal form during the championship. It will be very difficult for Polissya. Rotan's team looked solid in the Conference League qualification matches against Copenhagen (3:3, 1:2).
I predict Polissya to win 3:1."
"Epicenter won't have an easy time, as Obolon is a team with character"
August 2 (Sunday, 15:30). Epicenter - Obolon.
Yuriy Virt: "Sergiy Nahorniak's team will finally play a UPL home match in their hometown of Kamianets-Podilskyi. Therefore, I believe they must not disappoint their fans and will secure a minimal victory of 1:0. However, Epicenter won't have an easy time, as Obolon is a team with character."
August 3 (Monday, 15:30). Bukovyna - LNZ.
Yuriy Virt: "Perhaps this match claims to be the central one in the round. A big disadvantage for Bukovyna is that they will not play in Chernivtsi, where the local arena is currently under reconstruction, but in Lviv [at the "Ukraine" stadium]. In the home city, there would have been incredible support for Serhiy Shyshchenko's team, but...
I give preference to LNZ, despite the fatigue of Vitaliy Ponomariov's guys after the Conference League qualification matches against Gent. The "agrarians" will win 2:1, in my opinion."
"Only underestimation of the opponent can prevent the 'miners' from getting three points"
August 3 (Monday, 18:30). Shakhtar - Kudrivka
Yuriy Virt: "It seems that everything is clear in this match even before it starts, the favorite is more than obvious on paper: Shakhtar should beat Kudrivka, but... You know, the team from Chernihiv region showed last season that they can challenge the leaders. Remember how they took points from LNZ (1:0).
Shakhtar should win by a margin of two or even three goals. Only underestimation of the opponent can prevent the 'miners' from getting three points. My prediction is 2:0 in favor of the orange-black team".
P.S. The match of the first round between Dynamo and Livyi Bereh has been rescheduled from August 2 to December 2.
