Babich analyzed the first round of the UPL, highlighting Karpaty, Fernandes, and Kauan Elise

Famous coach Oleksandr Babych shared his impressions of the first round of the UPL season 2026/27 in an exclusive interview with "Ukrainian Football".

The passions of the first round of the Ukrainian Premier League season 2026/27 subsided on the eve, on Monday, August 3. Therefore, the journalist of the website "Ukrainian Football" Viktor Hlukhenky, as is the tradition of our publication, summed up the battles on the domestic fields with the authoritative expert, this time being the former head coach of Krivbas, Chornomorets, Vorskla, and Mariupol, Oleksandr Babych.

"The round turned out to be interesting - fans were supposed to be pleased"

- Oleksandr Oleksandrovych, what are your impressions of the first round of the new UPL season, was it a successful start?

- The start was successful, definitely. I and the fans, I'm sure, missed the Ukrainian Premier League for over two months. The round turned out to be interesting: there were red cards, penalties, and some curious and beautiful goals. Fans were supposed to be pleased.

- In your opinion, which of the seven matches of the first round deserves to be called the best?

- Taking into account the factors that we, fans, like the most - spectacle, intrigue, number of goals - I believe that the best match of the round was the game in Kryvyi Rih, where Karpaty defeated the local Krivbas and achieved a strong victory (4:1).

Although the hosts lost heavily, they had many goal-scoring opportunities and could have scored more than just one penalty goal, in my opinion. It was a great match at the "Hirnyk" stadium.

- Karpaty have always been an ambitious club. Do you think that Fran Fernandes' team in the 2026/27 season is capable of competing for medals?

- I'm not sure if Karpaty can compete for medals, but finishing in the top five is possible. In the second half of the previous season, it was evident that the team and the coach were getting closer to each other. Now it is clear - these Karpaty are precisely Fernandes' team. The players already understand the demands of the Spanish coach. The Lviv team lost several key players in the summer [Domchak, Faal, Bruninho], but they also did well in the transfer market.

There is potential in the "Lions". And quite serious.

"Ponomaryov changes tactical schemes, has a decent selection of forwards, but there are no goals... LNZ struggles with finishing"

- Which game over the weekend was the most boring?

- I would call the match between Bukovyna and LNZ as such. Firstly, we didn't see any goals. The only goalless match in the round. Secondly, perhaps we all expected more from the Cherkasy team, which finished second last season but cannot score a single goal in the new season, having played three matches already (including two matches against the Belgian Gent in the Conference League qualification (0:0, 0:0, 2:4 on penalties, - V. H.).

Ponomaryov changes tactical schemes, has a decent selection of forwards, but there are no goals... LNZ struggles with finishing. I would call the Cherkasy team the main disappointment of the round.

- In which city was the main sensation of the round seen?

- There were no loud sensations in the round. I would highlight the game in Kamianets-Podilskyi. The victory of the local Epicenter over Obolon is not sensational in itself, but the score is. I think few expected that Sergey Nahorniak's team would crush the resilient capital team.

I can't say that Epicenter is significantly stronger than Obolon to beat the "brewers" by a three-goal margin.

"Karpaty is the best team of the first round, and Fernandes deserves the title of coach of the round"

- The best team of the first round according to Oleksandr Babych.

- Knock on wood... Polissya struggled in Odesa, barely snatching a victory from Chornomorets (2:1), so - Karpaty. The Lviv team showed character, securing a victory in an away match against Krivbas, scoring four goals in response. Yes, Patrick van Leuven lost several leaders in the offseason, but it's still not easy to beat his team.

Karpaty is the best team of the first round, and their coach Fran Fernandes deserves the title of coach of the round.

- Who do you consider the best player of the round?

- Kauan Elias from Shakhtar. He is the only one who scored a hat-trick 🙂 In this category, there is no competition. Well done, and Sifuentes from Epicenter, but he scored a brace and both goals from penalties, while the Brazilian scored all three of his goals from open play.

Scoring three goals in the first round is quite valuable because the teams are still raw, finding their game, settling into the championship, getting into the rhythm.

"Karavaiev - a product of Shakhtar. Overall, as a player, he developed in the Donbass"

- A hat-trick in the very first round is a very significant claim for the title of the top scorer of the championship. Especially since, in general, strikers in the UPL do not score that much. For example, last season, the top scorer was Dynamo's Ponomarenko with only 13 goals, which is a modest figure for the leading scorer.

- Yes, the efficiency of strikers in the UPL is not impressive, so three goals from Kauan Elias are indeed a claim that the Brazilian has every chance of becoming the top scorer of the championship in the end. He made a significant claim, I agree.

- One of the most resonant transfers of the summer was Karavaiev's direct move from Dynamo to the arch-rival - Shakhtar. In the history of our football, such steps (like Vashchuk's move to Moscow's Spartak or Morais to the same Shakhtar) have always evoked the most acute reaction from the fans. In your opinion, will Kyiv fans perceive Karavaiev's move as a betrayal of club colors?

- Karavaiev is not a traitor; he is a product of Shakhtar. Overall, as a player, he developed in the Donbass - at the Donetsk club and the Luhansk Zorya, and then blossomed at Dynamo. Therefore, I don't think Dynamo fans will hate him too much.

I think that for Karavaiev personally, the move to Shakhtar is a very successful step in his career. Dynamo fans should forgive him, maybe not immediately, but later on.

Results of the 1st round matches of UPL

Zorya - Kolos - 2:0

Kryvbas - Karpaty - 1:4

FC Kharkiv - Veres - 1:0

Chornomorets - Polissya - 1:2

Epitsentr - Obolon - 3:0

Bukovyna - LNZ - 0:0

Shakhtar - Kudrivka - 5:1

P.S. The match of the first round between Dynamo and Livyi Bereh has been rescheduled from August 2 to December 2.

Standings of UPL after the 1st round