"Kharkiv" - "Shakhtar": Match Preview of the Third Round of UPL
One of the central matches of the third round of the UPL is expected to be the meeting of "Kharkiv" and "Shakhtar".
Before the start of the season, the Kharkiv club did not hide its high ambitions and desire to fight for the top places, while "Shakhtar" traditionally sets maximum tasks for itself and this season will try to defend the championship title.
After the match against "Veres" in the first round, the calendar prepared for "Kharkiv" immediately two serious tests. First, the team met with "Polissya", and now Kharkiv residents are facing a confrontation with the current champion of Ukraine - Donetsk "Shakhtar".
The start of the season for Mladen Bartulovich's team is not easy. In the first round, "Kharkiv" achieved an important victory over "Veres", scoring the decisive goal at the end of the match. The next match against "Polissya" turned out to be much more difficult - in Zhytomyr, Kharkiv residents lost 1:3. Now the team has to play a nominally home match against "Shakhtar" and try to score points in a confrontation with one of the main favorites of the championship.
"Shakhtar", in turn, confidently started the new season, scoring the maximum six points in the first two rounds. First, the Donetsk team defeated "Kudrivka" with a score of 5:1, and then won "Epicenter" away - 2:0. Despite a more modest score in the second match, the "miners" controlled the course of the game and brought it to victory.
It is important for Arda Turan's team to score as many points as possible at the start of the championship, before the calendar becomes denser. Ahead of "Shakhtar" are matches on the European arena, which will require additional efforts, squad rotation, and regular travels.
Match history
Before rebranding, "Kharkiv" played under the name "Metalist 1925". It was under this name that the Kharkiv team met "Shakhtar" seven times in the Ukrainian Premier League. So far, they have not been able to defeat the Donetsk team: five matches ended in defeats, two in draws.
Overall statistics (7 matches): +0 =2 -5, goals — 2:15.
Home matches (3): +0 =1 -2, goals — 2:10.
At the same time, the last nominally home match of Kharkiv residents against "Shakhtar" ended in a draw. Donetsk took the lead thanks to a goal by Artem Bondarenko, but at the end of the match Ivan Kalyuzhny restored the balance and brought his team one point. This match took place on September 13.
Interesting facts
- For "Shakhtar", this will be the 510th away match in the championships of Ukraine.
- If successful, Donetsk will achieve their 720th victory in the UPL.
- "Kharkiv" may suffer their 20th nominally home defeat in the UPL.
- "Shakhtar" has not lost away in the championship for 24 matches in a row - 16 wins and 8 draws.
- Kaun Elias and Oleg Ocheretko may score their 10th goals in the UPL.
- The goalkeeper of "Kharkiv" Georgiy Yermakov may play his 20th "clean sheet" match in the Premier League.
Forecast
Bookmakers consider "Shakhtar" the favorite of the upcoming confrontation, which has successfully started the season and won two victories in the first two rounds. At the same time, for "Kharkiv" this match will be a good opportunity to rehabilitate after the defeat to "Polissya" and test their strength against the current champion of Ukraine.
Despite the opponent's status, Kharkiv residents already have experience of successful matches against Donetsk, so Mladen Bartulovich's team will try to impose a fight on "Shakhtar" and fight for points.
