"Kharkiv" - "Shakhtar". Oleksandr Shovkovsky's prediction for the UPL match
In the central match of the third round of the Premier League, Kharkiv will play against Shakhtar.
In the new season, fans of Kharkiv are expecting the team to qualify for European competitions, and for good reason. In the summer, Mladen Bartulovich received quality newcomers in every line and is already actively using them. However, it cannot be said yet that any of them stand out among their teammates. Moreover, Georgiy Yermakov and Artem Smolyakov received the lowest ratings in the second round, failing to impress, just like Carlos Paraco. Clearly, the wingers of the team are not in their best form.
As before, Kharkiv likes to control the ball, but in the final third of the field, the team lacks creative solutions and faces problems with finishing attacks. For example, in the opening game against Veres, constant shots on goal did not pose a serious threat until the 90th minute - 1:0. Kharkiv is a very good team by UPL standards, but in August, it has yet to fully reveal its potential. And there is practically no time to get things in order - after the match with competitors from Polissya, a game with Shakhtar is immediately scheduled.
Oleksandr Shovkovsky is a brand ambassador of the licensed Ukrainian bookmaker BETKING, a 14-time champion of Ukraine and once led Dynamo to the Ukrainian championship as head coach, a 11-time winner of the Ukrainian Cup, and a 9-time best goalkeeper of Ukraine.
Before the start of the Champions League, Shakhtar will try to create a points gap. Soon, Shakhtar will again play with two squads in different tournaments, and for now, Arda Turan is giving playing time to everyone, involving 20 players in matches against Kudrivka (5:1) and Epicenter (2:0).
It is felt that the champions have not yet reached their optimal form, as the main matches of the season are still far away. But even in this state, they confidently earn points, effectively using transitional phases, fast attacks, set pieces, and the advantage in individual skill.
Kauan Elias scored a hat-trick in the first round and rested before the match against Kharkiv. Alisson Santana shone then, but a week later, he did not have his best match. However, Gleiker Mendoza has not yet taken advantage of the opportunities given to him. Let's also mention the personnel losses of Shakhtar - the injured Marlon, Ehinhaldo, and Pedrinho.
Money doesn't play football, but a fivefold advantage in squad value indicates that Shakhtar will be the clear favorite today. With all due respect to Mladen Bartulovich's team, Shakhtar surpasses their opponents in class. My choice is P2 at 1.64 on BETKING.
