Matchday 5 UPL Team: Kharkiv and Polissya's Well-Deserved Dominance

Sport.ua highlights football players who have demonstrated their best qualities in the latest round of the championship.

The fifth matchday in the Ukrainian Premier League is over, which means one thing - it's time to compile the symbolic team of the round.

Goalkeeper - Mykyta Fedotov ("Epicenter")

For 26-year-old goalkeeper Mykyta Fedotov of "Epicenter," the match against "Bukovyna" in the reporting round was special. The goalkeeper played against his former team, where they never dared to bet on him and later released him as a free agent. Fedotov did enough work, and if it weren't for him, the team from Kamianets-Podilskyi probably wouldn't have earned points in this duel. But Mykyta did his job excellently - 4 saves, 7 confident and timely exits from the goal. Everything at the highest level.

Right-back - Illya Krupskyi ("Kharkiv")

For 21-year-old full-back Illya Krupskyi of "Kharkiv," the match against "Obolon" turned out to be very successful. The defender was extremely active on his flank, working hard on the attack, both with passes and direct moves to attacking positions. It's not surprising that Krupskyi managed to score a goal, but it's also worth noting his passing accuracy on the opponent's half (86%) and two key passes made.

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Center-back - Volodymyr Vilivald ("Kryvbas")

21-year-old center-back Volodymyr Vilivald of "Kryvbas" had a decent performance against "Kolos." His standout moment in this match was undoubtedly the goal scored after a corner kick. In defense, Vilivald played well overall, although in the final minutes, he ended up not where the ball was heading, which turned out to be fatal for the home team. However, in that episode, Vilivald's partners should have covered for him.

Center-back - Marian Farina ("Chornomorets")

Marian Farina, 23 years old, is gradually becoming a key figure in the defensive setup of "Chornomorets." In the match against "Levoe Bereh," the center-back once again looked good, making 12 clearances, 6 interceptions, and 3 tackles. He also emerged as the winner in the majority of duels in this match (5/7).

Left-back - Bohdan Mykhailichenko ("Polissya")

Due to an early red card for "Kudrivka," the players of "Polissya" were fortunate to play most of the match against the opponent with much less pressure. This statement is especially true for the defense. 29-year-old full-back Bohdan Mykhailichenko had the opportunity to showcase his attacking work. Although the defender's name did not appear in the scorers' list, Mykhailichenko was extremely useful - 3 key passes, 100% accuracy in long balls, and one created scoring opportunity.

Defensive midfielder - Ivan Kalyuzhnyi ("Kharkiv")

"Kharkiv" didn't have to exert too much effort against "Obolon," who played with a man down from the 4th minute. This allowed 28-year-old Ivan Kalyuzhnyi to demonstrate his skills not only in battles and defense but also in organizing his team's game. 4 key passes, 95% passing accuracy in the opponent's half, over a hundred ball touches - the statistics confirm that Kalyuzhnyi was at the center of events and a cornerstone for Kharkiv's victory.

Central midfielder - Volodymyr Brazhko ("Dynamo")

In the match against LNZ, Dynamo's game in the center of the field relied heavily on the activity and work of 24-year-old Volodymyr Brazhko. He was everywhere - in defense, in attacking moves, and even stood out with several moments in the opponent's penalty area. Volodymyr was the most active player for the "blue and whites" in terms of pressing and game organization. However, Dynamo's efforts were not enough for victory...

Central midfielder - Izaki ("Shakhtar")

Sometimes, to decide the fate of a match, it's not necessary to play the full 90 minutes. This truth was confirmed in the reporting round by 19-year-old central midfielder Izaki of Shakhtar. Coming on as a substitute in the 64th minute, the Brazilian elegantly assisted Alisson on the 66th minute, who dealt with Karpaty's goalkeeper and secured a crucial victory for the champions.

Right winger - Vladyslav Veleten ("Polissya")

23-year-old winger Vladyslav Veleten of "Polissya" literally tore apart Kudrivka's defense in the face-to-face match. The player started his activity from the first minute, opening the scoring with a precise shot just 46 seconds into the game. This demoralized the guests, who soon found themselves in a minority, making it easy for Polissya to defeat the disheartened opponent. Although Veleten didn't score or assist again, his ball work in this game was outstanding - 90% passing accuracy, three key passes...

Center forward - Ihor Krasnopyr ("Polissya")

23-year-old center forward Ihor Krasnopyr was brought on as a substitute by Polissya's coaches in the 67th minute when the match against Kudrivka was far from over. Zhytomyr's team was playing with a numerical advantage and had a minimal lead, but they lacked something in the final attacking phase. Krasnopyr quickly rectified this. In just nine minutes, the forward scored a brace, with his second goal being a brilliant display of composure and skill in the final phase of the attack.

Left winger - Batoni Zabergdja ("Kharkiv")

After a great match against Zorya in the previous round, 25-year-old Batoni Zabergdja had a quality and effective performance against Obolon. He spent just about an hour on the field but managed to score a goal and provide a superb assist to Parako. Zabergdja looked extremely convincing: 5 sprints, 4 won duels out of 6, 2 successful dribbles out of 2 attempts, 3 key passes, and 83% passing accuracy in the opponent's half. If Zabergdja continues to play like this, Kharkiv will have a new leader whose actions will directly impact the results on the field.

Head coach - Arda Turan ("Shakhtar")

At the start of the season, the reigning champion Shakhtar has yet to impress. However, in the reporting round, the "miners" managed to secure a crucial victory over the former leaders of the table, "Karpaty." Lviv's team has been pleasantly surprising in the current championship and also looked very solid against the "orange-black" team.