Three time defending champions Shakhtar Donetsk were set to be crowned champions in the 25th round of Ukrainian Premier League action, but Dnipro, themselves desperate for points to keep up with their rivals in the race for 2nd place, postponed the coronation and earned a share of the spoils. Dnipro manager Juande Ramos said before the match that his team would do all it could to ensure that the Hirnyky would be forced to celebrate their title elsewhere and at a different time, and his side lived up to his promise.  Dnipro were gifted the lead in the 13th minute after a disastrous mistake by Shakhtar goalkeeper Anton Kanibolotskiy. After a receiving a back pass Kanibolotskiy, instead of simply clearing the ball, tried to dribble away from the onrushing Matheus, but the Brazilian striker managed to steal the ball away and poke it into an empty net to give the home side the advantage.  Throughout the first half Dnipro frustrated the visitors with their relentless pressing and deservedly went into halftime with the lead.  Mircea Lucescu by making two changes ten minutes after half time, bringing in Ravzan Rat and Taison for Shevchuk and Eduardo, respectively.  The substitutions changed the complexion of the match, and Shakhtar in general looked more proactive and dangerous in the second period of play.  They were rewarded for their efforts in the 61st, when Darijo Srna equalized from the penalty spot after Fernandinho was brought down in the box.  Shakhtar were the better side for the remainder of the match but were unable to find a winner, postponing their inevitable fourth successive league title celebration.  Dnipro will be pleased to become just the second side to take points from Shakhtar all season long, but at the same two dropped points at this crucial stage of the season will do them no favors in their battle for 2nd spot.  They have now fallen six points off the pace of 2nd place Metalist.

Dynamo Kyiv put in their most impressive performance thus far under new manager Oleh Blokhin in a 5-0 demolition of Zorya Luhansk on Saturday night.  Zorya actually got off to the better start in the match and threatened Maksym Koval’s goal several times in the opening ten minutes.  But Dynamo quickly settled down and began to assert their dominance through the dual threat of Ideye Brown and Andriy Yarmolenko.  The two combined for the opener in the 28th minute; Brown beat his defender and sent a low cross into the area, where an unmarked Yarmolenko beat Zorya keeper Krsevan Santini from close range.  Ten minutes later Brown doubled the lead, this time with a solo effort.  Oleh Husyev found the Brown with an accurate long ball, and the Nigerian striker expertly cut inside and sent the ball past the keeper.  Brown scored again in the second half, putting the ball into an empty net from a Roman Bezus assist.  Bezus got on the scoresheet himself in the 88th minute with a fantastic long range effort that left Santini rooted to the spot, and Husyev made it 5-0 with a stoppage time penalty.  The thoroughly dominant victory is sure to send a message to Dynamo’s rivals for 2nd place; with the victory Dynamo remain just two points adrift of Metalist for the last Champions League spot.

Metalist Kharkiv remain in pole position for Champions League football next season following a 3-1 home victory over Chornomorets Odessa.  Chornomorets are in their own battle for European football; coming into this match Chornomorets were in 5th place, the last Europa League spot.  The Odessa club took the lead in the 27th minute; Metalist goalkeeper Vladimir Disljenkovic’s poor clearance fell right to Lucian Burdujan, whose accurate volley gave the visitors the lead.  It would prove to be very short-lived, however.  On the ensuing kickoff, as some Chornomorets players were still celebrating and their goalkeeper was still sprinting to get back into position, Cleiton Xavier’s shot directly from the centre circle sailed over the keeper’s head!  Metalist then took the lead in the 52nd minute.  Jose Sosa was put through on goal following a brilliant 1-2 exchange with Marlos and neatly tucked away the ball into the near post.  Xavier then put the result out of reach ten minutes later as he rose to head in a corner past goalkeeper Dmytro Bezotosnyi.  Metalist remain two clear of Dynamo in 2nd, while Chornomorets’s defeat sees them drop out of the European spots into 6th.

Chornomorets’s Europa League spot was at least temporarily claimed by Metalurh Donetsk, who defeated Hoverla Uzhhorod 2-1 at home.  Hoverla were on their best spell of form of the season, having taken 7 points in their last three matches in their desperate attempt to escape the relegation zone.  Hoverla got off to a good start in this encounter and took the lead early on.  Arthur Yedigaryan’s long ball released Damien Le Tallec, whose square ball left Jordi Lopez with the easiest of finishes.  But Metalurh turned it around in the 2nd half.  Mykola Morozyuk’s 50th minute free kick left into the upper 90 goalkeeper Dmytro Babenko with absolutely no chance.  Seven minutes later the home side took the lead.  Constantinos Makrides’s brilliant inswinging cross with the outside of his foot found Velizar Dimitrov at the back post.  Dimitrov’s volley toward the back post once again left Babenko helpless.  With the victory Metalurh leapfrog Chornomorets into 5th spot, while Hoverla’s defeat leaves them five points adrift of safety.

In Friday’s only match Illichivets Mariupol’ defeated Vorskla Poltava 1-0 to keep their hopes of a Europa League spot alive.  The only goal in the match came from a set piece in the 64th minute.  Oleksiy Polyanski’s crossed free kick was misjudged by Vorskla keeper Serhiy Dolhanskiy.  Dolhanskiy came out to claim the ball but was beaten to it by Oleksandr Manzyuk, whose header sailed into the unguarded net.  With the victory Illichivets remain three points behind Metalurh and still harbor ambitions of playing in the continental tournaments next season.  Vorskla, meanwhile, are mired in 12th place.

Tavriya Simferopol extended Volyn Lutsk’s winless streak to eight matches with a 3-0 home victory.  The Crimean side took the lead 10 minutes in when Oleh Humenyuk got on the end of a low cross from Makhach Gadzhiyev and tucked the ball under the crossbar from a difficult angle.  Tavriya doubled their lead at the stroke of halftime.  Former Ukrainian national team midfielder Serhiy Nazarenko got on the end of a through ball, rounded the keeper, and put the ball into an empty net.  Tavriya made it 3-0 in second half stoppage time in a very similar fashion to their second.  This time Anton Shynder was the beneficiary of a through ball that picked apart the Volyn defense, and much like Nazarenko he went around the goalkeeper and calmly rolled the ball into the goal.  Tavriya jump ahead of Zorya into 10th place, while Volyn remain in a tie for 12th.

Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih fell to a shock 2-0 defeat to Metalurh Zaporizhia, Metalurh’s first victory of the season.  Kryvbas have been in a financial mess, and their players have not been payed in weeks.  But their monetary struggles did not have a negative impact on their performances; Kryvbas had not lost since the league resumed from its winter break in March.  Metalurh, on the other hand, have had a nightmare campaign and had not registered a single victory up until this encounter.  Captain Serhiy Rudyka gave the cellar-dwellers the lead in the 74th minute with a clever outside-of-the-boot finish past the outstretched fingertips of Yevhen Borovyk.  Rudyka doubled the host’s advantage in the 82nd minute as he got on the end of a Junior Moraes cross and finished from close range.  Kryvbas fall four points behind Metalurh Donetsk for the final Europa League spot, although it could be a moot point as there is a very real possibility of Kryvbas ceasing operations after this season.  Metalurh Zaporizhia’s victory, meanwhile means that they are not yet mathematically assured of relegation, although they need to win their remaining five matches, hope Karpaty lose all of theirs, and make up a 32 goal difference.     

In Monday’s only fixture Arsenal Kyiv thrashed Karpaty Lviv 4-1 at home and snapped their eight match winless skid.  Arsenal are a team who failed to qualify for the Europa League group stages only because they fielded a suspended player, and earlier in the season they looked like one of the favorites to once again qualify for Europe.  But a terrible spell of form saw them tumble from 5th place in the standings to as low as 15th.  Their last victory came all the way back in November, when they were first team to take points from Shakhtar.  In this match, however, they simply overwhelmed Karpaty.  Volodymyr Arzhanov gave Arsenal the lead via the penalty spot in the 7th minute, and Dominic Adiyiah made it 2-0 just four minutes later, putting away a cross from Arzhanov.  Three minute from halftime the game was out of reach, as Andriy Bohdanov’s powerful free kick beat Karpaty keeper Roman Mysak.  Karpaty got a consolation in the 77th through Levan Kenia, but barely a minute later Oleksandr Romanchuk restored the hosts’ three goal advantage.  With this defeat Karpaty fail to distance themselves from the relegation zone, as they remain five points clear of Hoverla, who are in 15th place.

Full Results

Illichivets Mariupol’ 1-0 Vorskla Poltava

Metalurh Zaporizhia 2-0 Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih

Metalurh Donetsh 2-1 Hoverla Uzhhorod

Zorya Luhansk 0-5 Dynamo Kyiv

Tavriya Simferopol 3-0 Volyn Lutsk

Metalist Kharkiv 3-1 Chornomorets Odessa

Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk 1-1 Shakhtar Donetsk

Arsenal Kyiv 4-1 Karpaty Lviv

League Table

 Shakhtar are now just two points away from clinching the league, and with six matches remaining their coronation is all but a formality. But their 3-0 home victory over Zorya Luhansk on the weekend was not as straightforward as the result makes it seem. Shakhtar manager Mircea Lucescu opted to make significant changes from the squad that emerged victorious in last week’s derby; seven of the starters from that side were left on the bench on the weekend. Shakhtar dominated proceedings but could not break through Zorya’s determined defense until ten minutes from time, when defender Serhiy Kryvtsvov headed in a corner. In the 89th minute league leading goalscorer Henrikh Mkhitaryan added to his tally by finishing off a swift counterattacking move as Zorya were caught out searching for an equalizer. The Armenian sensation now has 22 goals on the season, equaling the record set by Serhiy Rebrov in 1997-98 and Maksim Shatskikh in 2002-03. He will have plenty of chances to break that record in the coming weeks, an incredible achievement for the midfielder. Luiz Gustavo then made it 3-0 in stoppage time, and Shakhtar continue their unbelievable season. Seventeen points separate them from second place Metalist. Zorya are now in 9th place on 30 points.

Metalist Kharkiv held on to the all important second spot with an impressive 4-1 road victory over Vorskla Poltava that was marked by refereeing errors. Christian Villagra gave Metalist the lead in controversial circumstances in the 23rd minute. His Argentinian compatriot Sebastián Blanco remained on the ground after a foul and appeared to be injured, but instead quickly got up and played the free kick without the referee’s whistle. His free kick found Villagra, who miskicked his attempted cross, yet still managed to find the back of the net! Vorksla were furious, but two minutes later they also benefited from some dubious decisions. Blanco was sent off for handling the ball and Vorskla were given a penalty, but the ball had already appeared to cross the line. Nevertheless, the decision stood and Yevhen Budnik put away the spot kick to level the score. Metalist, rather than collapse, looked invigorated by the decision. Despite playing with 10 men for the majority of the match they thoroughly dominated the hosts and got goals from Cristaldo, Santos, and Xavier. Metalist remain two points clear of Dynamo in the race for Champions League football, and this match demonstrated their determination to earn a bid to Europe’s elite competition.

Dnipro got back to winning ways, showing their resilience after coming back from behind at Chornomorets Odessa. Dnipro had taken just one point in their last three matches, dropping from 2nd to 4th during the poor run of form. They were aided by the returns into the starting eleven of Roman Zozulya and Yevhen Konoplyanka. Chornomorets were given the lead by their Ivorian striker Franck Dja Djédjé in the 37th and were up at half time. In the 53rd minute Konoplyanka’s brilliant cross to the far post found Matheus, who made it 1-1 with a close range finish. Konoplyanka set up the second goal with another cross from the left flank. This time the recipient was Zozulya, whose initial effort was blocked but managed to beat the keeper while on the ground. Dnipro remain in 4th place, but keep pace with the other sides in the race for second spot.

Dynamo Kyiv, the other team vying for Champions League football, defeated Karpaty 1-0 in Lviv and remain in third, two points behind Metalist and two clear of Dnipro. Their leading scorer Ideye Brown’s 64th minute strike was enough to take all three points. The next few weeks will be crucial in determining if Dynamo get a chance to return to the Champions League or will have to settle for an appearance in the Europa League. They play Dnipro in Week 26 and Metalist in Week 27, while Metalist and Dnipro face off on the penultimate matchday, all matches with massive implications in the race for 2nd. Karpaty, meanwhile, are third from bottom, although still five clear of the drop zone.

That five point gap between Karpaty and the relegation spots is getting dangerously small. Hoverla Uzhhorod, the team that sit below them in the table, defeated Metalurh Zaporizhia 2-0, the first time all season that they’ve won consecutive matches. Just three weeks ago the gap between Hoverla and safety was twelve points and they looked destined for a return to the First League. But they have two wins and a draw in their last three matches, while Karpaty have lost three in succession. A Great Escape scenario may be on here, as suddenly the five point gap with six matches to play does not seem insurmountable. The same cannot be said for Metalurh, who lie dead last with five points and will most likely be mathematically relegated next week. Seven months into the season and they are still winless.

In the other matches, Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih picked up a 2-0 victory over Tavriya Simferopol to continue their excellent run of form and remain in contention for a Europa League spot. Their performances in recent weeks have been all the more impressive considering that the club has been unable to pay the players’ wages. Arsenal Kyiv, another team with financial struggles, lost 2-0 at home to Metalurh Donetsk. Arsenal have now failed to win in eight straight UPL matches, their last victory coming in November against Shakhtar. In Friday’s only match Illichivets Mariupol’ defeat Volyn Lutsk 2-0 on the road, extending Volyn’s winless streak to seven matches.

Full Results

Volyn Lutsk 0-2 Illichivets Mariupol’

Chornomorets Odessa 1-2 Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk

Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih 2-0 Tavriya Simferopol

Shakhtar Donetsk 3-0 Zorya Luhansk

Karpaty Lviv 0-1 Dynamo Kyiv

Hoverla Uzhhorod 2-0 Metalurh Zaporizhia

Vorskla Poltava 1-4 Metalist Kharkiv

Arsenal Kyiv 0-2 Metalurh Donetsk

League Table

The (Non) Rivalry of the Soviet Era

To understand this seismic shift in Ukrainian football we must look back and examine the historical roles of both clubs dating back to the Soviet era. The first country-wide competition in the Ukrainian SSR was held in 1921. The teams were not proper clubs, however, but city selections consisting of the best footballers from the participating cities. Dynamo Kyiv, founded in 1927, won the trophy in 1936, the first time the competition was open to clubs and not simply city selections. Shakhtar were founded that same year as Stakhanovets Stalino; they were named after the Stakhanovite movement, while Stalino was the name of the city of Donetsk at the time.  In their first match they were defeated 3-2 at home by Dynamo Odessa in the quarterfinals of the 1936 Ukrainian Championship.  Dynamo were also an inaugural member of the first Soviet-wide championship in 1936, in which they finished runners up to Dynamo Moscow.  Following the expansion of the top flight in 1938 Stakhanovets were also included.  In the first ever Ukrainian derby contested on July 18, Dynamo won 2-0 in front of their home fans thanks to a brace from Pyotr Laiko.  At the time, of course, the match was not know by that name and did not stand out in the fixture list; it was just one contest among many between the six Ukrainian teams competing in the top flight at the time.

Stakhanovest Stalino in 1937

Following the Second World War Dynamo slowly but surely began to consolidate their position as the elite Ukrainian representative on the Soviet stage.  In 1961 they won their first Soviet Championship.  In the decades to come, under the reigns of the legendary managers Viktor Maslov and Valeriy Lobanovskyi, they would conquer the Soviet top league twelve more times, the most championships of any team, as well as 9 Soviet Cups.  They left their mark in Europe as well: two UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup trophies in 1975 and 1986 as well as a 3-0 UEFA Super Cup victory in 1975 over Bayern Munich elevated Lobanovskyi’s teams to a legendary place in Ukrainian football lore.

The Ukrainian derby, as such, did not exist.  Dynamo looked to the Soviet capital, Moscow, for their prestige derbies.  Dynamo Kyiv vs. Spartak Moscow was usually the most anticipated match in the fixture list, while Dynamo’s matches against Dynamo Tbilisi of Georgia were also characterized by a certain romantic flair.  Dynamo were historically so superior that other Ukrainian sides were not seen as rivals to the capital club.  That is not to say that other Ukrainian teams never made their mark on the Soviet football scene; Zorya Voroshilovgrad (now Zorya Luhansk) shockingly beat out Dynamo for the league title in 1971, and Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk’s famous side from the 80s twice won the championship.  Ukrainian teams fared better in the Soviet Cup.  Karpaty Lviv became the first and only team from outside the top flight to lift the Cup in 1969, Metalist Kharkiv won in 1988, and Dnipro in 1989.  It was in this competition that Shakhtar Donetsk excelled.  They won the trophy in back to back years in 1961 and 1962, and again in 1980 and 1983.   They twice contested the Soviet Super Cup against Dynamo, losing both times on penalties.

Shakhtar achived modest success in the Soviet era but they were no match for the might of Dynamo Kyiv.  Dynamo were simply peerless in Ukraine, and there were reasons for this other than just footballing prowess.  Being situated in the capital of the Ukrainian SSR, Dynamo enjoyed the patronage of Ukrainian Communist Party leaders that the other sides did not have.  It did not hurt that Volodymyr Shcherbytsky, head of the Communist Party in Ukraine from 1972 until 1989, was a fanatical Dynamo supporter.  Dynamo’s connections served them well.  In away matches against other Ukrainian clubs the opposition was urged to take it easy and let Dynamo come away with at least a share of the spoils.  In addition, promising young players and managers from elsewhere in the republic were pressured to make the move to the capital.  Lobanovskyi was asked to leave Dnipro and become manager of Dynamo by Shcherbytsky himself.  In such circumstances, it is not surprising that no other clubs were able to break Dynamo’s hegemony over Ukrainian football.  But the Soviet system was quickly disintegrating, leaving the door open for challenges to Dynamo’s primacy.

Independence and the Emergence of a Challenger

Following the collapse of the Soviet Union and the creation of the Ukrainian Premier League, Dynamo remained far and away the most successful team in Ukrainian football.  Dynamo won nine of the first ten championships.  The only exception was the inaugural edition of the UPL, which consisted of two group championship and a final between the winners of the groups to determine the champion.  Tavriya Simferopol, an unheralded side from the Crimean peninsula, defeated Dynamo in the final for their first ever piece of silverware.  But the decade belonged to the capital club, who won the next nine UPL titles in a row.  Following the return of Lobanovskyi as manager in 1997, Dynamo once again became a force in Europe.  Led by the deadly strike partnership of Andriy Shevchenko and Serhiy Rebrov, Dynamo were quarter-finalists in the 1997-98 Champions League and nearly made it to the final the following year, but were knocked out 4-3 on aggregate against Bayern in the semifinals.  Though the Soviet Union no longer existed, Dynamo still enjoyed their structural advantages inherited from the Communist era, including access to the prestigious formerly state-run academy.

In the first half of the decade Shakhtar hardly threatened Dynamo’s domination.  They were runners up in the 1993-94 campaign but steadily fell down the standings in subsequent seasons, dropping to as low as 10th place in 1995-96.  That season, however, would prove to be fateful in Shakhtar’s history.  On October 15, 1995, Akhat Bragin, an alleged leader of a Donetsk-based criminal organization and President of Shakhtar, was assassinated by a bomb in the stadium while Shakhtar were playing Tavriya.  Bragin was succeeded by Rinat Akhmetov, a businessman and oligarch who also allegedly has ties to the criminal underground.  His personal business affairs notwithstanding, Ahkmetov was a blessing for the Donetsk club.  He invested heavily in new players and a luxurious training complex.

Results followed immediately.   Following Akhmetov’s ascendancy to the Shakhtar presidency the club has not once finished outside of the top two in the Ukrainian Premier League.  They were runners up every year from 1996-97 through 2000-01 and won the Ukrainian Cup in 1995, 97, and 2001.  Then, the following season, Shakhtar finished one point above their rivals and finally nicked the league title away from the perennial powerhouse from the capital.  The result that made the difference was Shakhtar’s 2-0 derby victory over Dynamo in Round 25.  Shakhtar had officially announced themselves on the Ukrainian football scene.

A Changing of the Guard

The 2000s witnessed a  footballing seesaw in Ukraine.  Following Shakhtar’s inaugural triumph Dynamo reclaimed their title as Ukraine’s best next season and retained the league the following year.  But Dynamo could not hold on to their status as the undisputed top dog.  Dynamo and Shakhtar evenly split the spoils in the decade, with both sides becoming champions on five occasions.  No other side broke into the top two; the Ukrainian Premier League effectively became a two-horse race.  For Shakhtar, this could be seen as a massive success; a 10th place finish was not far removed in the collective memory of their faithful, so being in contention for the title was a dramatic improvement.  But for Dynamo, the emergence of a worthy opponent represented an unprecedented disruption of the status quo.  Long used to being the cream of the crop, they suddenly found themselves challenged by, and even losing out to, the upstarts from the East.  Even worse was to come.

The seminal moment of Ukrainian football in recent years came in the 2008-09 edition of UEFA Cup.  Shakhtar and Dynamo were drawn together in the semifinals.  With the aggregate score at 2-2 and the away goals even late in the second leg, a place in the final was up for grabs.  But a minute from time, Shakhtar’s Brazilian winger Ilsinho burst in from the flank, expertly cut inside to beat his man, and sent a low shot into the far corner to send Shakhtar through to the final.  A 2-1 extra time victory over Werder Bremen gave Shakhtar their first piece of European silverware.  It was Shakhtar’s ceremonial crowning as Ukraine’s new elite; Dynamo may have won the league that season, but Shakhtar’s European glory was far more memorable.

Rinat Akhmetov holds up the UEFA Cup

Since then Shakhtar have been all but unbeatable.  Three straight Ukrainian Premier League titles, two more Ukrainian Cups, and two Ukrainian Super Cups.  Dynamo’s only trophy during this time has been a solitary Super Cup in 2011, and although they defeated Shakhtar it was scant consolation for losing out on both the league and the cup to their great rivals.  This season the league has been more one-sided than ever.  Shakhtar are on pace for a record-breaking points total, while Dynamo risk falling out of the top two for the first time in their history.  Shakhtar have convincingly won every single Klasichne this season; Dynamo’s latest derby victory in the league came in April of 2011.  To add insult to injury, Shakhtar are now the flag bearers for Ukraine on the continental stage.  They have been to the knockout stages of the Champions League in two of the past three seasons, while Dynamo only returned to the group stage this season after a three year absence and were unceremoniously dumped out in the first round.  Dynamo, for so long Ukraine’s finest, have been unseated.  Ukraine belongs to Shakhtar.

How did such a changing of the guard occur?  For starters, in the post-Soviet environment Dynamo’s institutional advantages, while still existent, could no longer safeguard them against the forces of a market economy.  Ahkmetov’s wealth and patronage of Shakhtar could not have been possible in the USSR, but in the free-for-all capitalism unleashed on the former Soviet republics by shock therapy, Ahkmetov was able to make a fortune and use it to fund his local football club.  A new academy encouraged the development of local youngsters, while a generous transfer kitty ensured that Shakhtar’s competitiveness in the global market.  And while it may not be directly responsible for the team’s successful results, Shakhtar’s new stadium, the Donbass arena, opened its doors in 2009 and is the only UEFA 5-Star stadium in Ukraine, a reflection of Akhmetov’s dedication to elevate Shakhtar’s prestige to equal and even exceed that of Dynamo.

But simple economics alone cannot account for Shakhtar’s rise and Dynamo’s fall.  It is not as if Dynamo are struggling financially; their owner, Ihor Surkis is a successful businessman who is not hesitant to open up his wallet for the sake of his club.  The dynamics of the shift in Ukrainian football are more complex.  Ever since Lobanovskyi suffered a stroke on the bench during a match in May 2002 and passed away a week later, the role of manager has been a revolving door position at the club, with no one man lasting more than two full seasons.  Lobanovskyi casts an immense shadow over the club even in death, and his successors have been unable to replicate his achievements.  The academy, no longer receiving funding from the state, is not the vast pool of talent it once was.  There is also the sense that Dynamo have not fully grasped the significance of Shakhtar’s rise and are still living in a fairy-tale world where they can accumulate trophies based on name alone.  For example, in the buildup to the fateful UEFA Cup clash with Shakhtar, Surkis remarked “We don’t have to prove we’re the best team in Ukraine, we already have in the league.”  This arrogance reflects a fundamental lack of appreciation of the implication of the moment.

The inability to come to terms with Shakhtar’s rise has led to an impatience with both managers and players, in contrast to Shakhtar’s prudence and stability.  Romanian manager Mircea Lucescu has been at the helm since 2004, while Dynamo have gone through 12 different managers in this period.  The recent transfer histories of the two clubs also reflect the stark difference in policy.  For example, after Shakhtar sold Willian to Anzhi for 35 million Euros, they mitigated his departure by bringing in Taison from Metalist Kharkiv for a fraction of that cost, leaving them in the black for the season.  Dynamo, meanwhile, in an attempt to challenge Shakhtar’s sudden supremacy, went on a sending spree this summer and bought internationally recognized players Niko Kranjcar, Miguel Veloso, and Raffael, for a combined 23.5 million Euros.  While Veloso has become a fixture in the midfield, Kranjcar and Raffael struggle to get a start.  Sometimes it feels as if Dynamo’s transfer policy is conducted not with a vision for the future in mind, but with the haphazardness of a teenager playing FIFA and buying players based on their ratings and availability.

The future looks bright for Shakhtar, but Dynamo are by no means a defeated club.  Surkis is more than willing to spend money, but Dynamo need a vision and a project for the future.  Confidence in newest manager and former Ukraine boss Oleh Blokhin is a must.  Even Shakhtar fans must recognize the importance of Dynamo’s revival for the sake of the vitality of Ukrainian football.  A one-horse league is no fun for anyone.  Whether Dynamo can reverse the trend of Shakhtar’s supremacy is up in the air.  Shakhtar, for their part, will enjoy this moment of unparalleled domination for as long as it lasts.

A Despondent Andriy Yarmolenko Walks Away as Shahktar Celebrate

Dynamo Kyiv, who had already been beaten twice by Shakhtar this season including an embarrassing defeat in the Ukrainian Cup, got off to the better start and looked determined to restore a measure of parity to the recently one-sided rivalry. They were rewarded for their energetic start in the 10th minute. Oleh Husyev’s low cross deflected off Vyasheslav’s Shevchuk and fell straight into the path of Andriy Yarmolenko, who made no mistake from close range to give the hosts the lead. As is usually the case between the two sides, the match quickly took a turn for the violent and both Yarmolenko and Dynamo’s Danilo Silva were lucky to escape straight red cards for needlessly harsh challenges. As the first half went on Shakhtar began to adapt to Dynamo’s relentless pressure and created opportunities of their own. They were rewarded for their efforts in the 44th minute when Shakhtar’s Armenian starlet Henrikh Mkhitaryan’s shot from inside the box was deflected into his own net by Danilo Silva. Dynamo were furious that the referee did not let the injured Andriy Yarmolenko back onto the pitch earlier, leaving them with ten men at the time the goal was scored.

Shakhtar continued to press for the go-ahead goal in the second half but were extremely lucky to not find themselves behind in the 54th minute. Oleksandr Kucher’s giveaway deep in his own end led to a clear goalscoring opportunity for Ideye Brown, but the Nigerian striker hit the crossbar from close range with the goal gaping. Dynamo would come to rue that missed chance, as Mkhitaryan finished off a fine attacking move in the 75th minute to give the visitors the lead. Shakhtar went down to 10 men in stoppage time following Yaroslav Rakitskiy’s second yellow, but Dynamo were unable to equalize. Another derby, and yet another win for Shakhtar, whose superiority in the UPL is unquestionable.

While the derby meant little for Shakhtar in the standings, their victory allowed Metalist Kharkiv to leapfrog Dynamo into the all important second spot. Metalist were in third at the start of the weekend, but following their 1-0 home victory over Volyn Lutsk they are now two points clear of Dynamo in second. Cleiton Xavier gave the hosts the lead in the first minute of play and they never relinquished the advantage despite the sending off of their captain José Sosa in the 81st minute. Volyn have now lost three of their last fourth and are mired in a tie for 12th spot, although they are safe from the drop zone.

Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk, the other team in the hunt for Champions League football, fell to a shock home defeat to Vorskla Poltava and as a result are now four points back of Metalist. Just three weeks ago Dnipro looked like favorites to clinch second spot, but after a dismal run of form in which they have picked up just one point in their last three matches against what seemed to be very beatable opposition they now look set on a return to the Europa League. Vorskla took the lead in the 21st minute courtesy of an own goal from Ondřej Mazuch. Artem Hromov doubled their advantage in the 83rd, and although Dnipro halved the deficit in stoppage time they were unable to claw their way back into the match. Needless to say, Juande Ramos will be very disappointed with the result and must get his team back on track for next week’s tricky away fixture at Chornomorets. Vorskla’s impressive victory means that they are now on 24 points for the season, good enough for a share of 12th place.

In Friday’s only fixture Zorya Luhansk and Chornomorets Odessa played out a 1-1 draw. Chornomorets took the lead in the 12th minute via Pablo Fontanello, but Dmytro Khomchenovskiy equalized for the hosts on 34 minutes. Chornomorets, who occupy the last Europa League spot in 5th place, saw their lead over 6th place Metalurh Donetsk diminished following the latter’s 4-0 demolition of Karpaty Lviv. A few weeks ago it seemed that the Odessa side had all but secured their ticket to continental competition, but Metalurh have been gradually chipping away at their advantage and are now just four points behind. The meeting between the two sides during week 29, the penultimate fixture of the season, may yet prove decisive in the race for Europe.

At the tail end of the table, Metalurh Zaporizhya picked up points for just the fifth time this season in a 0-0 stalemate with Arsenal Kyiv, although they remain without a single victory and with just five points from 23 matches are certain to be relegated. Hoverla Uzhhorod, also favorites for relegation, won a match for the third time this season, a surprising 2-0 victory away over Tavriya Simferopol. Hoverla are now on 15 points and 8 points from safety. Whether this is the beginning of a great escape or simply a false dawn remains to be seen.

In the only other match of the round Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih defeated Illichivets Mariupol 1-0 on the road and overtook their opponents in the standings. Both sides remain vaguely in the hunt for European football; Kryvbas, with 32 points, are five points away from a Europa League place, while Illichivets are now two points behind on 30 points.

Full Results

Zorya Luhansk 1-1 Chornomorets Odessa

Illichivets Mariupol 0-1 Kryvbas Kryviy Rih

Metalurh Zaporizhya 0-0 Arsenal Kyiv

Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk 1-2 Vorskla Poltava

Metalist Kharkiv 1-0 Volyn Lutsh

Metalurh Donetsk 4-0 Karpaty Lviv

Tavriya Simferopol 0-2 Hoverla Uzhhorod

Dynamo Kyiv 1-2 Shakhtar Donetsk

League Table

Shakhtar beat Karpaty Lviv 2-1 on the road in a match that ended with just 19 men on the pitch. The visitors took the lead in the 32nd minute. Taison found Vyacheslav Shevchuk with a through ball, whose low cross was neatly tucked away by Alex Teixeira. The hosts equalized in the 44th minute through a corner. Shakhtar goalkeeper Anton Kanibolitskiy misjudged the ball, and Karpaty Mykola Zhovtyuk was there to dispatch the loose ball into the net. Shakhtar restored their advantage in the dying seconds of first half stoppage time, as Yaroslav Rakitskiy put away a corner from Vasyl Kobin. In a heated second half Karpaty were reduced to ten men on 70 minutes after Zhovtyuk’s last ditch tackle on Luiz Adriano prevented a clear goalscoring opportunity. Eleven minutes later Karpaty were left with nine men on the pitch following Murtaz Daushvili’s harsh second yellow for a hand ball. Immediately following the incident the referee temporarily stopped the match due to crowd trouble, but after an appeal for calm from Karpaty manager Nikolay Kostov play resumed. As a result of the stoppage seven minutes were added to the end of the second half, and during this time Alex Teixeira managed to pick up two yellow cards. Nine versus ten at full time, but Shakhtar picked up all three points to continue their record breaking campaign in which they have dropped points just once all season long. The hosts, meanwhile, are mired in 13th position but look safe of the drop zone.

Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk dropped two key points in the race for Champions League football after they were unable to record a victory away at Volyn Lutsk. The match was full of controversy and saw three players sent off. Dnipro defender Douglas was saw red for a last ditch tackle on Volyn’s Dušan Savić. Replays suggested that Savić embellished the contact, but the penalty was given and Romanian midfielder Eric Bicfalvi left Dnipro goalkeeper Jan Laštůvka with no chance to give the hosts the lead.. Dnipro equalized in first half stoppage time. Matheus’s strike was blocked by Volyn defender Jan Maslo, but the ball fell straight to Giuliano, who beat Maksym Startsev to make the score 1-1. In the second half Volyn had two players sent off; Silviu Izorvanu received his marching orders following a second yellow for a blatant hold on Yevhen Seleznyov in the 59th minute, and 10 minutes later Vanče Šikov received a straight red for a studs up challenge against Jaba Kankava. Despite the numerical superiority for the final 20 minutes Dnipro were unable to find a winner and fell to fourth in the table. Volyn snapped a four match losing streak and remain in 11th place.

Metalist Kharkiv also failed to get all three points in their clash against Kryvbas Kryviy Rih and dropped out of the Champions League spots. Kryvbas took the lead against the run of play in the 15th minute; Metalist’s goalkeeper Oleksandr Horiyanov was able to parry away Mladen Bartulović’s initial shot but could do nothing to stop Volodymr Pryyomov’s rebound. Cleiton Xavier restored parity in the 56th minute with a header from a Sosa free kick. But that was the last of the scoring for the match, and Metalist were left disappointed with the result which saw them drop one spot in the table to third. Kryvbas, meanwhile, remain in 9th place.

The big winner of the round was undoubtedly Dynamo Kyiv. With their 2-0 road victory over Chornomorets Odessa jumped two spots and moved into sole possession of the all-important second spot, although they are just one point ahead of third place Metalist and Dnipro are a single point behind in fourth. Oleh Husyev took advantage of a breakdown in the Chornomorets defense and gave Dynamo the lead in the 47th minute after a one-on-one against the keeper. Andriy Yarmolenko doubled the lead in the 72nd minute with a terrific finish to the far post after cutting inside and losing his defender. Chornomorets remain in fifth place in the table and seem to have a firm grip on the final Europa League qualifying spot.

On the other end of the table both Hoverla Uzhhorod and Metalurh Zaporizhya look destined for relegation. Hoverla drew 1-1 with Illichivets Mariupol but needed more, as they are now nine points away from safety with just eight matches left to play. Metalurh are in even worse shape; following their loss to Metalurh Donetsk they are left with a miserly four points from 22 matches their relegation is all but a mathematical certainty. In the two other fixture of Week 22 Vorskla Poltava and Zorya Luhansk played to a dull 0-0 draw. Vorskla are third from bottom but nine points clear of the drop zone, while Zorya are in eight place. Arsenal Kyiv snapped a four game losing streak after drawing 1-1 with Tavriya Simferopol.

To understand the significance of the rivalry between the most successful and powerful teams in Spain, we must go back and explore their origins. FC Barcelona was not originally envisioned as the flagship of Catalan nationalism, nor was Real Madrid associated with the right wing, centralized state. But over the first several decades of their respective existences, both clubs became inextricably linked to their modern identities. Barça were actually founded by a Swiss businessman in 1899 and many of the original members of the club were English expatriates. But it did not take long for FC Barcelona to embrace the Catalanist ideal. By 1911 the club’s badge included the cross of St. Jordi as well as the red and yellow stripes of the Senyera, in stark contrast to the monarchist symbology adopted by their crosstown rivals, Real Club Deportivo Español.  Real Madrid were founded three years after their hated rivals, but in a twist of history often overlooked by supporters of both sides the founders of Los Blancos had Catalan origins.  They were founded as Madrid FC, and were only renamed Real Madrid in 1920, after receiving royal patronage from King Alfonso XIII.  It was in the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War that the club acquired the reputation, whether deservedly or not, of being on the receiving end of numerous favors from the Franco regime and therefore symbolizing the centralized, repressive state run by the Falangists in Madrid.

As the clubs consolidated their respective identities, the football pitch became the scene of the latent civil war. The first major incident occurred in 1924, when Barça star striker Pepe Samitier was sent off during the Barcelona derby, provoking a minor riot from the fans. In response, the military authorities ordered the match replayed behind closed doors, a decision that only led to more violence outside the stadium.  Perhaps the most seminal moment in the early history of FC Barcelona came the following year. As Primo de Rivera had already began to clamp down on Catalan autonomy and the use of the local language, Barça were scheduled to play a benefit match in aid of the local choral society. A band of the Royal Marines from a British Royal Navy vessel who were stationed in Barcelona at the time were invited to perform at half time. When they began to play the Spanish national anthem, they were bombarded with a cascade of derisory whistles from the overwhelmingly anti-Spanish crowd. The band instead began a rendition of God Save the Queen, which was roundly applauded by the audience. In response to this affront to the unity of the Spanish state, the government of Primo de Rivera imposed a heavy fine on the club and ordered its operations shut down for six months.  Though this incident did not directly feature Barça’s direct rival, it was an early indication of the way in which the Spanish civil war would be played out on the football pitch in a stylized fashion. Even under the dictatorship of Primo de Rivera Barça had already established themselves as the team of Catalan nationalism, in direct opposition to the Madrid authorities.

As the Nationalist troops occupied Madrid in March of 1939 and the Francoist regime was recognized internationally as the legitimate government of Spain, the long and bloody Civil War finally dragged to a halt. But while the guns may have fallen silent, the tensions of prewar society were by no means eradicated. The assault on Catalan autonomy and identity was manifested through football as well as through other means. Just four years after the end of the war Real Madrid and Barcelona met each other in the semifinals of the Copa del Generalísimo, the national cup competition of Spain which in that very same year was renamed from the Copa del Rey, a reflection of the changing political climate. In the first leg of that tie, Barça ran out 3-0 winners, putting them in pole position to advance to the final. But in the return leg in Madrid, the Catalan side suffered an unprecedented 11-1 defeat, to this day the widest margin of victory in El Clásico. During halftime of that match, the director of state security allegedly entered the Barça dressing room and told the players that many of them were still playing football because of the generosity of the regime in letting them remain in the country.  It is impossible at this point to say what exactly happened. Barça fans will contend that Real Madrid, with the support of the Franco regime, brazenly stole the match and title away, while Madridistas will respond that their side was simply far superior on the night. The truth is unknowable, but it is not our purpose to investigate the events from a strictly sporting point of view. What we can say, however, is that the end of the Spanish Civil War as a military conflict did not signal the end of the latent civil war. It was manifested on the football pitch, where two distinct political ideologies – centralization versus regionalism, dictatorship versus republicanism – clashed on the pitch through the medium of El Clásico. The 11-1 result remains a reminder that football in Spain can be viewed through the lens of a simulacrum of the civil war.

The end of the Franco regime did not bring an end to the latent civil war fought on the football pitch. If anything, the process of democratization only brought about a more explicit expression of the political tensions of Spanish society. As soon as the Franco regime fell, the Senyera, banned for so long, made its first reappearance on the terraces of the Camp Nou.  The latent civil war did not disappear as Catalans were granted increasing rights to display national symbols, use their national language, and assert their national identity. In the wake of the pro-independence demonstrations of 11 September 2012, the Camp Nou became the site of another large-scale expression of Catalan identity. The traditional pre-match choreography featured 98,000 fans holding up yellow and red placards, forming a senyera of massive proportions. Some fans, including former FC Barcelona president Joan Laporta, brought along the explicitly pro-independence estelada flag. Seventeen minutes and fourteen seconds into the match, the entire stadium began a chant of “Independencia” in homage to the 1714 defeat of Catalan forces during the war of Spanish Succession. The culture of civil war is still evident, and is manifested through football to this day.

Rinus Michels’ words still ring true. Football is not war in the strictest definition of the word, but it certainly serves as a simulacrum. The history of the rivalry between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid is analogous to the relationship between the two cities and the different aspects of Spanish political discourse which they represent, i.e. centralization versus autonomy. The actual historical realities of the role of politics in Spanish football are murky and ambiguous, and the various interpretations are incredibly politicized. How, for example, can the Barça fan claiming that his side were brutally oppressed by Franco explain that one of the club’s most successful periods came under his regime? But the historical realities are irrelevant; the nature of football results do not lend themselves to objective historical analysis. But it remains evident that in Spain, even in times of relative peace, the latent civil wars are fought not with bayonets and artillery on the Aragonese front, but with slide tackles and free kicks on the pitches of the Camp Nou and the Santiago Bernabéu.

Andriy Voronin said goodbye to the national team after Euro 2012

So where do Ukraine go from here?   The retirement of three talismanic players in one summer is a clear indication of a changing of the guard.  Of the 23 players in the squad at the 2006 World Cup, only four remain: Oleh Husyev, Anatoliy Tymoshchuk, Ruslan Rotan, and Serhiy Nazarenko.  But this is not a sudden revolution.  Manager Oleh Blokhin, the man who led Ukraine to their first ever major competition, returned in time for Euro 2012 after his numerous successors failed to live up to the standard he has set.  During Blokhin’s second spell as manager he rejuvenated the side with an injection of promising young talent.  Earlier this summer we already saw a younger, more dynamic Ukraine that was far more easy on the eyes that the drab, defensive selection at Germany 2006 (see the 0-0 vs. Switzerland).   Blokhin decided to stay on after the Euros and will now lead Ukraine through the 2014 World Cup qualifying cycle. He is not a particularly astute tactician but he knows the strengths and weaknesses of his squad and is an excellent motivator.

The national side’s only match since Euro 2012 was the August 15th friendly against the Czech Republic.  The lineup was an experimental one, but as Ihor Boyko at football.ua points out, every line up Oleh Blokhin comes up with in the absence of both Sheva and Voronin comes across as experimental.  Ukraine performed rather well, and totally outplayed their opponents for the vast majority of the match.  But they were unable to breach Petr Cech’s goal, and the match finished a scoreless draw.  Rather than analyze this match individually, here instead is a broad overview of the state of the Ukrainian national team in the lead up to the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign, with analyses of each position followed by a tactical preview.

Goalkeepers

Andriy Pyatov was the starting goalkeeper at Euro 2012, and appears to have a firm hold on the position.  He was relatively untested in the friendly against the Czechs, but he has established himself as the number one keeper at his club, Shakhtar Donetsk, and barring injury or a dip in form the 28 year old can expect to become the regular started between the posts for both club and country.  As I wrote in my preview before Euro 2012, Pyatov is “solid under pressure, good with his feet, and capable of initiating the counterattack with his distribution.”

His understudy is Maksym Koval, the starter for Dynamo Kyiv.  Koval is just nineteen years old but has shown incredible maturity  for someone his age.  His clean sheet in Dynamo’s 2nd leg Champions League qualifier at Feyenoord was a fine demonstration of his abilities.  He made numerous excellent saves and ensured Dynamo’s progress into the next round.  Andriy Dikan of Dinamo Moscow is the veteran of the bunch at 35 years of age and rounds up the three keepers selected by Oleh Blokhin for the initial round of qualifiers.

Verdict: There is no Buffon or Casillas caliber goalkeeper here, but then again, how many teams possess such quality?  Pyatov is perfectly capable, and with the promising Koval pushing him for the starting position, Ukraine are in good shape here.

Center Backs

Yevhen Khacheridi is developing into a first choice center back for club and country

Yevhen Khacheridi and Taras Mykhalyk, the Dynamo Kyiv pair, started for Ukraine at Euro 2012.  But in the friendly against the Czechs Blokhin opted for Yaroslav Rakitskiy of Shakhtar to partner Khacheridi.  Khacheridi has been in great form this season at Dynamo, and looks to be maturing and shedding his reputation as hothead.   Rakitskiy is a versatile player; he can play center back, left back, or as a defensive midfielder.  He also has a thunderous left foot and is a threat on set pieces, and although he has had trouble replicating his club form for the national team, this could yet prove to be a promising partnership. Both Mykhalyk and Oleksandr Kucher are experienced on the international level and are quality backups should the two fail to gel, although both are out injured for next week’s clash against England.

Verdict: Much depends on how much trust places Blokhin in the Khacheridi-Rakytskiy partnership, but if both can play for the national team as well as they do for their clubs, Ukraine may have a center back pairing for the long term considering that  Khacheridi is just 25 and Rakitskiy, 23.

Fullbacks

This is a definite question mark for Oleh Blokhin.  The vastly experienced Oleh Husyev played at right back during the Euros, but Husyev is not a natural fullback and his defensive liabilities were clear.  Bohdan Butko, the 21 year old from Ilichivets Mariupol, started against the Czech Republic and is the prime candidate for the position.  He is very quick and likes to get up the flank to support the attack, which can sometimes leave him exposed at the back.  His counterpart on the left is Yevhen Selin of Vorskla Poltava.  Selin was the first choice left back at Euro 2012 and tends to be more defensive-minded, although he can also help out offensively.  Vitaliy Mandzyuk and Vyacheslav Shevchuk are the backups.

Verdict: The problem is not the lack of quality, but rather the lack of experience.  Butko and Selin are just 21 and 24 years old, respectively, and are both promising players.  But they have just 22 caps between them, and neither plays for a club side that participates in European competition.  However, there is much potential here, and if the duo continue to progress then there is plenty to be optimistic about.

Central Midfield

Anatoliy Tymoshchuk is the captain and only member of the squad to make his living playing in Western Europe, although his place at Bayern is no longer assured.  He is the most capped player in Ukraine’s history and is all but assured of a starting position; he is excellent as a holding midfielder and has a fierce long range strike.  There are several options to partner Tymo.  In the friendly against the Czech Republic Blokhin picked Dynamo midfielder Denys Harmash.   The 22 year old has been in fine form at the beginning of the season and put in a solid performance against the Czechs.  Ruslan Rotan represents a more creative option in the middle of the pitch, as does Serhiy Nazarenko.

Verdict: With Tymoshchuk and Harmash there is plenty of power in midfield for Ukraine, but creative inspiration is more difficult to find.  Rotan has never impressed for the national team, and at 32 years of age it appears that Nazarenko is approaching the tail end of his career.

Wingers/Attacking Midfielders

Ukraine have high hopes for Andriy Yarmolenko

This area of the pitch is one of Ukraine’s strong points.  Oleh Husyev, a regular in the side since 2003, can play on either flank and is comfortable cutting inside as well.  Andriy Yarmolenko, his Dynamo teammates, is one of Ukraine’s brightest young talents and often plays as an inverted right winger, but can also also played the number 10 role behind the striker.  On the opposite flank, Yevhen Konoplyanka is another promising youngster who possesses great pace and the ability to take defenders on one-on-one.

Verdict: Great young talent to go along with experience.  Figuring out how to incorporate all three into the side will be a headache for Blokhin, but as the cliche goes, it’s a headache that any manager would love to have.

Forwards

The retirements of Voronin and Shevchenko leave a big gap up top that is only made worse by the poor club form of Artem Milevskiy and Yevhen Seleznyov. Roman Bezus of Vorskla Poltava plays as a second striker/attacking midfielder for his club side and came on as a sub in the Czech Republic for just his second international appearance (he could easily be included in the Winger/Attacking Midfielder section as well).  Roman Zozulya of Dnipro also has just two caps to his name, and although he did start against the Czechs he was played out of position on the right flank; for his club side he usually plays a number nine role.  Marko Devic of Shakhtar is the only one of the three to have played a part at the Euros and is the favorite to start against England.

Verdict: The lack of depth and international experience is worrying.  There are massive shoes to fill in the striking department.  Obviously a player like Shevchenko does not come around every generation, but there will be massive pressure on Devic and the rest of the contingent to put the ball in the net.  Among the three strikers, they have three goals between them.   Blokhin has recently expressed concern that Devic is not getting enough playing time for Shakhtar following his move from Metalist Kharkiv, but he is still first choice for lack of better options.  Seleznyov and Milevskiy were dropped from the national team for that very reason.

Tactics

What kind of tactical set up can we expect to see on the 11th at Wembley?  Well, there is very little to go by.  We saw what can be described as a 4-4-1-1 at Euro 2012, but with just one game played since then it’s not clear whether Blokhin will stick with that system or go for something different.  In the friendly against the Czech Republic Ukraine lined up with something resembling a 4-2-4:

The back four is likely to start against England, as is the central midfield partnership (although we may see one of Rotan/Nazarenko come in for Harmash).   But it is the front four that will be very different.  Seleznyov has already been left out, while Zozulya is unlikely to start, especially out wide.  Personally, I would like to see Husyev come in on the right with Yarmolenko playing behind Devic in a 4-2-3-1 formation:

With this set up you’ve got power in the midfield, and three creative players to support a lone striker.  If Yarmolenko tracks back and helps out Ukraine won’t be overwhelmed in midfield battles, and the fullbacks are capable of getting forward and supporting the attack.  But what starting eleven Blokhin actually goes with come the 11th is anyone’s guess.

It must be said that Blokhin is not a tactical idealist; he does not have one preferred system which he utilizes under any circumstances.  As mentioned before his Ukraine side at the 2006 World Cup were far more defensive and boring, often playing for a draw against more powerful opponents.  But as Ukraine’s performance at Euro 2012 demonstrated, they have evolved into a more proactive, dynamic side.  Expect this trend to continue in the upcoming cycle of World Cup qualifiers, and beyond.

Bottom Line

• Blossoming center-back partnership
• Promising but unproven fullbacks
• Powerful midfield, lacking in creativity
• Fast, direct wingers/attacking midfielders
• Giant question mark at striker
• Tactics unclear, but expect a relatively attacking 4-4-1-1/4-2-3-1 type formation

Time permitting, I’ll write up a tactical preview with the England match specifically in mind.  Thanks for reading, and watch this space!

Though it is just the first week of September, is it too late to declare that the 2012-13 Ukrainian Premier League season done and dusted?  Shakhtar Donetsk, the three time defending champions, beat rivals and main title contenders Dynamo 3-1 on Sunday night to move six points clear at the top.  Central defender Oleksandr Kucher was the author of an unlikely brace of goals for the home side on either side of halftime, and Adriano sealed the victory with a late stunner.  Andriy Yarmolenko scored the lone goal for the visitors, an equalizer on the stroke of half time, but it was not enough.  This match illustrated the vast gap between the two sides.  But the gap is not necessarily one of quality; Dynamo have a fine group of players and have made some astute signings this summer.  But whereas Shakhtar boss Mircea Lucescu has been at the club since 2004 and has built a proper team, Dynamo lack cohesiveness and resemble a group of talented players going nowhere, quickly.  Manager Yuri Syomin’s days appear numbered, even if qualification for the Champions League has somewhat alleviated the pressure.

Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk missed a golden opportunity to leapfrog Dynamo into second place after throwing away a 2-0 lead at Vorskla.  Denis Oliynik put Dnipro up 1-0 in the 19th minute and Giuliano doubled it in the 53rd.  Dnipro attempted to close up shop and hold out for the victory, but their defensive approach backfired when Yevhen Selin got one back for the home side in the 80th minute and Ahmed Januzi equalized three minutes later.  This is the second match in a row in which Dnipro blew a 2-0 lead; manager Juande Ramos will be concerned with his side’s inability to close out matches.  Dnipro pull into a tie for second with this result, while Vorskla move up one position to 12th.

The shock of the eighth round of matches was undoubtedly Volyn’s 2-1 victory over Metalist Kharkiv.  Metalist entered the match in fourth place and are perennial also-rans in the UPL, not quite able to challenge the Shakhtar-Dynamo hegemony but still a cut above the rest; Ukraine’s Valencia, if you will.  So it was no surprise when they took the lead in the 18th through Willian Gomes.  But new signing Eric Bicfalvi equalized for the home side just two minutes later, and fellow newcomer Danijel Subotic put the hosts in front for good in the 37th.  It’s an impressive victory for Volyn, who move up two spots in the table.

In a minor upset Hoverla finally got their first points of the season with a 2-1 home victory over Tavriya.  Hoverla’s performances as a whole have not been awful; they just always managed to find a way to lose, sometimes snatching defeat away from the jaws of victory.  Goals from Mishchenko and Odonkor gave Hoverla the 2-0 lead in the first half, while all Tavriya could manage was a consolation deep in 2nd half stoppage time.  Hoverla move up from the foot of the table into 15th with their first victory.

Illichivets leapfrogged their hosts with a 2-1 victory on the road over Kryvbas.  Kravchenko and Targamadze scored for the visitors, and while Bartulovic was able to get a goal back for the home side they could not find the equalizer.  With this defeat Kryvbas drop from 7th to 10th spot, while Illichivets jump up two places to 6th.

Metalurh Donetsk left Lviv with three points following a 1-0 victory at Karpaty.  Karpaty were forced to play most of the match with ten men after striker Oleksandr Kasyan was sent off for a rash challenge after just 12 minutes.  This is the latest in a string of red cards for Karpaty, who have now had to finish their last three matches without eleven men on the pitch, a potentially worrying pattern of disciplinary problems.  Karpaty played well despite the man disadvantage, but eventually Metalurh did capitalize through Junior Moraes in the 59th minute of play and held on for all three points.

Chornomorets fought back from behind to defeat Zorya 2-1.  Pavlo Khudzik had given the visitors the lead in the 29th, but the hosts got the equalizer from Anatoliy Didenko in the 41st, and then went ahead in the 56th through Lucian Burdujan.  With the victory the Odessa club move up to 11th place, while Zorya drop two spots to seventh.

Metalurh Zaporizhya are now in the unfortunate position of propping up the table after a 3-0 defeat away at Arsenal Kiev on Sunday night.  Kovpak, Adiyiah, and Shatskikh scored for the home side, for whom this was a relatively easy affair.  Metalurh are now the only team in the league without a victory.

Full Results

Friday 31st August
Hoverla-Zakarpattia 2-1 Tavriya

Saturday 1st September
Kryvbas 1-2 Illichivets
Karpaty 0-1 Metalurh Donetsk
Choronomorets 2-1 Zorya

Sunday 2nd September
Vorskia 2-2 Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk
Volyn 2-1 Metalist
Shakhtar Donetsk 3-1 Dynamo Kiev
Arsenal Kiev 0-0 Metalurh Zaporizhya

League Table

Shakhtar Donetsk’s 5-1 rout of Chernomorets Odessa on Sunday night sees them go three points clear of fierce rivals Dynamo Kiev at the top of the Ukrainian Premier League. Shakhtar’s star Armenian midfielder Henrikh Mhitaryan was once again brilliant. With his hat trick he has now scored an astonishing 10 goals in just six matches, four ahead of his nearest competitor. Shakhtar have been a class above the rest thus far this season, and this match once again demonstrated the gap in quality between the three time reigning champions and the much of the competition. The Brazilian duo of Teixeira and Willian also scored for the Hirnyky, whose scoring record thus far this season is 23 scored and just 3 conceded. The Odessa side, meanwhile, drop three spots to a tie for 10th place.

Dynamo Kyiv dropped points for the first time this season in a 1-0 defeat on the road to Vorskla Poltava. Though prior to this match Dynamo had taken the maximum 15 points, their performances were hardly convincing. Syomin has had trouble integrating many of the new players into the squad, and these were problems were on full display Saturday night in Poltava. New signings Taye Taiwo and Raffael were poor, while Niko Kranjcar did not get any playing time despite starring in Dynamo’s victory last weekend. Credit must be given to Vorskla, who went ahead in the 25th minute through Gromov and defended fiercely for the rest of the 90 minutes, holding out for just their second victory of the season. But the pressure is increasing on Syomin to finally get Dynamo playing as a cohesive unit.

Metalist Kharkiv got back to winning ways with a 3-0 demolishing on the road of bottom side Hoverla Uzhhorod.
Metalist, the perennial third place finishers in the UPL behind the duo of Shakhtar and Dynamo, had been struggling this season and there have been rumours of unrest in the locker room. But this convincing display should ease the nerves of Metalist supporters. A brace from Cristaldo and another goal from Willian Gomes secured the three points for Metalist, who move up to 4th spot. Hoverla, meanwhile, sit pointless at the foot of the table. Though it’s only August, the battle to avoid relegation has begun.

In Friday’s lone fixture Arsenal Kiev defeated Illichivets Mariupol’ 2-1. Maksim Shatskikh opened the scoring in the 11th minute to put the home side ahead, but Mariupol equalized via Okriashvili in the 26th. A late goal from Volodymyr Homenyuk brought the home side the victory, moving them up to into a tie for 5th place. Kryvbas and Dnipro played out the only scoreless draw of the 6th round. Ukraine’s friendly against the Czech Republic on Wednesday may have had an adverse effect on Dnipro; their star striker Roman Zozulya started for the national side but did not start here, perhaps due to fatigue. Kryvbas were impressive, and although they failed to score they threatened Dnipro’s goal on several occasions. Dnipro remain in 3rd place but gain ground on 2ndplace Dynamo, while Kryvbas fall into a tie for 5th.

Metalurh Donetsk and Tavriya drew 1-1 on Saturday night in Donetsk. Both sides have had their fair share of struggles this season, so this was a chance for both to potentially break into the top half of the table. Metalurh appeared to be headed for victory until Ukrainian national team midfielder Serhiy Nazarenko equalized for the visitors in the 89th minute, granting each side a share of the spoils.

Karpaty Lviv defeated Metalurh Zaporizhya 2-1 at home to jump four spots up to 8th place. Pavlo Ksyonz and Oleksandr Kasyan put Karpaty up 2-0, and although Ivan Matyazh got one back for the visitors they could not find the equalizer. With just one point from six matches, Metalurh are early candidates for relegation.

Volyn and Zorya played out a 2-2 draw in Lutsk on Sunday night. The home side will be very disappointed, as they let a 2-0 lead slip away late on, allowing Zorya to escape with a draw that will feel like a victory. Volyn eased off the pressure late and were punished by two goals in the final eight minutes, including a last minute equalizer.

Full Results

Friday 17th August
Arsenal Kiev 2-1 Illichivets
Saturday 18th August
Hoverla-Zakarpattia 0-3 Metalist
Kryvbas 0-0 Dnipro
Vorskia 1-0 Dynamo Kiev
Metalurh Donetsk 1-1 Tavriya

Sunday 19th August
Karpaty 2-1 Metalurh Zaporizhya
Volyn 2-2 Zorya
Choromorets 1-5 Shakhtar Donetsk

Though Dynamo have been keeping up the pace with their bitter rivals, their displays so far have been far from convincing.  In all but one of their fixtures, the game winning goal came after 80 minutes and they have been overly reliant on Nigerian striker Ideye Brown.  Head coach Yuri Syomin has not been in able to find an ideal formation incorporating all the team’s summer acqusitions.  But on Sunday night in Kyiv, Dynamo finally seemed to find their groove.  Summer signing Niko Kranjcar scored twice, as did Brown, who leads the goalscoring charts, and Dynamo ran out 4-1 winners over Volyn Lutsk.  Kranjcar has been one of the players visibly struggling, so for him it was a breakthrough performance.  Nevertheless, he was the first man subbed off, so Syomin must still be considering his options.  The visitors dropped down to 8^th place.

Elsewhere, Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk replicated the performances of their more illustrious rivals, defeating cellar-dwellers Hoverla 4-1.  Dnipro, who are coached by Spanish manager Juande Ramos, have been in fine form and managed to remain just two points behind the leaders with and impressive victory at home. Ramos must be particularly pleased with the play of 22 year old striker Roman Zozulya, who scored twice for Dnipro.  Hoverla remain stuck at the foot of the table, and with zero points from five matches look set for a long season fighting to avoid the drop.

Metalist Kharkiv, the side that has finished in third place behind Shakhtar and Dynamo for the past five seasons and are regular participants in European competition, surprisingly lost 1-0 at home to Arsenal Kyiv. Metalist went down after just eleven minutes to a goal from Arsenal’s Oleksandr Kovpak and were never able to recover.  Myron Markevich’s side are now seven points off the pace, while Arsenal moved up to a tie for 7^th after their second victory of the season.

Tavriya Simferopol also registered their second win of the season with a narrow 1-0 win at home over Metalurh Zaporizhya in Friday’s only fixture.  Tavriya were far from convincing for most of the match, but a 63^rd minute strike from Ukrainian national team midfielder Serhiy Nazarenko was enough to give the Crimean side the three points and move them up to 11^th in the table.

Kryvbas continued their surprising start with a 1-0 victory on the road over Zorya of Luhansk.  Kryvbas, who were in disarray just before the beginning of the season and were widely regarded as relegation fodder, are instead tied for fourth place with three victories in their first five matches; their only dropped points have been narrow 1-0 losses to both Dynamo and Shahktar.  Zorya were never able to penetrate the goal of Kryvbas keeper Artem Shtanko, but still looked impressive in defeat.  They too, have been a surprise package in the early going, and are also tied for fourth place along with the visitors.

Chornomorets and Karpaty played out the only draw of the fifth round.  The hosts took the lead after just three minutes of play but Karpay equalized seven minutes later through Lucas.  The visitors from Lviv were the more energetic side for the remainder of the 90 minutes, but were unable to break the deadlock.

To round things up, Metalurh Donetsk beat Illichivets Mariupol 1-0 on the road, their first victory of the season.  Metalurh, fresh off elimination from the Europa League, took the lead through Volovik in the 53^rd minute and never relinquished it after that.  The season has thus far been a disappointing one for the second team in Donetsk, with just one point from the first four matches, but this result will be sure to lift their spirits.

Full Results

Friday 10th August

Tavriya 1-0 Metalurg Zaporizhya

Saturday 11th August

Zorya 0-1 Kryvbas

Dnipro 4-1 Hoverla-Zakarpattia

Choronomorets 1-1 Karpaty

Sunday 12th August

Dynamo Kyiv 4-1 Volyn

Shakhtar Donetsk 4-1 Vorskla

Metalist 0-1 Arsenal Kyiv

Illichivets 0-1 Metalurh Donetsk