In the process of preparing Odessa’s “Chornomorets” for the new season, the coaching staff had to make significant adjustments. Initially, it was planned that the “sailors” would head to western Ukraine, where on July 7, 8, and 9 they would play three friendly matches — against debutant of the first league “Probiem”, Ternopil’s “Nyva” and Lviv’s “Rukh”. However, the team led by Oleksandr Kucher was unable to fully implement this plan.
As it became known to Sport.ua, for cost-saving reasons, it was decided to limit to just one friendly. It took place on July 9 in Vynnyky, Lviv region, where “Chornomorets” lost to “Rukh” with a minimal score of 0:1. The other two friendly matches did not take place, and “Chornomorets” again covered almost 800 kilometers back on the club bus.
One of the potential newcomers to “Chornomorets”, Vladyslav Kulach, who is one of the personnel losses of another first league team — Poltava’s “Vorskla”, did not go to Lviv with the team.
Before the sparring with “Rukh”, the Odessa team held all friendly matches at their club base in Sovinyon: against Vinnytsia’s “Nyva” (3:0), “Real Farma” (4:0 and 3:1) and “Inhulets” (1:3).