Former Shakhtar Donetsk midfielder and Ukraine youth national team player Oleksiy Polyansky shared his expectations for the matches of the 9th round of the Ukrainian championship, which will take place this weekend.
“Poltava” — “Obolon”
— Naturally, I do not expect sparkling football in this match, as the two opponents have scored only 12 goals in 16 matches combined. Nevertheless, I give preference to the Kyiv team, which has a more cohesive squad and more experience.
“Rukh” — “Kryvbas”
— Despite these teams being separated by 11 positions in the standings, I am sure the match will be interesting in terms of intrigue. “Rukh” is slowly finding its game. Yes, the team was heavily defeated by Shakhtar, but it also scored big victories over “Polissya” in the Cup and “Kolos” away. So I dare to suggest that at least a draw is assured for the Lviv team.
“Zorya” — “Dynamo”
— The Kyiv team needs to figure something out to get out of the psychological pit they are in, as four winless matches do not suit a champion. “Dynamo” has a proper selection of players. Perhaps the coach is unable to sort out the team’s current problems. It’s hard to say what’s happening within the team from the outside.
“Dynamo” used to fight hard, but now it isn’t evident. Not everyone is given to wear three stars above the emblem. Perhaps some players need to reflect on this and come back to earth. The next three rounds (“Zorya”, “Kryvbas”, “Shakhtar”), and the Cup match against the same “Shakhtar”, will show whether these are temporary difficulties for the “white and blue” or if the team will crumble, making it hard to regroup by winter.
“Polissya” — “Shakhtar”
— In the last couple of seasons, “Polissya” has proven itself well. Now the team is led by a good coaching staff, consisting of all football people. Whatever anyone says, but Shakhtar’s rebuilding process continues, so I believe we are in for an exciting match. A so-called chess game. These are two teams that are currently performing somewhat steadily in the championship. If the Zhytomyr team turns out stronger, it won’t be a sensation or surprise for me. The chances of victory for both opponents in this pair are 50/50.
LNZ — “Kolos”
— In terms of intrigue, I would compare this confrontation to the “Polissya” — “Shakhtar” match. Perhaps the match in Cherkasy will fall short in quality, but not in the players' commitment. The battle here will be intense because this is a frontal game. The opponents have the same number of points, and whoever is stronger will, first of all, gain a psychological advantage for the near future.
“Veres” — “Oleksandriya”
— And in this pair, table neighbors will meet. I do not think we will see a spectacular game. Both teams are like on swings. No stability, hence their unenviable standings. A draw seems likely to me here.
“Karpaty” — “Epicenter”
— I don’t understand the need to spread rumors about the resignation of Serhiy Nagornyak. The man has done colossal work. Yes, things are not going well in the Premier League yet, but one should understand that the pace here is different, and it’s unrealistic to simply change the entire team for experienced players. Patience is needed. I think “Epicenter” has a chance to snag points in Lviv, despite “Karpaty” having picked up momentum, as confirmed by matches against “Obolon”, “Dynamo”, and “Oleksandriya”.
“Kudrivka” — “Metalist 1925”
— I associate “Kudrivka’s” recent failures with the club’s financial problems. As far as I know, the players have not been paid wages for three months. And that’s from the start of the season. “Metalist 1925” has not lost in the championship for seven consecutive matches, so the favorite in this pair is obvious.