This week sees the Round of 16 matches of the 2025/26 Ukrainian Cup season. In one such match on Wednesday, October 29, Kyiv’s «Dynamo» faced Donetsk’s «Shakhtar». The match took place in Kyiv at the «Dynamo» Stadium named after Valeriy Lobanovskyi.
Ukrainian Cup. Round of 16
«DYNAMO» (Kyiv) — «SHAKHTAR» (Donetsk) — 2:1 (0:0)
Goals: Yarmolenko (72), Guerrero (79) — Meirelles (48)
Cautions: Popov (17), Guerrero (80) — Konoplya (83)
«Dynamo»: 35.Neshcheret — 20.Karavayev (18.Tymchyk, 85), 4.Popov (66.Tiare, 90+5), 32.Mikhaylenko, 2.Vyvcharenko — 8.Pikhaliyonok, 91.Mikhaylenko (6.Brazhko, 46) — 22.Kabayeva, 29.Buyalskyi (C), 16.Ogundana — 7.Yarmolenko (39.Guerrero, 75).
Substitutes: 51.Morgun, 74.Ignatenko, 5.Yatsyk, 14.Burtnyk, 15.Rubchinskyi, 17.Torres, 34.Zakharchenko, 77.Blantsu.
«Shakhtar»: 31.Riznyk — 26.Konoplya, 5.Bondar (4.Santos, 86), 22.Matviienko (C), 13.Pedro Enrique — 6.Marlon (14.Izaki, 86), 27.Ocheretko, 10.Pedrinho, 11.Nevertun (37.Lucas, 71), 7.Eginaldo — 49.Meyrelles (19.Elias, 71).
Substitutes: 23.Fesiun, 17.Tobias, 18.Gram, 20.Hlushchenko, 21.Bondarenko, 29.Nazaryna, 37.Lucas, 74.Farina.
Match Statistics >>>
Post-Match Press Conference >>>
«Shakhtar» took the initiative from the starting whistle and created a goal-scoring chance by the 10th minute: Pedrinho advanced down the right flank and crossed into the central penalty area where Marlon, arriving from behind the Dynamo defenders, headed the ball from about 8 meters out, but Neshcheret saved his team. Only four minutes later, it was dangerous again at Dynamo’s goal — this time, Konoplya burst into Kyiv’s penalty area from the right after a lead pass and powerfully shot at the nearest corner — again, Neshcheret was impressive! However, the ball, after the Dynamo goalkeeper’s save, landed for Marlon, who from about the 11-meter mark attempted another shot, but it was very inaccurate. There was also a shot by Eginaldo from about 20 meters — again on target, and Neshcheret blocked the ball, this time with his knee.
As the half progressed, the game calmed down. «Dynamo» began to control the ball more often and started their first attacks on «Shakhtar»'s goal. However, until the halftime whistle, the Kyivans did not create a single dangerous moment. Although, neither «The Miners» showed any significant attack efforts during this part of the match, except for Pedrinho’s shot from outside the penalty box, which Neshcheret confidently handled. Thus, the teams went into halftime with zeroes on the scoreboard.
However, as soon as the third minute of the second half started, the score was opened. Pedrinho executed a diagonal cross into «Dynamo»'s penalty box, where the ball simply ricocheted off Meirelles' head and into the net — 0:1.
Having conceded, «Dynamo» naturally switched to an attacking scheme and pushed the game into «Shakhtar»'s half. By the 57th minute, «Shakhtar»'s goal saw the first scoring chance — Brazhko headed a corner kick from about the 11-meter mark, but the ball on its way met Kabayeva. Later, there was a decent long-range shot by Pikhaliyonok — just wide of the post. Then, in the 72nd minute of the match, the score was equalized: Karavayev intercepted the ball on «Dynamo»'s right attacking flank, passed into «Shakhtar»'s penalty box to Yarmolenko, who shot between Bondar’s legs and the ball went into the goal — 1:1.
Having achieved success, «Dynamo» continued to attack, and in the 79th minute of the match, took the lead: during a corner kick, Riznyk dealt with a dangerously close-range shot by Brazhko from the six-yard area, but the ball eventually reached Guerrero, who left no chance for «Shakhtar»'s goalkeeper — 2:1, and the score did not change any further in this match.
Thus, «Dynamo» advanced to the quarterfinals of the Ukrainian Cup (let us remind you, no phase of the tournament includes return matches). The base date for this stage is March 4 of next year.
Additionally, this upcoming Sunday, «Dynamo» and «Shakhtar» will play again — this time within the framework of the 11th round of the Ukrainian championship. This match will take place in Lviv at the «Arena Lviv» stadium (kick-off at 18:00).
Oleksandr POPOV from the «Dynamo» Stadium named after Valeriy Lobanovskyi