Noted Ukrainian coach Oleh Fedorchuk shared his impressions of the current Ukrainian Cup competition.
Oleh Fedorchuk— The overwhelming majority of teams have rightfully earned the right to remain in the cup competition for so long. In particular, there should be no doubts about the rise of the second-league Kyiv «Lokomotyv,» which successively defeated elite teams like «Veres,» «Kolos,» and in the fight for a quarter-final spot against Vinnytsia «Nyva,» even scored the winning goal in injury time despite being a player down. Although there were clubs fortunate with their draw, such as «Phoenix-Mariupol,» which did not impress with substantive actions.
— By the way, speaking of the draw that was «blind» this time, how would you evaluate the new cup format, which allowed a large number of amateur teams to participate?
— In my opinion, this format has become an important lever primarily for supporting the sponsors of those amateur clubs that sought to gain recognition through the cup tournament. Take, for example, «Agrotech,» which had the opportunity to compete against representatives of the UPL and first league, becoming «giant killers.» That’s why this format has a right to exist.
— Can we expect surprises in the quarter-finals as well?
— Much will depend on the draw. The mentioned «Lokomotyv» can still spoil the mood of teams higher in rank, and the first league leader «Bukovyna» is capable of challenging elite division representatives.
— By the way, how can you explain that in the central match of the 1/8 finals between «Dynamo» and «Shakhtar,» there were two different halves?
— In my view, the «miners» coach Arda Turan did not deserve the torrent of criticism he received after the defeat. He is a new person in «Shakhtar,» and it was not his fault that a whole group of leading players left the team. There was no equal replacement for leaders like Sudakov and Kevin. And when, after conceding a goal at the beginning of the second half, Dynamo’s players pushed forward to equalize, «miners» had no players to stop this onslaught. Additionally, the weak level of preparation was demonstrated by Shakhtar’s defenders Matviyenko, Konoplia, Bondar, and the goalkeeper Riznyk did not come to the rescue either. It should be noted that all these players are part of Ukraine’s national team.
In my view, despite a disastrous first half, Dynamo’s players, showing character, tactical flexibility, and persistence in achieving the desired result, rightfully advanced to the next round. Their coach, Oleksandr Shovkovskyi, even guessed right with substitutions.
— In your opinion, are Oleksandr Shovkovskyi’s charges the main contenders for winning the prestigious prize?
— Yes, I see one finalist — «Dynamo.» They could be joined by one of the elite representatives: LNZ or «Metalist 1925.» However, things are not so straightforward. After all, the quarter-final matches are scheduled for spring 2026, and much will depend on how teams conduct their preparation period, whether they retain their leaders and how they perform in the transfer market. Finally, we must not forget the old truth: the cup tournament has its own rules.
Andriy Pysarenko
