Naija people wey dey follow Ukrainian Premier League, una don hear? The big match wey go decide who go lead the table dey come this Monday afternoon. Shakhtar Donetsk and LNZ Cherkasy go face each other for Cherkasy Arena by 1pm. Na serious matter be this o.
As we dey talk now, the two teams dey share top spot with 50 points each. But make una no forget say Shakhtar get one game wey dem never play. And their goal difference dey better pass LNZ own. Shakhtar score 51 goals conceed 12, while LNZ score 33 conceed 12.
Shakhtar coach Arda Turan don lead his boys to win five straight matches since winter break. Last week, dem hammer Rukh 3-0 with Eguinaldo score two goals and Meirelles add one. For this season, Kaua Elias na Shakhtar top scorer with 11 goals and 5 assists. Luca Meirelles get 9 goals, Pedrinho get 8 goals and 9 assists.
The Miners just dey return from European competition where dem beat AZ Alkmaar 3-0 for UEFA Conference League quarter-final first leg. That match na special one because club president Rinat Akhmetov show face for stadium after nearly 12 years no see am.
For LNZ side, dem start spring season rough with loss to Polissia and cup elimination by Bukovyna. But dem don bounce back with four straight wins. Coach Vitalii Ponomarov boys don beat Veres 3-0, Oleksandriia 2-0, Rukh 2-1 and Kryvbas 3-0.
The young forward Danylo Kravchuk na the one wey dey shine for LNZ recently. The 24-year-old score winning goal against Rukh and score two against Kryvbas. Ghanaian player Mark Assinor na LNZ top scorer with 8 goals and 1 assist.
When we look their past meetings, Shakhtar don win four out of five UPL matches against LNZ. Total goal difference na 16-6 for Shakhtar favor. But make una no forget say LNZ don beat Shakhtar before.
Their last meeting for October 2025 na serious wahala. LNZ beat Shakhtar 4-1 for Arena Lviv. Kuzyk score first, then Assinor, Riabov and Prosper add more. Shakhtar only manage to score one through Nazaryna. That loss na the only one wey Shakhtar suffer for league this season.
For this Monday match, referee Oleksandr Shandor go officiate. Assistant referees na Denys Marchenko and Stanislav Marulin. VAR referee na Viktor Kopiievskyi with assistant Volodymyr Vysotskyi.
Other matches wey don play for round 23 include Poltava lose 4-0 to Polissya, Rukh and Kolos draw 1-1, Karpaty beat Oleksandriya 2-0, Dynamo lose 1-0 to Metalist 1925, Veres beat Obolon 2-0, Kudrivka lose 2-1 to Kryvbas, and Zorya beat Epitsentr 1-0.
For current table, after LNZ and Shakhtar with 50 points, Polissya dey third with 46 points. Dynamo follow with 41, Metalist 1925 with 38, Kryvbas with 37. Kolos and Zorya both get 34 points, Karpaty get 32, Veres get 26, Epitsentr get 23, Obolon get 22, Kudrivka get 21, Rukh get 20, Oleksandriya get 12, Poltava get 10.
This match go determine how the championship race go go. Every point matter as season dey enter final stretch. European qualification spots dey on the line too. Fans dey expect serious drama as two title contenders go face each other.
Live broadcast go dey available on UPL.TV for those wey no fit go stadium. Na crucial match be this wey fit change everything for Ukrainian football this season.
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