Poltava vs Veres: Overview

SK Poltava secured a vital 2-1 victory over RNK Veres Rivne in a tense Premier Liha clash at the Stadion Zirka im. Stanislava Berezkina on August 8, 2025. The home side showed tremendous character in front of their passionate supporters, coming from behind to clinch three crucial points that propel them into the top half of the Ukrainian top flight.

The match began with Veres Rivne taking control, and their early pressure paid off when Vladyslav Sharai found the net in the 23rd minute with a well-placed header. However, Poltava's resilience was evident as they gradually wrestled back momentum, with Oleksandr Vivdych equalizing just before halftime with a thunderous strike from outside the box.

The second half saw both teams creating chances in an end-to-end affair, but it was Poltava's Dmytro Plakhtyr who emerged as the hero, scoring what proved to be the winner in the 76th minute after a brilliant team move. The victory sees Poltava climb to 7th in the Premier Liha table, while Veres Rivne remain in 15th position, just two points above the relegation zone.

The atmosphere at the Stadion Zirka was electric throughout, with over 12,000 fans creating a cauldron of noise as Poltava secured their third consecutive home victory. This result could prove significant in the context of both teams' seasons – providing Poltava with momentum to challenge for European qualification and leaving Veres Rivne with serious work to do to avoid relegation troubles.

"This was exactly the type of performance we've been working toward in training. Coming back from a goal down shows the character and determination of this group. Vivdych and Plakhtyr were outstanding today, but this was truly a collective effort from the first minute to the last. We're taking it one match at a time, but I believe we can continue climbing the table if we maintain this level of performance," said Pavlo Matviichenko, SK Poltava's head coach.

"We started well and deserved our lead, but we allowed Poltava back into the game too easily. The second half was disappointing – we didn't show enough courage in possession and paid the price. We need to improve quickly if we want to move away from the relegation zone. The players understand the situation we're in, and I'm confident we'll see a reaction in our next match," admitted Oleh Shandruk, RNK Veres Rivne's coach.

"It was an incredible feeling to score the winning goal, but the most important thing was securing the three points for the team. We've worked extremely hard in recent weeks to improve our attacking movements, and today it paid off. The fans were incredible – they never stopped supporting us even when we went behind," said match-winner Dmytro Plakhtyr.

"SK Poltava showed remarkable mental strength today. They've transformed into a difficult team to beat at home this season. For Veres Rivne, this is a concerning result – they started well but faded badly. Their position in the table is becoming precarious, and Shandruk needs to find solutions quickly," analyzed former Ukrainian international and Premier Liha expert Andriy Voronin.

The statistics reflected the competitive nature of the encounter between SK Poltava and RNK Veres Rivne, with both teams showing commitment and quality in different phases of the match.

Possession favored the home side with Poltava controlling 54% of the ball compared to Veres Rivne's 46%. This territorial advantage translated into a superior shooting display, with Poltava registering 15 shots in total, 7 of which were on target. In contrast, Veres Rivne managed 11 shots with 4 finding the target.

Set-piece opportunities were relatively even, with Poltava earning 6 corners to Veres Rivne's 5. The disciplinary record showed a physical contest, with the referee issuing 5 yellow cards – 2 for Poltava players (Valeriy Voskonyan and Mykola Buzhyn) and 3 for Veres Rivne (Semen Vovchenko, Valentyn Horokh, and Ihor Kharatin).

Individually, Oleksandr Vivdych was the standout performer for Poltava, not only scoring but completing 91% of his passes and creating 3 clear chances. For Veres Rivne, goalkeeper Maksym Smiian made 5 crucial saves to keep his team in the contest, while Vladyslav Sharai worked tirelessly up front, covering 11.2 kilometers – the highest distance of any player on the pitch.

The Premier Liha statistical indicators highlighted Poltava's growing strength at home, having now scored in 8 consecutive matches at the Stadion Zirka, while Veres Rivne's away form continues to be problematic with just one win from their last seven road fixtures.

17' – Early warning for SK Poltava as Veres Rivne's Vladyslav Sharai strikes the crossbar with a powerful shot from the edge of the penalty area after good build-up play involving Ihor Kharatin.

23' – GOAL! RNK Veres Rivne take the lead! Vladyslav Sharai rises highest to head home a pinpoint cross from Vitalii Boiko on the right flank. Clinical finish giving Kononov no chance. 0-1.

42' – GOAL! SK Poltava equalize through Oleksandr Vivdych who unleashes a stunning strike from 22 yards that flies into the top corner. Brilliant individual effort to bring the hosts level before halftime. 1-1.

54' – Tactical substitution by Veres Rivne as Valentyn Horokh replaces Denys Ndukwe in midfield, looking to regain control in the center of the park.

65' – SK Poltava make a double change with Yevhen Misyura and Vadym Pidlepych making way for fresh legs as the hosts push for a winner.

76' – GOAL! SK Poltava take the lead! Wonderful team move culminating in Dmytro Plakhtyr applying a composed finish after being set up by Oleksiy Khakhlov's clever through ball. Excellent football from the home side. 2-1.

88' – Crucial defensive intervention by Poltava's Denys Halenkov, making a goal-saving tackle to deny Sergiy Sten who was clean through on goal. Potential turning point as Veres Rivne push for a late equalizer.

90+4' – Final whistle! SK Poltava hold on for a valuable 2-1 victory after withstanding late pressure from Veres Rivne.

The rivalry between SK Poltava and RNK Veres Rivne has intensified in recent seasons, with today's encounter representing their 9th meeting in the Premier Liha. The historical record now tilts slightly in Poltava's favor with 4 wins to Veres Rivne's 3, alongside 2 draws.

Today's 2-1 victory for Poltava continues a pattern of home dominance in this fixture, with the home side winning 7 of the 9 encounters. Interestingly, this was the first time in the last five meetings that the team conceding first managed to win the match.

The individual battle between Poltava's Oleksandr Vivdych and Veres Rivne's Ihor Kharatin in midfield was particularly fascinating, with Vivdych completing 43 passes to Kharatin's 38. Vivdych has now scored in three consecutive matches against Veres Rivne, making him something of a talisman in this fixture.

Defensively, Denys Halenkov continued his impressive record against Veres Rivne striker Vladyslav Sharai, limiting the forward's influence after his early goal. Despite scoring, Sharai managed just one more shot on target throughout the remainder of the match, testament to Halenkov's growing reputation as one of the Premier Liha's most reliable defenders.

The tactical approach of both managers has evolved over their previous confrontations, with Poltava coach Pavlo Matviichenko adapting from a previously defensive 5-3-2 formation to a more attack-minded 4-2-3-1 system that has now yielded successive victories against Veres Rivne. Meanwhile, Oleh Shandruk's side continues to struggle when forced to defend for extended periods, having conceded in all but one of their visits to the Stadion Zirka.

The victory has significant implications for both teams in the Premier Liha standings, with SK Poltava climbing to 7th position with 18 points from 12 matches, just 4 points behind 4th-placed Zorya Luhansk who occupy the final European qualification spot. This upward trajectory represents remarkable progress for Poltava, who finished 12th last season and now find themselves challenging for a potential European berth if they can maintain their current form.

In stark contrast, RNK Veres Rivne remain in 15th place with just 10 points from their 12 fixtures, sitting precariously just 2 points above Inhulets Petrove in the automatic relegation position. Their goal difference of -9 is also concerning, being the third-worst in the league.

The current top three in the Premier Liha table remains unchanged with Dynamo Kyiv (29 points) leading the way, followed by Shakhtar Donetsk (27 points) and SC Dnipro-1 (23 points). All three secured victories in the latest round of matches.

Looking ahead, Poltava's next three fixtures include two matches against teams currently in the bottom half, presenting a golden opportunity to solidify their position in the top eight. For Veres Rivne, the situation is becoming increasingly desperate with upcoming fixtures against Dynamo Kyiv and Shakhtar Donetsk – the pressure is mounting on coach Oleh Shandruk to engineer a rapid improvement in results to avoid being drawn deeper into relegation trouble.