Gleiker Mendoza opened the scoring as "Kryvbas" secured a convincing 2-0 home victory against "Metalist 1925" in the second round of the Ukrainian Premier League 2025/26 season. The Venezuelan forward found the net just before halftime, setting the tone for the hosts' dominant performance in Kryvyi Rih.
"The team showed great character today against a tough opponent," one might imagine the Kryvbas coach saying after such a solid performance.
Carlos Parako doubled the advantage for the home side in the 65th minute, effectively sealing the win for "Kryvbas." The striker's goal proved decisive as it gave the hosts a comfortable cushion. By the way, even after Rafael Bandeira received his second yellow card in the 74th minute, leaving "Kryvbas" with ten men, "Metalist 1925" failed to capitalize on their numerical advantage.
The visitors, featuring players like Varakuta, Shabanov, and Kalitvintsev, struggled to create meaningful chances throughout the match. Their substitutions - bringing on Rashitsa and Peter around the 57-minute mark - did little to change the flow of the game.
Looking ahead, "Kryvbas" will travel to face "Zorya Luhansk" on Monday, August 18, while "Metalist 1925" heads to Oleksandriya two days earlier. Can the Kharkiv side bounce back from this disappointing result? The coming matchday should provide some answers.
The win puts "Kryvbas" in good position early in the season, with their defense holding firm and attacking players finding their scoring touch when it matters most.
