Patrik van Leeuwen faces a must-win situation as his "Kryvbas" side hosts "Metalist 1925" this Saturday at Hirnyk Stadium in Kryvyi Rih. The Dutch specialist suffered a 2:1 defeat to "Kolos" in the season opener – marking the first time he's failed to win his debut match with a UPL club.
"We need to respond immediately. There's no time to dwell on the Kolos result when we have a chance to get our season going at home," van Leeuwen likely told his squad during preparations.
Maksym Zaderaka, the Kryvbas captain and former Metalist man, poses a particular threat to the visitors. The midfielder has netted four goals in four matches against his former employers – not bad for a player facing familiar faces.
Last season, "Kryvbas" finished third in the league table despite also starting their 2023/24 campaign with an away loss. They'll look to repeat that bounce-back performance, especially considering they're currently on a three-match winning streak against the Kharkiv side.
"Metalist 1925" returned to Ukraine's top flight with a goalless draw against "Obolon" in Zhytomyr on Monday. Following an active transfer window, they have much to prove – particularly against their former head coach.
Interestingly, Mladen Bartulovic, who now manages the Kharkiv club, has his own connections to Kryvyi Rih, making this tactical battle even more intriguing.
Bookmakers have installed the home side as favorites with odds of 2.40 compared to 3.10 for the visitors, while a draw sits at 3.30.
Worth noting that "Metalist 1925" is struggling away from home with their winless road streak now at 13 games (3 draws, 10 losses). They've also conceded in 13 consecutive away matches. Can they turn their fortunes around against a "Kryvbas" side that hasn't drawn at home in their last 9 games?
The match kicks off at 13:00 and will be broadcast live on UPL.TV with Viktor Kopievskyi from Kropyvnytskyi serving as the referee.
