Vladyslav Shapoval converted two penalties to secure a convincing 3-1 win for "Kudrivka" against fellow Ukrainian Premier League debutants "SK Poltava" in their third-round fixture.
The forward wasted no time making his mark, slotting home from the spot just five minutes into the match to give the hosts an early advantage.
Oleksandr Kozak extended "Kudrivka's" lead in the 36th minute, sending Vitaliy Kostyshyn's side into halftime with a comfortable two-goal cushion.
The second half started much like the first. Shapoval stepped up again from the penalty spot in the 50th minute, confidently dispatching his second spot-kick of the match to complete his brace and push the scoreline to 3-0.
Despite falling three goals behind, "SK Poltava" kept pushing forward. Their persistence was eventually rewarded deep into stoppage time when Artem Onishchenko pulled one back in the 94th minute – too little, too late for the visitors.
Interestingly, "Kudrivka" managed to dominate throughout most of the match while making several substitutions in the second half. Five changes, including bringing on Husiev for goalscorer Kozak in the 82nd minute, helped maintain their control over proceedings.
"SK Poltava" made four substitutions of their own, with Onishchenko coming on in the 67th minute before eventually finding the net. The visitors also picked up the only booking of the match when Kononov entered the referee's book.
With this result, "Kudrivka" continues to impress in their debut Premier League season. Will Kostyshyn's men build on this performance in the coming fixtures? They've certainly shown they can find the net when it matters.
