Oleh Veremienko delivered the decisive blow in the 34th minute, giving "Poltava" their debut win in the Ukrainian Premier League with a 1-0 victory over Rivne's "Veres" in Kropyvnytskyi.
"This first win means everything to us. We've worked hard to reach the Premier League, and now we're proving we belong here," – the goalscorer might have said after his heroic performance.
The single-goal triumph was enough for the "maroon and gold" side to claim all three points, while extending the struggling "red and blacks'" winless streak to seven consecutive matches (1 draw, 6 losses). Not exactly the form "Veres" were hoping for at this stage of the season.
Both teams will face different challenges in their upcoming fixtures. "Poltava" will travel to Kudrivka on Sunday, August 17, while "Veres" have a difficult test ahead as they host powerhouse "Shakhtar" at their home ground.
By the way, the match saw a few bookings, with Veremienko and Galenkov cautioned for the winners, while Kutsiia picked up a yellow card for the visitors.
Both managers made substitutions throughout the match, with "Poltava" bringing on Opanasenko for Khakhlov in the 75th minute and Streltsov replacing Vivdych deep into stoppage time. Meanwhile, "Veres" coach introduced Wolli and Tsipot at halftime, with Kutsiia and Klots entering later in the game.
Can "Veres" snap their disappointing run when they face the formidable "Shakhtar" next? Or will "Poltava" build on this confidence-boosting victory when they visit Kudrivka?
