Viktor Skrypnyk faces a critical test in his second match since returning as head coach when "Zorya" Luhansk hosts surprising newcomers "Kudrivka" on Monday evening. The experienced manager couldn't guide his team to victory in their season opener, settling for a goalless draw against "LNZ" Cherkasy.
"We need to be more clinical in the final third while maintaining our defensive structure," Skrypnyk likely told his players after reviewing their opening performance.
The match, scheduled for August 11 at 18:00 at the Dynamo Stadium in Kyiv, pits a struggling established club against perhaps the most surprising team of the opening round. "Kudrivka," under the guidance of Vasyl Baranov and Vitaliy Kostyshyn, shocked many by defeating "Oleksandriya" 3-1 in their top-flight debut.
Interestingly, "Zorya" hasn't tasted victory in their last three home matches in the championship, recording two draws and a defeat. Even more concerning for Skrypnyk's men – they haven't found the net at home for 311 minutes of UPL action. Not exactly inspiring form.
The Luhansk club has undergone significant changes during the summer, losing Mladen Bartulovic and key midfielder Oleksandr Yatsyk, who returned to "Dynamo" after his loan spell. These departures might explain some of their early-season offensive struggles.
Kudrivka arrives with momentum and versatility in their tactical approach. The newcomers have already demonstrated their counter-attacking abilities, positional play, and effectiveness from set pieces. They may be Premier League rookies on paper, but they certainly don't play like a team destined for a single-season stay in the top flight.
Bookmakers still favor "Zorya" with odds of 1.87 compared to 4.55 for a "Kudrivka" victory, while a draw sits at 3.55. The match will mark Skrypnyk's 40th UPL game in charge of "Zorya" – could it also be the one where they finally break their home scoring drought?
The fixture also offers milestone opportunities for several players: Andrii Totovytskyi and Dmytro Korkishko of "Kudrivka" are approaching their 35th and 15th UPL goals respectively, while Petar Michin could reach 10 goals for "Zorya".
With no previous history between these teams, Monday's clash writes the first chapter in what could become an interesting rivalry. Can the established club reassert themselves, or will the upstarts continue their dream start to life among Ukraine's elite?
