Sport Arena names the symbolic team of the next UPL round of the 2022/23 season
Goalkeeper – Evgeny Volynets (Kolos)
The metalworker put pressure on the gates of the Kovalevites and had every chance to win the match in Uzhgorod – its culmination was the 11-meter kick, which was performed by the leading striker of the nominal hosts. And here, Volynets, a candidate for the national team of Ukraine, showed himself in all its glory, pulling this blow. Despite the fact that Kolos himself created a lot of chances (especially before the break), it would be very annoying to lose to a crisis opponent – Evgeny saved him from this.
Separately, we recall another strong match of the young goalkeeper of SC Dnipro-1: Rybak won two duels against Bychek, which was of great importance when the score was 0:0 in Kovalevka (later Metallist 1925 missed three unanswered goals from Dnipro).
Right back – Denis Miroshnichenko (FC Alexandria)
An invitation to the national team and a tourist trip to London had a great impact on Miroshnichenko. The right flank of the Alexandrians worked perfectly against Vorskla, and Denis himself took a direct part in two effective combinations. It was he who started the first effective combination with a throw on Tretyakov’s move (Kozhushko was supposed to score, but his opponent was ahead of him – an own goal), and later launched Kozhushko over the right edge, whose pass was closed by Kulakov. Fast, tireless Miroshnichenko not only passed the test of Seferi, but also won this fight.
Central defender – Maxim Kovalev (Ingulets)
FC Minay led the score until the 85th minute, but in the end was defeated by a competitor in the struggle to maintain residence in the UPL. Wards of Kovalets resisted the entire match against the Transcarpathians (remember how boldly the veteran Kovalev went to fight for the ball – including in the opponent’s half of the field). They managed to snatch a strong-willed victory, and it was Maxim who scored the decisive penalty, a defender who spent this trip with traditional dedication and was a real team leader.
Central defender – Vladimir Salyuk (Chernomorets)
A difficult match for the Odessans and they were close to breaking their unbeaten streak. The miner easily combined, and the same Salyuk could not do anything with the way the opponents were tapping the walls right in the penalty area of the hosts. But in general, the young defender acted more confidently and more reliably than his teammates (including the more experienced Guchek, who once “welded” quite a goal on himself). And later, joining for another corner, Vladimir scored after Demchenko’s rebate and this goal brought Chernomorets an honorable draw with the grandee.
Left back – Igor Snurnitsin (Zorya)
The Luhansk team attacked very convincingly through the left flank: at first, Snurnitsin worked in tandem with Rusin, and when Vantukh replaced midfielder Mishnev, who had been put forward (in place of Guerrero), he was already with him. Igor perfectly fit into Zorya’s combination game and provided an assist for the third goal in the match by the young newcomer of the Pogorely team (for whom this was his debut goal in the Premier League).
Central midfielder – Klim Prikhodko (Kryvbas)
It was not in vain that the Kryvyi Rih club fought for its native player (recall that Prikhodko Jr. is the son of a club legend, but he went through the academy of Shakhtar, so after the promotion he was not immediately declared). In Rivne, Kryvbas won a strong-willed victory in the minority, and Klim played productively in the center of the field with Banada and Khomchenovsky. Even in the first half, he could open the scoring, but in the end he did it right after the break (from close range, with a light touch, he closed Zaderaki’s pass in the draw to the right one).
Right midfielder – Oleg Kozhushko (FC Alexandria)
The attack group of the Alexandrians took full advantage of the defense problems of Vorskla. Kozhushko and Kulakov willingly changed zones, constant support from Tretyakov, Kovalets and Mustafaev allowed them to quickly play combinations and bring the game to completion with a blow in two or three passes. Oleg is not among the authors of goals, but this does not detract from his merits in this match – one of the central ones in the tour. It was Kozhushko who was the addressee of the flank pass, after which Perduta cut the ball into his own net, and also elegantly assisted Kulakov’s goal. For such a significant participation in the first defeat of Poltava in three and a half years, the terribly unrealized moment when Oleg did not hit the goal from a lethal position during the next lightning attack is also forgiven.
Attacking midfielder – Oleksandr Pikhalyonok (SC Dnipro-1)
The metalworker of 1925 had a chance to break his unsuccessful streak, which is worth two exits of Bychek on the goalkeeper of the Dnieper Rybak. It is good for Kucher that he has obviously top class players at his disposal. For example, Pikhalenok. He himself shot several times at Mozil’s goal (including dangerously), but most of all he distinguished himself in playing along. After his magnificent throw, Dovbik opened the scoring, then Alexander earned a penalty, and then he also launched Kogut into the breakthrough, which led to the second 11-meter one.
Left midfielder – Maxim Zaderaka (Kryvbas)
A good round for this role: Rusin started the match against Rukh on the left flank and tormented the defense of Lviv (and scored after being transferred to the attack), Dynamo Shepelev again, as planned by Lucescu, closed a position that was not physically inherent to him – and gave out a series of sharp serves, acting as an assistant under the goal Vanata already from the standard. However, in our opinion, the best left midfielder is actually Zaderaka from Kryvbas. He played quite productively in Rivne and became a co-author of both goals – from Prikhodko and Monday.
Forward – Artem Dovbik (SC Dnepr-1)
Over the previous five matches in the championship of Ukraine, European competitions and for the national team, Dovbyk scored only once. Survived damage, gaining condition. Actually, in Kovalevka, where one of the leaders was hosted by Metalist 1925, Artem came on as a substitute, replacing the injured Joao Peglow even before the break. In the first half, Dovbik acted more as an assistant – after his shots, Rubchinsky and Gutsulyak had the opportunity to punch. And in the second half of the game, the striker broke through – in 11 minutes he scored the fastest hat-trick of the current season. At first, he played well with Pikhalenok, then he converted a penalty twice. The leader of the scorer race now has 15 goals, while SC Dnepr-1 got three points thanks to a not-so-obvious “joker”.
Forward – Vladislav Vanat (Dynamo)
A chic match from Vanat – even before the break, he was sharp, when he twice responded to Shepelev’s serve from the left flank and hit the crossbar with a good shot. Shortly after the rest, Vladislav beat Vladimir and a good direct free-kick opened the scoring. Once again punched at the gates of Lviv. In a word, Vanat made a decisive contribution to this important victory for the contenders for the Europa League.
After working for a week of national teams at the head of the national and youth teams of Ukraine, Rotan returned to his club, where a difficult test awaited him – Vorskla Skrypnyk. It seems that the hosts have well dismantled the Poltava team: they successfully played on a collision course, often used long passes and at high speeds worked out for a crushing victory. After four draws, Rotan celebrated his first win as head coach of the UPL club.
Analysis from the All-Ukrainian Association of Football Coaches – here.
Many players entered the game well from the bench: Dynamo Garmash and Ramirez organized the second goal of their team, Monday from Kryvyi Rih scored the winning goal, and Dovbik from Dnipro scored a hat-trick. But there is a player whose exit was both unexpected and significant. Left-back Vantukh replaced the central midfielder Mishnev in the 61st minute with the score 1:0, soon gave an assist to Rusin, and at the end of the game he started the third productive attack, which was completed by Pogorely with a pass from Snurnitsyn. The new use of the Roman is also an achievement for van Leeuwen.
- Sport Arena stats: 10 league matches, 1 goal, 1 assist.
After Mayboroda’s injury, it seemed that Kucheruk’s big chance had come – and van Leeuwen trusted the 19-year-old Saputin. Oleksandr completed the second match out of four this season without conceded goals, although the defense (let’s be frank) in several cases left him “under fire” from the Lviv Rukh players. In our opinion, it is the young goalkeeper of Luhansk that deserves to win in this nomination for the second round in a row.
- Sport Arena stats: 4 league games, 3 goals conceded.
Did Garmash have a competitor? While Vanat continues to progress, Lucescu has tried different options in attack, including the defensive striker. However, it is the return of the Venezuelan striker that gives hope that the people of Kiev will have competition ahead. Ramirez came on as a great substitute, together with Garmash tore apart the defense of Lviv. Scored and could score more. Due to the absence of Buyalsky, two goals from different forwards of Dynamo is an extraordinary event for the team, this has not happened since last season.
- Sport Arena stats: 3 league matches, 1 goal.
Everything is obvious here: the leader of the scorer’s race came on as a substitute and scored three goals, which helped his team to win a super-important three points (taking into account Shakhtar’s misfire in Odessa). Now Dovbik has 4 goals ahead of his closest pursuer – Buyalsky, who will now even more remember the completely unnecessary removal in the match with Dnipro, which left him out of the game for three rounds.
- Sport Arena stats: 18 league games, 15 goals, 3 assists.
Source: Sportarena
I’m Scott Moore, a professional writer and journalist based in the US. I’ve been writing for various publications for over 8 years now, and have been working as an author at athletistic for the past five years. My work has been featured by some of the leading sports websites and magazines across Europe.
