Sport Arena names the symbolic team of the next UPL round of the 2023/24 season, as well as the best in individual nominations, which are determined by our website for each round
On the website SportArena.com – teams of all rounds of the Ukrainian Premier League 2023/24. Who this time got into the top 11 and became the winner in individual categories?
Goalkeeper – German Penkov (LNZ Cherkasy)
LNZ played for the first time under the leadership of Dulub, and Dnipro-1, in anticipation of coaching certainty, had to play better against the debutants of the UPL. The trip to Uzhgorod became a real test for Penkov, the Cherkasy goalkeeper, who made six saves in total. Immediately after the break, Herman parried Sarapiy’s sharp blow from close range, twice reacted to Gorin’s long-range blows, reacted to Kogut’s blow from a lethal position. A few more shots from long range don’t even count as a threat. The strategically important away draw with a member of the European competition is largely the merit of the goalkeeper. We are in solidarity with the LNZ press service, which offered only two options in the Man of the Match category – Herman and Penkov.
Right back – Andrey Monday (Kryvbas)
On the flanks, Kryvbas well withstood the pressure from Kolos, and during the match even outplayed opponents whose flank defender had more freedom to connect with a three-back scheme, and the wingers constantly tried to aggravate from a shift. We also celebrate Monday for a good game in our own half of the field (a “dry” match is always a compliment to the defense), as well as for active support of attacks. The third scoring combination also had support from Andriy (he connected Zaderaka, who managed to score from a difficult position), and Monday scored himself after a corner from Ilic.
Central defender – Mykola Matvienko (Shakhtar)
We have already begun to get used to the fact that center back Matvienko is becoming the most accurate scorer of modern Shakhtar. It was Mykola who opened the scoring in Transcarpathia when, after a set-piece from Zubkov, Kuzik ricocheted the ball to Matvienko, who sent it into the goal. In addition, traditionally Nikolay is convincing in building the Pitmen’s game because of the pass and actions at his goal. Minaya is not to blame for the goal. He gave out some surprisingly sighted and subtle passes.
Central defender – Igor Kurilo (Metalist 1925)
The trip to Lvov was surprisingly difficult for the Kharkiv team – both because Rukh is fighting for high places in the new season, and because Metalist 1925 experienced a shock with a change in investor and a threat to the club’s further performances. As you can see, the team spirit of the guests did not suffer, but strengthened. In the confrontation with the high-speed and technical players of the hosts, Metalist 1925 defended a strategically important draw, although he even led the score. Let’s note Kurilo – he acted as a leader of the defense, clearly and tightly played at his gates, when necessary, joined the fight and went into the selection with the necessary rigidity.
Left back – Irakli Azarov (Shakhtar)
The late rookie Pitmen appears to be van Leeuwen’s first choice on the left flank. Azarov, with external fragility, tenaciously acts in his own half of the field (for example, the moment when Irakli did not let Melnik aggravate, who was with the ball in the penalty area). In the game of attack, he combines well – in the moments with a dangerous shot by Zubkov and the second goal by Kashchuk, Azarov played an important role in building these multi-moves. There were moments when Irakli acted unsuccessfully (especially in the game against Odaryuk), however, in general, this is a significant bid for success in the new team.
Central midfielder – Alexander Sklyar (Vorskla)
The old-timer of the Poltava team played a leading role in the victory over Alexandria. Sklyar himself could score from the field (remember how he started on Stepanyuk’s thin split pass – the goalkeeper managed to get the ball first, or how he headed the cross from the right flank). It was he who converted the contraversion penalty – it was this goal that decided the fate of the meeting. Traditionally, this football player has done large amounts of rough work and running work. Blots also happened – on the supporting bridgehead I did not always run after rivals, who sometimes dangerously punched. The winners are not judged, and this information will be useful in the analysis for the next matches.
Right midfielder – Maxim Zaderaka (Kryvbas)
It was Zaderaka who, already in the debut of the match with Kolos, gave his team an advantage in the score when he started on a long pass from Stetskov and converted an exit to the goalkeeper. Later, Maxim combined a lot, found himself in the team’s multi-moves and supporting high-speed transitions from defense to attack. Already at the end of the match, when the hosts opened up more, trying to somehow change the course of the game, Zaderaka from the sharpness of the right flank unexpectedly hit the target and scored the third goal for the team and the second goal for himself.
Attacking midfielder – Vasily Gritsuk (Polesie)
He came on as a substitute in the 83rd minute – and in the national team of the tour. It happens? Happens. Here is an example. In a difficult match with Obolon, the denouement dragged on until stoppage time. First, Gritsuk converted a penalty awarded for the fact that Moroz stepped on Mustafaev’s foot, and then pulled the opponents away and gave a pass to the corridor to Kozak, who scored the second goal. Now Vasily plays much less than in the First League (this is actually his first match in the new season), but these goal + pass prove that the veteran’s class and game intelligence are always at Kalitvintsev’s disposal.
Left midfielder – Vladislav Sharay (Veres)
The Sharai brothers are always the “motors” of the game of the Rivne residents, and especially in the match, when Veress won the long-awaited first victory under the leadership of Lavrinenko. Already in the debut of the match with Chernomorets, Sharay in the fight against Saluk earned a removal for the Odessa defender (10th minute). Later, he actively combined, stretched the quantitatively weakened redoubts of the Sailors in space. And in the second half, Vladislav clearly squeezed into Gaiduchik’s split pass and scored the third, largely decisive goal for the hosts.
Forward – Bogdan Vyunnik (Shakhtar)
Last season, Vyunik experienced contrasting sensations – he played with Swiss Zurich in European competitions and with GAK in the Austrian First League. As a result of mixed experiences abroad, he returned to his club to reboot. And in the fifth shift in the new season, he managed to remind himself. Having the whole second half at his disposal, Bogdan actively joined the Pitmen’s combination game, becoming a co-author of the goals of Kashchuk and Sudakov. In addition to two assists, he also scored a goal – when he managed to finish off after Kelsey hit.
Forward – Ruslan Stepanyuk (Vorskla)
This is not the best tour for forwards (not a single goal from pure central forwards, only a few from wingers). But, when evaluating the game of attacking group players, we should pay attention not only to completion. And in terms of the work done, Stepanyuk was useful for Vorskla. He could score on his own (rescued Shevchenko’s Alexandrians), and he also acted very effectively in accompaniment. After several hidden split passes, Ruslana’s teammates entered the excellent shock positions – the same Sklyar.
Kolos got off to a good start in the new season, and with his tactics of three center backs and three of an attack, he created problems for many opponents. But Wernydub has adapted his team’s game well to this particular opponent. The residents of Kryvyi Rih in the Kyiv region were faster both in moving on the field, and in thinking, and in implementing plans. They played well through the flanks, used the space well and eventually inflicted the first devastating defeat on Kolos since last season.
- Analysis from the All-Ukrainian Association of Football Coaches – here.
It seems that everything is obvious here: a goal and an assist after the first substitution in the new season in the 83rd minute with the score 0:0.
- Sport Arena stats: 1 league game, 1 goal, 1 assist.
One of the heroes of the youth national team of Ukraine, Rotanya, came on as a substitute during the break and scored three effective actions. Vyunnik is able to act in this way not only against Minai.
- Sport Arena stats: 5 league matches, 1 goal, 2 assists.
24-year-old Ilic in the center of the field creates a good tandem with another rookie legionnaire – Bizimana, besides, he works a lot and productively in multi-move with partners in the attack group. In Kovalevka, Khrvoe himself twice found himself in shock positions, but, without distinguishing himself in the end, gave an assist from a corner to Monday.
- Sport Arena stats: 6 league matches, 1 assist.
The best player of this round was the player who recorded both effective actions of the Zhytomyr team in the match against Obolon.
- Sport Arena stats: 1 league game, 1 goal, 1 assist.
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.
