Dynamo Kyiv - 4
FC Kharkiv - 0
Coming off a solid draw this week in Istanbul against Fenerbahçe in the Champions League, Yuri Semin's Dynamo Kyiv soundly trounced table bottom dweller 4-0. However the match was surprising close before the break. However thirteen minutes after the break Ognjen Vukojević opened the flood gates and Kharkiv seemed to disintegrate. Only two minutes later the score was doubled on an unfortunate own goal by Andriy Sokolenko and a further four minutes later Ismaël Bangoura converted on a penalty kick resulting in 'keepers Maciej Nalepa yellow-card. It was an horrible six minutes for the home club and the match was effectively over. With three minutes left Ismaël Bangoura got the second of the day.
Metalurh Donetsk - 2
Illichivets - 0
In the opening match of the weekend Nikolay Kostov's Metalurh Donetsk continued their tremendous resurgence and kept pressure on Dynamo Kyiv on a efficient 2-0 victory over troubled Illichivets. MetaDon capitalized quickly on opportunities as Oleksandr Sytnyk opened to scoring only two minutes into the closely defended match. With Illichivets playing behind the ball, Metalurh Donetsk was unable to breakthrough till twenty one minutes after the break Constantinos Makrides goal. This sets up a massive match for Metalurh Donetsk as they face Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk on the 19th once the league returns after the international break.
Metalurh Zaporizhya - 1
Metalist Kharkiv - 0
Incredibly costly lost for Metalist Kharkiv after an exhilirating victory over Beşiktaş in the UEFA Cup. Myron Markevych's Zhovto-Syni lacked the spark that lead them to a 4-1 victory over the Turkish club mid-week and they rarely showed the same attacking swagger. Olexiy Hodin broke the deadlock ten minutes after the break to give Kozaky the lead and eventual 1-0 victory.
Chornomorets Odessa - 0
Shakhtar Donetsk - 3
After the painful last minute collapse against Barcelona, Mircea Lucescu's Shakhtar responded with a stunning three goal out-pouring. With offensive woes plaguing them this season Hirnyky supporters are hopeful this is the match to change their fortune. However things didn't look perfect as Fernandinho squandered a penalty kick twenty-two minutes in the match but Ukraine international Oleksandr Hladky made no mistakes six minutes later and Shakhtar had the lead to stay. The match tightened-up considered throughout the balance and it wasn't till added time that Brazilian Luiz Adriano struck twice to bring the match to its final 3-0 scoreline. Shakhtar Donetsk will take solace in the two late counter-attacking goals but the amount of chances they provided Odessa to level the match should be a concern.
Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk - 1
Arsenal Kyiv - 0
The tight marking Dnipro kept Arsenal at bay through the match with the only score coming from Ruslan Rotan seven minutes after the break. Arsenal's scoring opportunities were few and far between and Dnipro gained an important three points to move them up the table.
Elsewhere in the Ukrainian Premier League:
Zorya Luhansk - 1
Tavriya Simferopol - 1
Brazilian, Junior opened the scoring with nineteen minutes left before Oleksandr Kovpak scored with ten minutes left.
Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih - 2
Lviv - 0
After a scoreless first half Dorian Bylykbashi opened the scoring off a penalty six minutes after the break with the second goal coming off an own Liubomyr Ha'lchuk seven minutes later.<
Karpaty - 0
Vorskla - 0
Ukrainian Premier League | GP | W | D | L | GS | GA | P |
Dynamo Kyiv | 10 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 23 | 5 | 25 |
Metalurh Donetsk | 10 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 16 | 4 | 25 |
Metalist Kharkiv | 10 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 15 | 8 | 18 |
Vorskla Poltava | 10 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 12 | 8 | 18 |
Metalurh Zaporizhya | 10 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 10 | 7 | 18 |
Zorya Luhansk | 10 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 12 | 10 | 16 |
Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk | 10 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 7 | 15 |
Chornomorets Odessa | 10 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 12 | 13 | 13 |
Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih | 10 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 10 | 12 | 13 |
Shakhtar Donetsk | 10 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 7 | 11 | 10 |
Arsenal Kyiv | 10 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 7 | 11 | 10 |
Karpaty Lviv | 10 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 10 | 8 |
Tavriya Simferopol | 10 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 16 | 7 |
Illichivets | 10 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 6 | 18 | 6 |
Kharkiv | 10 | 0 | 6 | 4 | 7 | 16 | 6 |
Lviv | 10 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 3 | 12 | 5 |