The program of the 16th round will be closed by teams that have a similar task this season – to keep a place in the UPL. But if the goal of “Lviv” and “Mynai” is the same, then the methods of its implementation are significantly different. The former, traditionally for themselves, seriously changed the composition, signing more than a dozen players for the winter, as well as letting go of many leaders. The “passers-by” behave more calmly, and their work on the market seems more meaningful. However, will it help them in the battle with the same motivated opponent, who also defeated the Transcarpathians in the first round? We will try to answer this in our announcement.
Oleg Dulub’s team went into the winter break as one of the worst teams in the league. “Lviv” won only two games and scored only nine goals in the fall, as a result of which they ended up in 16th position. It cannot be said that the “blue and gold” failed in all matches, because they have a bright victory in the derby against “Rukh” on their account, high-quality draws with “Metalist 1925” and “Metalist”, but in general it was clear that for ideas Oleg Dulub, who has never played difficult football, has a weak set of players in his team.
In the winter, the club let go of those who were important to Dulub – Krushynskyi was sold, Muravskyi, Boyko, Nych, Ilyuschenkov, Polehenko, Shishka left. Yes, incoming transfers were enough, but such a rapid flow of football players means the need for restructuring. Whether there will be enough time for this, given the density at the bottom of the table, is an open question. Be that as it may, on Monday we expect Oleksandr Rybka as the new goalkeeper and captain of the Lviv team, legionnaire Ihor Gabriel will take a place in the center of defense, Belyaev and Alibekov – in the center of the field, and Eseola, who returned to the UPL, will have to cover the position of one of two attackers.
Approximate composition: Rybka – Nikityuk, Gabriel, Vovkun – Grisyo, Milchenko, Belyaev, Alibekov, R. Mykhailiv – Eseola, Bugai
Unlike their future opponent, the “Minaites” have already started in 2023, although they did it not quite successfully. Sharana’s team played a postponed match against Shakhtar in the fall, losing 1:4 in a nominally home game. On the one hand, it is absurd to blame the team for the defeat, and even before the break, the Transcarpathians were able to create a couple of good moments near the Trubin goal. Only the passivity of the team in the second half is depressing. Either the players of Sharan are just getting into the season and will reach their peak later, or they lacked the character to play against Shakhtar as gambling as they did in the first half.
Against Shakhtar, the newcomer of “Mynayu” Gechev made a good debut, and he should retain his place in the starting line-up. There is also a possibility of the appearance of Shishka in the center of the field, who strengthened the Zakarpattia team in the winter, transferring from Lviv. We are waiting for Trubochkin to return to the left flank of the defense, given that he has already served his suspension. The forward Vishnevsky did not make the best impression in the game against Shakhtar, so his place on the field may well be taken by Kolesnyk.
Approximate composition: Bandura – Gonchar, Horin, Nemchaninov, Trubochkin – Vitenchuk, Shishka – Vorobchak, Tverdokhlib, Gechev – Kolisnyk
Tournament position of teams
| # | TEAM | AND | IN | N | P | M | RM | AT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | pass by | 15 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 11-19 | -8 | 14 |
| 16 | Lviv | 14 | 2 | 3 | 9 | 9-21 | -12 | 9 |
Team statistics
Face-to-face meetings
Forecast for the match “Lviv” – “Minai” from UA-Football
Victory of “Mynai” 1:0. Sharan’s Transcarpathians generally left a pleasant impression after the autumn results, and the club did not change much during the winter, which indicates the players’ composure. “Lviv” has yet another restructuring, which can play both a plus and a minus. Yes, many newcomers will want to surprise Dulub in the very first match, but excessive desire can lead to shortages and unnecessary losses, which the Transcarpathians know how to use. Therefore, we bet on the triumph of the guests in the last match of the 16th round.
Source: UA-Football
