Shakhtar Edge Past Epicentr in Tight UPL Opener Under Arda Turan
Shakhtar Donetsk kicked off their Ukrainian Premier League campaign with a hard-fought 1–0 win over top-flight newcomers Epicentr in Ternopil — in what was Arda Turan’s first domestic match as Shakhtar manager.
The Turkish boss, fresh off a UEFA Europa League clash against Beşiktaş, opted not to return to Kraków and instead immediately brought his squad back to Ukraine. He also made significant changes to his starting lineup, fielding only four players from the previous European tie: Dmytro Riznyk, Mykola Matviyenko, Artem Bondarenko, and Alisson.
Despite heavy rotation, Shakhtar were dominant from the start, firing 27 shots in total, with 17 on target. They came close early when Bondarenko headed narrowly wide from a corner. Much of the attacking traffic flowed down the right flank, where Alisson often clashed with Klymets.
Georgiy Sudakov also looked sharp in midfield, nearly assisting Bondarenko in the 26th minute, but the latter couldn’t convert what looked like a sure chance.
For Epicentr, who are debuting in the UPL under manager Serhiy Nahornyak, it was a defensive masterclass for most of the match. Their best moments came late in the first half through Spanish forward Joaquin, who tested Riznyk at the near post and later rattled the crossbar on a counterattack.
Konoplia Sparks the Breakthrough
With the game deadlocked after the break, Turan turned to his bench. Yukhym Konoplia, one of the substitutes, proved decisive. Just three minutes after coming on, he broke into the box and delivered a pinpoint cross to Kauan Elias, who headed home the winner in the 79th minute.
Epicentr goalkeeper Bilyk made an impressive 16 saves, denying Pedrinho and Elias in the closing stages, but couldn't stop the one effort that mattered.
Shakhtar will now travel again, this time to face Panathinaikos in Athens for a crucial Europa League tie on Thursday. Meanwhile, Epicentr will regroup ahead of their next UPL fixture against FC LNZ Cherkasy.
2025-26, Ukraine - Premier League
Epitsentr - Shakhtar 0:1 (0:0)
Goals: Kauã Elias, 79 (0:1)
Epitsentr: Bilyk O.; Klymets (Demchenko Y., 84); Coch; Moroz Vl.; Hryhorashchuk; Zaporozhets E.; Myronyuk (Kristin S., 74); Tanchyk; Yanakov D. (Bezhenar A., 25); Joaquin (Bendera, 67); Boryachuk (Sydun, 75)
Bench: Bushnyak; Vavshko; Savchuk H.; Krystin V.; Lyashenko A.
Yellow Cards: Coch 41; Joaquin 57; Moroz Vl. 87
Shakhtar: Riznyk D.; Azarov I. (Pedrinho A., 58); Gocholeishvili (Konoplya, 76); Ghram; Matviyenko; Bondarenko A-m (Marlon Gomes, 58); Ocheretko; Sudakov; Alisson Santana (Newerton, 86); Eguinaldo (Pedrinho, 58); Traoré Las. (Kauã Elias, 52)
Bench: Tvardovskyi; Fesiun; Bondar V.; Vinicius Т.; Nazaryna; Shved M.
