The third round of the Ukrainian Premier League 2026/2027 season has concluded, spanning four days and delivering exciting events for fans. Unlike previous rounds where some matches were postponed, all eight scheduled games took place this time. The round ended with two absolute leaders: Karpaty and Shakhtar won all three of their matches, achieving a perfect record and setting the tone for the start of the championship.

Round results and the battle for leadership

The round began on Friday with a goalless draw between Epitsentr and Veres (0:0). Saturday also brought several scoreless matches: Kryvbas and Lyyvy Bereg shared the points, as did Kudrovka and Obolon. However, in the evening, Karpaty convincingly crushed Bukovyna at home with a score of 3:0, continuing their winning streak. Sunday became the day of decisive victories: LNS scored goals for the first time this season, beating Chornomorets (2:0), Shakhtar narrowly defeated Kharkiv (1:0), and Dnipro handled Kolos at home (2:1). The round concluded on Monday when Zorya won away against Polissya (2:1).

Felipe Vieira — the unanimous choice of experts

The main revelation of the round, and possibly the entire season, was Karpaty midfielder Felipe Vieira. The Sport RBC.UA editorial team compiled symbolic teams for the round, and Vieira was included in every single one, selected by experts Daniil Vereitin, Andriy Kostenko, Nikita Maliugin, Kyryl Krutorohov, and Yevhen Nazarenko. His performance in the match against Bukovyna and previous rounds demonstrated a high level of skill, making him the leader among midfielders.

Goalkeeper and attacks: Horokh, Kravchuk, and Neverton

Another player who received almost unanimous support was Veres goalkeeper Valentyn Horokh. Despite his team's defeats in previous rounds, he made it into the symbolic team again thanks to his saves. In attack, Daniil Kravchuk (LNS) and Neverton (Shakhtar) stand out, also being included in most lineups. Kravchuk scored goals in the match against Chornomorets, while Neverton continues to be a key player for the Donetsk club.

Contradictory data

In the list of top scorers after the third round, an interesting situation is observed. Three Karpaty footballers are in the top list, yet the leadership is still held by Kauã Elias from Shakhtar, who scored a hat-trick in the first round against Kudrovka. This creates a certain contradiction: although Karpaty demonstrate more stable play overall, Shakhtar still leads in individual statistics thanks to one bright match. Experts note that the situation may change in the coming rounds, considering Karpaty's current form.

Outlook and the next round

The 4th round of the UPL will take place in two weeks, as teams will play 1/32 finals of the Ukrainian Cup matches next weekend. This will give players and coaches time to recover and prepare for new challenges. Fans are waiting for the continuation of Karpaty and Shakhtar's winning streak, as well as new revelations like Felipe Vieira. The upcoming rounds promise to be no less exciting, especially given the tight competition for places in the upper part of the table.