In an away match of the 12th round of the Ukrainian Premier League, Kryvbas failed to secure a victory against Epitsentr in Kamianets-Podilskyi, ending in a 1:1 draw. For the team from Kryvyi Rih, this result marks another step into a prolonged crisis: they are now winless in eight consecutive league matches and have dropped to last place (16th) in the standings. For Epitsentr, the home draw is a compromise yet acceptable outcome, allowing the hosts to retain 11th position with 10 points.
First Half: Many Shots, Few Goal-Scoring Chances
The first half featured an active exchange of strikes, though genuinely dangerous moments were scarce. Already in the 26th minute, Kryvbas could have opened the scoring when Lin shot from a rebound into the near corner, but Epitsentr goalkeeper Nikita Fedotov fingertipped the ball out for a corner. The hosts responded in the 31st minute as Yevpak finished a counterattack with a powerful shot under the crossbar, but Oleksandr Kemkin saved Kryvbas. Before the break, neither team managed to break the deadlock.
Second Half: Midfield Mistake and Two Goals
At the start of the second half, Epitsentr tried to seize the initiative, but shots from Lypovuz and Kozak caused no serious trouble for Kemkin. The turning point came in the 55th minute: Repai passed to Lypovuz in midfield, but Pidhurskyi intercepted the ball and practically sent Assane Sek through one-on-one with the goalkeeper. The Kryvbas forward capitalized on the chance and put the guests ahead. The visitors could have doubled their lead following a counterattack finished by Linn with a shot from about 20 meters, but Fedotov handled the effort.
Epitsentr equalized in the 69th minute: Seberio delivered an excellent pass behind the defenders, Villivald failed to intercept the ball, and Sydun broke through one-on-one with Kemkin to round the goalkeeper. After conceding, the teams continued trading dangerous attacks, with Kryvbas leaving plenty of open space in their own half, which the hosts tried to exploit.
Final Stretch and Goalkeepers as Protagonists
Sydun had a chance to score a brace after a two-on-one break, but decided to shoot himself and failed to beat Kemkin. The visitors also could have snatched the victory: in the 71st minute, Sek found himself facing Fedotov, but Epitsentr's goalkeeper won the duel. In stoppage time, Kemkin had to rescue his team following a very difficult shot by Jones. The final whistle confirmed a draw where both goalkeepers played pivotal roles.
Standings: Petrakov Still Without a Win
After 12 rounds, Kryvbas has 7 points and sits at the bottom in 16th place in the UPL standings. Their winless streak in the championship has extended to eight matches. Oleksandr Petrakov, who took charge of Kryvbas at the end of October, has still not secured his first UPL victory at the helm of the team. Epitsentr has 10 points and remains in 11th position. In a parallel 12th-round match, Kudrivka defeated Chornomorets.
