--- title: "Historic Debut: LNZ vs. 'Gent' in the First European Match for the Cherkasy Club" description: "πŸ”₯ Historic moment! LNZ will play in European competitions for the first time β€” against Belgian 'Gent' in Poland. The match starts at 21:30, broadcast on Kyivstar TV. 🏟️⚽ #LNZ #EuropeanCups #Football" date: 2026-07-23T10:14:00.000Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/lnz-gent-historic-debut-european-match tags: [lnz, gent, uefa-conference-league, ukrainian-football, vitally-ponomarev] publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Historic Debut: LNZ vs. 'Gent' in the First European Match for the Cherkasy Club ![LNZ player in white kit strikes the ball during historic debut match against Gent in European competition](https://xab.info/media/2026/07/23/lnz-gent-evrokubki-debyut/lnz-gent-evrokubki-debyut-1.webp) On Thursday, July 23, Ukrainian football will mark a landmark date. The vice-champion of Ukraine β€” the Cherkasy club LNZ β€” will step onto the pitch in a European competition match for the first time in its history. The team, led by Vitaliy Ponomarev, will begin its journey in the Conference League with a match against Belgian 'Gent'. ### Where and when the historic match will take place The match will start at 21:30 Kyiv time. Despite LNZ playing as the home team, the encounter will be held on a neutral pitch β€” the 'WisΕ‚a' stadium in the Polish city of PΕ‚ock. The main referee for the match is 37-year-old Swede Granit Makedonci. ### Teams' preparation for the season Before the start of the European tournament, both teams held a series of friendly matches. LNZ played seven friendly games against opponents from Croatia, Austria, Slovenia, Hungary, and Turkey. The Cherkasy club has four wins, one draw, and two defeats β€” against 'Geztepe' and 'Hajduk'. In total, LNZ players scored 13 goals and conceded six. 'Gent' also prepared in the format of friendly matches. In July, the Belgians played five matches, securing two wins and drawing twice. The team suffered its only defeat in a game against Ukrainian 'Kryvbas'. ### 'Gent' squad and tactics The Belgian club, which finished fifth in the Belgian championship last season, has retained its main squad. The team's coach remains Rik De Mil. Key players remain at 'Gent': Max Dean, Abdelkader Kadri, and Sylvain Van der Heyden. The only notable departure was Cameroonian central defender Samuel Kotto. 'Gent's' tactics last season were built on high pressing, quick transitions from defense to attack, and active use of wingers who were supposed to attack free zones on the flanks. This style could become a serious test for LNZ's defense. ### What's next? The winner of the LNZ β€” 'Gent' pair will have the right to play one more match before advancing to the group stage of the Conference League. The next opponent for the Cherkasy club, in case of success, will be the winner of the 'Gothenburg' (Sweden) β€” 'Levadia' (Estonia) pair. ### How to watch the match The live broadcast of the game can be watched on the Kyivstar TV online platform. This will be an opportunity for fans from all over Ukraine and beyond to witness a historic moment β€” the first European match in LNZ history. Previously, LNZ head coach Vitaliy Ponomarev and defender Roman Dydik shared their expectations for the upcoming match with 'Gent'. Their comments highlight the team's serious approach to this challenge and confidence in their abilities.