--- title: "Merezhko scored from his own half: Ukraine captain sealed Plzen's away win in the Champions League" description: "Ukraine captain Ihor Merezhko scored from his own half against Switzerland's Fribourg, sealing Plzen's 4-2 away win in the third round of the ice hockey Champions League." date: 2026-09-12T11:22:00.000Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/merezhko-goal-plzen-fribourg-chl-2026-en tags: [hockey, champions-hockey-league, ukraine, plzen, fribourg, merezhko, czech-extraliga] publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Merezhko scored from his own half: Ukraine captain sealed Plzen's away win in the Champions League ![Denys Merezhko, captain of the Ukraine national team, after the goal that secured Plzen's away win in the Champions League](https://xab.info/media/2026/09/12/merezhko-goal-plzen-fribourg-chl-2026/merezhko-goal-plzen-fribourg-chl-2026-1.webp) ## 🎯 Key Points - Ihor Merezhko scored a goal from his own half of the rink in the Plzen vs. Fribourg match (4-2) in the Champions League - For the Ukrainian, this is already his second goal in the current European cup campaign, following his goal against Sweden's Rogle - Merezhko has been playing for Plzen since 2024 and has appeared in more than 110 matches in the Czech Extraliga - Since 2022, Merezhko has been the captain of the Ukraine national ice hockey team Ihor Merezhko, the Ukrainian defender playing for Czech side Plzen, scored in the third round of the group stage of the ice hockey Champions League. The captain of the Ukraine national team buried the ball in the net of Switzerland's Fribourg with a powerful shot from his own half of the rink, capping off a confident 4-2 away victory for Plzen. This was reported by [Sport RBC.UA](https://sport.rbc.ua/ukr/othersport/zabiv-vlasnoyi-polovini-kapitan-zbirnoyi-1789211942.html), citing the Ukrainian Ice Hockey Federation on Instagram. ### The episode that became the final note of the match The decisive touch was added in the closing minutes. Having received the puck on his own half of the rink, Merezhko did not risk a pass and fired a powerful shot, finding the opponent's empty net. Shots from such long range are rare even for forwards, let alone for a defender, which makes this goal especially spectacular and a testament to the individual skill of the Ukrainian legionnaire. ### Not his first goal in the current tournament For Merezhko, this is not his first goal in the ongoing Champions League season. Earlier in the same group stage, he scored against Sweden's Rogle, confirming his status as one of the tournament's most prolific defenders. Thus, the Ukrainian has tallied at least two goals in three group-stage matches, an outstanding figure for a player on the defensive line. ### His path in the Czech Extraliga Ihor Merezhko has been playing for Plzen since 2024 and has appeared in more than 110 matches in the Czech Extraliga during that time, becoming one of the club's key defensive players. His consistency and reliability in the back line have allowed him to cement his place in the lineup of a team that regularly competes in European tournaments. Previously, Merezhko was named the best Ukrainian hockey player of 2023, underscoring his status as a leading player for the national team. ### National team captain and looking ahead Since 2022, it has been Merezhko who has led the Ukraine national team onto the ice as captain. The team faces new challenges ahead: the schedule of matches in the top division of the 2027 World Championship has already been announced. Confident performances in the Champions League and a steady form in the Czech Extraliga give Merezhko and his national team teammates an extra boost before the upcoming starts at the world tournament. ## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification - [Scored from his own half: Ukraine captain scored in the ice hockey Champions League](https://sport.rbc.ua/ukr/othersport/zabiv-vlasnoyi-polovini-kapitan-zbirnoyi-1789211942.html) - Источник ссылается на Федерацию хоккея Украины в Instagram. Подтверждены: счёт 4:2, тур 3, гол Мережко со своей половины в пустые ворота, предыдущий гол в ворота «Регле», статус капитана с 2022 г., игра за «Пльзень» с 2024 г., 110+ матчей в Экстралиге, звание лучшего хоккеиста Украины-2023. В тексте источника присутствует опечатка «Сережко» вместо «Мережко». ## ❓ FAQ ### Q: Whose net did Ihor Merezhko score against in the Champions League? **A:** Merezhko scored against Switzerland's Fribourg in a third-round group-stage match. The goal was scored from his own half of the rink into the empty net in the closing minutes. ### Q: How many goals has Merezhko scored in the current Champions League campaign? **A:** As of the time of publication — at least two: one against Sweden's Rogle and a second against Switzerland's Fribourg. ### Q: Since what year has Merezhko been playing for Plzen? **A:** Ihor Merezhko has been playing for Czech side Plzen since 2024 and has appeared in more than 110 matches in the Czech Extraliga. ### Q: Is Merezhko the captain of the Ukraine national team? **A:** Yes, since 2022 Ihor Merezhko has led the Ukraine national team onto the ice as captain.