Dnipro's Shakhtar wrapped up the first matchday of the 2026/27 Champions League league phase with an away match in the Netherlands, where on PSV's pitch the team were outclassed but not outmatched in the result. The match ended 1:1, and the "miners" recorded their first point in the tournament's league phase. According to Sport RBC.UA, citing the official European football website, the result allowed the Dnipro side to settle in the middle of the overall table of 36 participants and continue their fight for European qualification spots.

Match flow: Mendoza's goal and Dest's equalizer

The home side held the initiative in the first half, yet it was the visitors who took the lead. Towards the end of the first half, Gleicer Mendoza put Shakhtar ahead, converting his chance and giving the Ukrainian team the advantage at the break. However, after the break PSV quickly restored parity: early in the second half Serginho Dest scored to make the final score 1:1. Thus, both teams left the pitch with one point each, and the Dnipro side brought back a point from Eindhoven, which in the opening matchday of the league phase is considered a workable result.

Table standings: PSG in the lead, Shakhtar in the middle

At the end of all first-matchday fixtures, Shakhtar found themselves in the group of teams with one point each. According to Sport RBC.UA data, the Dnipro side sit 17th in the overall Champions League table, sharing that mark with Roma, Fenerbahce and PSV themselves. The lead after the opening matchday was seized by the reigning champions PSG, who thrashed Slovan 6:1. Bayern and Barcelona also made the top three, both starting with big wins.

Conflicting data

There is a discrepancy between sources on the Dnipro side's exact position in the table. Sport RBC.UA reports that after the first matchday Shakhtar occupy 17th place, while the publication Tribuna (ua.tribuna.com) points to 18th. Both outlets agree that the team has one point and sits within a block of teams with an identical result, but the specific row number differs. Until the official UEFA summary of all first-matchday fixtures is published, the "miners'" exact position in the table should be considered provisional.

What's next: AEK and a tight schedule

In the second matchday of the Champions League league phase, Shakhtar will face Greece's AEK. The nominally home match is scheduled for 14 October after the international break. Before that, the "miners" will play three UPL matches and one Ukrainian Cup fixture, which will add extra load on the squad. At the end of the eight matchdays the final table will be formed: the top eight teams will advance directly to the round of 16, clubs ranked 9th to 24th will play in a play-off round for the remaining spots, and teams ranked 25th to 36th will end their European campaign.