Ukrainian clubs have kicked off their main round performances in the 2026/27 Futsal Champions League. The reigning national champion, Kyiv's HIT, and European debutants, Dnipro's Athletic, played their opening fixtures, and both matches ended with scenarios far from calm. The Kyiv side squandered a massive lead away against Portugal's Benfica, while Dnipro saved themselves from defeat in their very first international match thanks to an opponent's own goal.
HIT vs. Benfica: Almost a Rout Turns into a Thriller
In the away match of Path A, Serhiy Zhurbas's side started with confidence and led 4–1 by the 23rd minute. Kelvin scored a brace for the Kyiv team (14th and 23rd minutes), Pedyash added one (18th), alongside an own goal by Portugal's Coelho (10th). Benfica's only goal in that stretch was scored by Moreira in the 17th minute. This flow of the game allowed the visitors to count on a comfortable victory, but the Portuguese champions decided to take risks.
The Price of the 'Artificial Majority' and a Disallowed Goal
Benfica deployed the 'artificial majority' tactic and mounted a comeback, leveling the score by the 36th minute thanks to Ferreira (32nd), Rocha (34th), and Monteiro (36th). The final score was 4–4. In the dying seconds, Chernyavsky put the ball into the hosts' net, but the referee disallowed the goal for a handball, depriving HIT of victory. Thus, the Kyiv side missed the chance to secure a crushing result and had to settle for just a draw in a dramatic match.
Dnipro's Athletic: Historic Debut and a Rescued Own Goal
In Path B, Athletic, under the guidance of Denys Ovsyannikov, played their first-ever match in the international arena against Czech side Chrudim. Dnipro conceded first in the 12th minute (Drozd), but responded with a historic first goal by Andre (16th) and a precise strike by captain Vasyliev (25th) to take the lead for the first time at 2–1. In the second half, the Czechs reclaimed their advantage through goals by Gromek (33rd) and Drozd (35th). In the 36th minute, Ukrainian legionnaire Hrytsyna of Chrudim turned the ball into his own net, and this own goal set the final score at 3–3, saving the debutants from defeat.
Different Paths — Different Objectives
Ukrainian clubs are competing in different paths of the tournament and tackling different objectives. To advance to the next round, HIT only needs to finish in the top 3 of their group, whereas the debutants from Dnipro must win their quartet to continue their campaign. This makes scoring efficiency and consistency in every match critically important for Athletic.
What's Next: Second Round Schedule
In the second matchday of the group stage, taking place on October 29, Athletic will face Austria's Graz (kick-off at 18:30 Kyiv time), while HIT will take on the Dutch club Tigers Roermond (at 21:30). Concurrently on the same day, Dynamo Kyiv started their UEFA Youth League campaign with a convincing victory. Thus, Ukrainian futsal and football continue their active participation in the European arena for the new season.
