Kharkiv's Metalist, playing in the First League, pulled off the major sensation of the Ukrainian Cup Round of 16 by defeating LNZ Cherkasy away from home. The fate of the clash was decided by a single magnificent strike near the end of the match: in the 81st minute, the referee awarded a free kick near the hosts' goal, and Danylo Kaydalov executed it at the highest level, sending the ball into the net and putting the Kharkiv team into the quarterfinals of the tournament. For a First League team, reaching the national cup quarterfinals is an event that highlights the unpredictability and spectacle of the cup format.
Match Progress: Hosts' Pressure and Pletnyov's Saves
From the opening minutes of the meeting, Cherkasy tried to impose a defensive plan on the guests and press Kharkiv's goal. The most dangerous moment in the first half belonged to Talles, but Metalist goalkeeper Pavlo Pletnyov played reliably on the exit and saved his team from a conceded goal. After the 40th minute, the game was interrupted by an air raid alert, which temporarily stopped the match. After the restart, the scenario did not change: Kharkiv responded to Denys Kuzyk's dangerous shot with a sharp attack by Kyrylo Dyhtyar, which almost brought the guests an early goal. Nevertheless, until the 81st minute, the score remained level.
Kaydalov's Masterpiece and Ticket to the Quarterfinals
The climax arrived in the 81st minute when the referee pointed to the free-kick spot near the LNZ goal. Danylo Kaydalov took the ball and executed a shot that can rightfully be called a masterpiece: the ball flew into the net, and Kharkiv secured their advance to the Ukrainian Cup quarterfinals. The celebrations of the Metalist players on the pitch of the Cherkasy stadium became a clear confirmation that cup matches are capable of delivering emotions that do not depend on the teams' league status.
Chornomorets Match Interrupted: Postponed to October 29
The parallel Round of 16 fixture between last year's tournament finalist, Odesa's Chornomorets, and Epitsentr from Kamianets-Podilskyi was interrupted due to continuous air raid alerts. The opponents managed to play only 22 minutes without goals, after which the continuation of the match at this stadium became impossible. The teams decided to change location: the remaining time will be played out on October 29 at 12:00 at the Arsenal-Arena stadium in the village of Shchaslyve, Kyiv Oblast.
October 29 Calendar and Current Quarterfinalist Lineup
In addition to the resumption of the Chornomorets vs. Epitsentr match, two more cup clashes will take place on October 29: Zorya will face Kryvbas, and Karpaty will host Oleksandriya. As of October 28, five teams have already secured their berths in the Ukrainian Cup quarterfinals: Premier League representatives Shakhtar, Veres, Kharkiv, and Polissya, as well as First League side Metalist. Thus, the Kharkiv team became the first from the First League to break into the quarterfinals, adding intrigue to the further stages of the tournament.
