On Saturday, 22 August, the matches of the third matchday of the round of 32 of the 2026/27 Ukrainian Cup were played. Fourteen fixtures were contested that day, featuring teams from different levels — from current UPL participants to amateur sides. According to the tournament's official website, as reported by Sport RBC.UA, the day was highly uneven in terms of drama: from a goalless penalty shootout in which amateurs eliminated a team that had been in the UPL the previous season, to a nine-goal thriller that set a club record. The remaining matches of the round of 32 are scheduled for Sunday, 23 August.
The day's biggest upset: amateur 'Malyk' knocks out 'Poltava'
The key and most unexpected result of the day came in Sarny, where the local amateur side 'Malyk' eliminated 'Poltava' — a team that was still competing in the UPL last season — in a penalty shootout. The match ended 0:0 after regular and extra time, and the hosts won the shootout 4:2. For 'Poltava', this is the first and probably the most painful loss of the current campaign: a team that was in the top flight just a year ago is exiting the Ukrainian Cup at the round of 32 stage.
Goal records and crushing victories
Besides the upset, the day was marked by a number of big wins. Luhansk's 'Zorya' left no chance for 'Skala 1911', scoring six unanswered goals (6:0), including a brace by Igor Horbach. A true goal-fest was staged by 'Kharkiv', which dismantled 'Kalinovka' 9:0 — a victory that became the largest in the club's history. Confident crushing wins were also recorded by 'Kryvbas' over 'Rokyt' (3:0), 'Kolos' over YUKSA (3:0), 'Kudrivka' over 'Avangard' (6:1) and 'Bukovyna' over Ternopil's 'Niva' (4:0). The 'Kudrivka' match deserves special mention: the hosts' goals were scored by 38-year-old former Ukraine international forward Oleksandr Hladky, adding a touch of prestige to the fixture.
The only UPL 'derby': 'Karpaty' — 'Obolon'
'Karpaty' and 'Obolon' were the only UPL representatives to face each other at the round of 32 stage of the Ukrainian Cup. The Lviv side beat the Kyiv team 2:0 at home. As the match photo shows, the battle for the ball in midfield was intense, with 'Karpaty' players in their white-and-green kits confidently controlling the game. The 'Lions' opened the scoring at the end of the first half and then sealed their advantage after the break. The goals by Jose Seri and Bruno Iglesias were debut goals for the pair in 'Karpaty' colours, giving the win an added symbolic significance for the team's newcomers.
What's next
The round of 32 of the 2026/27 Ukrainian Cup will conclude on Sunday, 23 August, when the remaining matches are played. By the end of the week, the full list of teams advancing to the round of 16 will be known. At this point, the day's main storylines — 'Poltava's' elimination at the hands of an amateur side and 'Kharkiv's' record nine-goal victory — have already entered the history of the current tournament campaign.
