The ninth matchday of the Ukrainian Premier League will be remembered for several sensational results that forced a reassessment of the power balance in the championship. The main intrigue of the round was Zhytomyr's Polissya defeating Kyiv's Dynamo at their home stadium—a result that underscores the team's stability this season. Equally unexpected was Bukovyna's crushing defeat by underdog Kudrivka, which ultimately led to reshufflings in the lower part of the standings. The matchday spanned from Friday to Monday: everything started with the Obolon vs. Veres match, followed by three matches each on Saturday and Sunday, concluding with the Kharkiv vs. Livyi Bereh fixture on Monday.
Team of the Week According to Sport RBC.UA
The editors of Sport RBC.UA traditionally compiled the team of the week for matchday 9 by polling five experts: Danylo Vereitin, Mykyta Malyugin, Andriy Kostenko, Ihor Ilyin, and Kyrylo Krutorogov. The goalkeeping line in the final roster was represented by Nazariy Fedorovskyi (Obolon) and Vikentiy Voloshyn (Livyi Bereh). The defense is dominated by Polissya players Bohdan Mykhaylychenko and Oleksandr Andriyevskyi, alongside Bohdan Kushnirenko (Zorya) and Carlos Rojas (Epitsentr). The midfield featured Ihor Krasnopir (Polissya), Baton Zabergja (Kharkiv), Carlos Rojas, and Illia Krupskyi (Kharkiv). The attacking line most frequently featured Ivan Petryak (Kudrivka), Valeriy Bondar (Shakhtar), and Yehor Nazarina (Shakhtar). Notably, all five respondents unanimously included three players in their line-ups: Nazariy Fedorovskyi, Valeriy Bondar, and Ihor Krasnopir.
Krasnopir is the Sole Leader of the Goalscorer Race
After 9 matchdays, Polissya forward Ihor Krasnopir secured the first spot on the list of top UPL snipers. Having scored three goals against Dynamo in matchday 9, the 25-year-old forward brought his tally to eight goals. Krasnopir's closest pursuers remain Baton Zabergja (Kharkiv) and Matviy Ponomarenko. Krasnopir's stability this season makes him one of the key players not only for Polissya, but for the entire championship.
Standings: Shakhtar Leads, Kryvbas Sits at the Bottom
Following 9 matchdays, the sole leader of the championship is Donetsk's Shakhtar under the management of Arda Turan with 24 points in 9 matches. Polissya occupies second place with 22 points, and Kharkiv rounds out the top three with 18 points, with an unplayed match against Kryvbas still in hand. The most dramatic reshuffle occurred in the lower part of the table: after Bukovyna's crushing defeat by Kudrivka, Kryvyi Rih's Kryvbas dropped to the last position in the championship, calling into question its further battle for survival.
What's Next: Matchday 10 is Next Week
The next matchday of the Ukrainian Premier League will take place from October 23 to October 25, 2026. The final result of the Kharkiv vs. Kryvbas match from matchday 9, as well as the teams' form after the break, could significantly affect the power balance in both the upper and lower parts of the standings. For Polissya and Shakhtar, the upcoming round will be a direct clash for the lead, while Kryvbas urgently needs to score points to pull away from the relegation zone.
