Review

The match between Kyiv "Left Bank" and Odessa "Chornomorets", which took place on August 26, 2024, went down in history not only for both teams, but also for Ukrainian football. Despite the difficult circumstances, in particular, rocket fire, which affected the course of events throughout the country, the match did take place, albeit with an hour and a half delay.

Both teams entered the field with the desire to get the first victory of the season, but it was "Left Bank" that was able to record a historic debut goal in the UPL. The first half was a power struggle, dominated by aerial play and physical confrontation. There were few moments, and the game mostly took place in the center of the field.

The turning point came in the 29th minute, when "Left Bank" managed to realize its advantage. After a cross into the penalty area, Siyintsa won the fight and threw the ball to Yakymiv, who shot into the bottom left corner. This goal was not only the first for "Left Bank" in the UPL, but also brought Vitaliy Pervak's team a historic victory. Odesa tried to appeal about a possible violation of the rules, but the VAR system did not find grounds for canceling the goal.

Despite the active attempts of "Chornomorets" to win back in the second half, "Left Bank" confidently defended. Goalkeeper Mekhaniv showed a great game, especially during the opponents' attempts to equalize the score. In turn, Odessa could not find a rhythm that would allow them to create a serious threat at the home team's goal. After one of the few moments near the visitors' goal, "Left Bank" could have doubled the lead, but Rudko saved "Chornomorets" by deflecting Sukhoruchka's shot under the crossbar.

As a result, the game ended with the victory of "Left Bank" with a score of 1:0. This result allowed the team to score the first points in the UPL and enter the history of the club. "Chernomorets" remained with unresolved questions regarding the organization of the game and the search for effectiveness in the attack.