Shakhtar set the pace
Thursday, March 24, 2005
Article summary
Monthly review: FC Shakhtar Donetsk are leading the Ukrainian Premier League following the season restart.
Article body
By Igor Linnyk
The first month of spring heralded the departure of Ukrainian clubs from European competition, while the future of national team coach Oleh Blokhin remained undecided.
Shakhtar top
Having progressed furthest in Europe of all the Ukrainian representatives, Shakhtar lost in the UEFA Cup Round of 16 to Dutch side AZ Alkmaar, yet continue to impress on the domestic front. Following four straight victories since the restart, Shakhtar top the Premier League table, albeit on goal difference from FC Dynamo Kyiv but with a game in hand.
Chasing pack
Shakhtar's neighbours FC Metalurh Donetsk lie in third place, 12 points behind the leaders but three ahead of FC Chornomorets Odesa. Chornomorets have continued their climb up the rankings into fourth spot - and a possible UEFA Cup berth next season if they can sustain it. However, it is likely they will be pushed all the way by FC Volyn Lutsk and FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk.
Rising standards
Standards in the domestic league appear to be rising, arguably as a result of the improvement in quality of the country's élite clubs. In this respect, it was satisfying to see the Premier League's bottom club, FC Borysfen Boryspil, defeat high-fliers Metalurh 3-1 away before holding sixth-placed Dnipro 1-1 at home in weeks 18 and 19 of the championship.
Youth to the fore
Another possible cause for this progress is the policy of several top-flight sides of promoting young players to their first teams. Matchday 18 saw two youngsters make Premier League debuts, 19-year-old Borysfen midfielder Andriy Derkach and 22-year-old FC Tavriya Simferopol striker Aleksandr Kovpak. A week earlier 21-year-old midfielder Adrian Pukanych had appeared in FC Illychivets Mariupil colours for the first time.
Homegrown agenda
Clubs are also aware of the need to nurture homegrown talent, as from next season teams will be able to field only eight non-Ukrainian players at any given time. This has buoyed the internal transfer market, with Dnipro signing former Chornomorets forward, 23-year-old Kostyantyn Balabanov, while Volyn added defender Eduard Mor. Ukraine is planning for the future.
