Kudrivka Parts Ways with Head Coach
Ukrainian Premier League side Kudrivka has dismissed head coach Vasyl Baranov following a string of poor results. The club confirmed the decision via its Instagram account, as reported by Glavkom. Baranov, who previously coached youth teams at Poltava's Vorskla and Luhansk's Zorya, made history last year by becoming the first manager to lead Kudrivka into the Ukrainian Premier League.
The team has failed to win a single match since early March, going eight games without a victory and collecting only three points during that stretch. Kudrivka currently sits 13th in the Ukrainian Premier League standings with 22 points, four points adrift of the safety zone.
Club president Roman Solodarenko explained: 'You can see the results for yourselves. Yesterday I saw that the team had stalled. That's not my style. I want constant forward momentum. I realized the squad needs fresh blood—a group that prioritizes moving ahead. Changes are necessary, and they start with the head coach.'
Solodarenko announced that a new head coach will be appointed on Tuesday, May 5. Kudrivka has four matches remaining in the 2025/26 season. Upcoming away fixtures include games against Kolos Kovalivka and Kyiv's Dynamo, while home matches will see them face Lviv's Rukh and Cherkasy-based LNZ.
First League and UPL Update
In the Ukrainian First League, two frontrunners have emerged for promotion playoff spots to the UPL: Kyiv's Livyi Bereh and Volochysk's Ahrobiznes. Meanwhile, Shakhtar Donetsk secured a comeback victory over Dynamo Kyiv in the UPL, and the women's team of Metalist 1925 Kharkiv clinched the Ukrainian championship early, amassing 59 points.
Baranov's dismissal underscores deep-seated issues within a squad struggling to deliver results. With crucial matches looming that could determine the club's Premier League survival, the president's emphasis on change and finding a new coach may impact player morale. Given the four-point gap to safety, Kudrivka has limited time to turn its season around.