UPL Round 22 Recognizes Top Performers
The Ukrainian Premier League (UPL) has announced its standout player, coach, and Team of the Round for matchday 22. Striker Danylo Kravchuk of Cherkasy's LNZ was named the best player after scoring a second-half brace in his team's 3-0 victory over Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih. The league's best coach award went to Fran Fernandez of Lviv's Karpaty, whose side secured a narrow 1-0 win against Kyiv's Dynamo thanks to a goal from striker FaaI. The UPL is Ukraine's top football division, continuing its season despite the ongoing war.
Team of the Round
Selected in a 4-3-3 formation, the symbolic Team of the Round features players from several clubs across the league. The lineup includes representatives from Veres Rivne, Shakhtar Donetsk, Obolon Kyiv, Oleksandriya, Zorya Luhansk, and Polissya Zhytomyr. The full team is as follows:
- Goalkeeper: Horokh
- Defenders: Konoplia, Babohlo, Pryimak, Liakh
- Midfielders: Amaral, Horbach, Andriievskyi
- Forwards: Kravchuk, FaaI, Ehinnaldo
In related news, Dynamo Kyiv expressed frustration with the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) team's decisions during their loss to Karpaty. The VAR intervention led to the disallowance of a goal by Ponomarenko, a decision that angered the club. Notably, Ponomarenko himself was named the UPL's best player for February-March, while the best coach award for that period went to Ihor Kostyuk.
The results of Round 22 have significant implications for the league standings. Victories for LNZ and Karpaty have strengthened their positions, while Dynamo's VAR complaints highlight the high stakes and growing tension in the title race. The recognition of individual excellence underscores the competitive nature of the tournament, adding further intrigue to the remaining fixtures as teams battle for the championship and European qualification spots.
As the UPL continues to showcase exceptional talent, the recent accolades for Kravchuk and Fernandez highlight the ongoing competition within the league. For a deeper look into the achievements of other standout players and coaches this season, including the recognition of Bruninho and Rotan, check out our coverage of the top performers in recent matchweeks.