Record-Breaking Clash Between Kryvbas and Dynamo Shakes Up UPL: League Announces Top Player and Coach of the Round

UPL Round 25: Best Player and Coach Revealed

According to Главком: The Ukrainian Premier League has officially named the standout footballer and manager from Matchday 25 of the season. The top player honor went to Kryvbas’s Gleiker Mendoza, who delivered a sensational performance by scoring four goals-a poker-in a dramatic 5-6 loss to Dynamo Kyiv. All four of Mendoza’s strikes came in the first half, a key factor that shaped the match’s wild trajectory.

Dynamo’s head coach, Ihor Kostyuk, was recognized as the best coach of the round after rallying his team to victory despite trailing 1-4 at halftime. This match set a new UPL record for the most goals scored in a single game, with a total of 11. Another Dynamo standout, Andriy Yarmolenko, also deserves mention for netting a decisive brace in the same contest.

Competition and Team of the Round

Who did Gleiker Mendoza and Ihor Kostyuk beat out for these honors? Mendoza outperformed the following candidates:

• Vitaliy Buyalskyi (Dynamo Kyiv)
• Andriy Yarmolenko (Dynamo Kyiv)
• Eduard Sarapiy (Polissya)
• Maksym Zaderaka (Kryvbas)
• Ardit Tahiri (Kolos)

As for the coaching category, Kostyuk edged out:

• Viktor Skrypnyk (Zorya)
• Fran Fernandez (Karpaty)

The symbolic Team of the Round features players from 11 different clubs, with Kryvbas and Dynamo each contributing two representatives. One player each was selected from Zorya, Metalist 1925, Polissya, Karpaty, Shakhtar, LNZ, and Kolos. The squad, arranged in a 4-3-3 formation, is as follows:

• Goalkeeper – Saputin
• Defenders – Krupskyi, Sarapiy, Pedrosa, Azarov
• Midfielders – Zaderaka, Ryabov, Buyalskyi
• Forwards – Yarmolenko, Tahiri, Mendoza

Additionally, experts highlighted the names of 27 footballers and 9 coaches, underscoring the fierce competition in this round. However, there is also some injury news from Dynamo’s camp: Mykola Mykhailenko is sidelined with a muscle issue, while Volodymyr Brazhko and Vladyslav Kabayev are also out.

Overall, the 25th round of the UPL left a lasting impression thanks to its abundance of goals and standout performers, reflecting the dynamic growth of Ukrainian football. The high-scoring nature of the Kryvbas-Dynamo match, along with the individual accolades, highlights not only personal achievements but also the rising level of competition in the league-a trend that could boost football’s popularity across Ukraine.

As the excitement from this record-breaking match continues to resonate, fans can explore further details about how Kryvbas and Dynamo Kyiv's thrilling encounter not only captivated spectators but also shattered previous UPL records. For a deeper dive into this historic event, check out our coverage on the 11-goal showdown that left everyone on the edge of their seats.