Shakhtar reached the Conference League, defeating Servette

Shakhtar advanced to the main round of the Conference League

Donetsk's 'Shakhtar' advanced to the main round of the Conference League for the 2025/26 season, winning against Swiss 'Servette' in extra time. After a 1:1 draw in the first match, the 'miners' won with a score of 2:1.

Shakhtar began their journey in European cups from the Europa League, where they defeated Finnish 'Ilves' and Turkish 'Besiktas'. However, in the third qualifying round, the 'miners' lost to Greek 'Panathinaikos' in a penalty shootout, moving on to the Conference League.

The return match against 'Servette' was tense. The first half ended without goals. At the beginning of the second half, Lillian Ndzong scored for the Swiss team (53rd minute). Shakhtar equalized in the 70th minute with a penalty converted by Kevin. The regular time ended with a score of 1:1, and the teams went into overtime.

The winning goal was scored in the 113th minute by forward Kauan Elias, who skillfully beat several defenders and brought the team a hard-fought victory.

Ukrainian teams in European cups

The draw for the main round of the Conference League will take place on August 29. Ukraine will have two representatives in the tournament: besides 'Shakhtar', 'Dynamo' also progressed after being eliminated from the Europa League qualifications.

It is noteworthy that Zhytomyr's 'Polissya' ended its performances in the Conference League qualifiers, losing to Italian 'Fiorentina' with a score of 2:3 in an away match.

After tough matches and draws, 'Shakhtar' ultimately reached the main round of the Conference League, where they will meet other strong teams from Europe. Ukrainian football clubs also continue their participation in European cups, representing the country on the international stage.