Sport Arena Tour names the best in the 2024/25 First League in individual nominations and provides exclusive statistics. The best player, joker, young footballer, coach and hero of the tour, the best goal, key figures and much more
In the snow tour of the First League, Ternopilska Niva gained the largest club in the era after Covid-19 and the large-scale invasion, photo fcnyva.com
Game program of the week
| Group “Champion” | Group “Elimination” |
| 1st round ( report with video here ) | 2nd round ( report with video here ) |
| Saturday, April 5th | Saturday, April 5th |
| Epicenter – YUKSA ‒ 4:3 | FC Minaj – Metallurg – 1:1 |
| Agribusiness – SC Poltava – 1:2 | Sunday, April 6 |
| Sunday, April 6 | Prykarpattya – Kremin – 2:1 |
| Bukovyna – FC Kudrovka – 1:0 | Podillya – Victoria – 1:1 |
| Metalist ‒ Metalist 1925 ‒ 1:0 | Nyva (Ternopil) — Dinaz ‒ 5:0 |
| Phoenix-Mariupol missed the tour | |
It's already traditional:
- Read soon on our website the symbolic team of the next round
- interview with the hero of the tour, which Sport Arena determines together with the PFL
And now – our individual nominations:
Coach of the week of the 1st round of the Champions group and the 2nd round of the Elimination group of the First League. Illustration by pfl.ua Coach of the week – Andrey Anishchenko (Metalist)
The Kharkiv derby is the main match of the round under any circumstances, especially since there are only three points between the rivals and the clubs have such different development, selection and staffing philosophies. Let's be honest, Metalist 1925 had a huge advantage in terms of the estimated value of the players, team, coaching and performance experience, staffing capabilities and squad depth. However, Metalist put forward an original tactical scheme with a saturated central block and free, creative flanks, thanks to which it was able to neutralize many of the strengths of its opponent. The only goal in the match – a “goal into the locker room” after a penalty – only emphasized the quality of Anishchenko's work, because if a younger and less experienced team works well on set pieces, this is evidence of serious preparation and analysis. The won derby improves Metalist's tournament position and confirms that the current Kharkiv team has good prospects and can develop to an even higher level.
- Analysis from the All-Ukrainian Association of Football Coaches – here.
Joker of the week – Yuriy Radulsky (Prykarpattia)
We have significant competition this week. In Ternopil's Nyva, Andriy Bay and Ivan Palamarchuk made a great start to the game, helping to crush Dinaz. In Khmelnytskyi Podillya, Yevhen Profatilo saved his team from defeat against the strong Viktoria Sumy in his debut match. And what Radulskyi did against Kremne! Having found himself under pressure from the experienced newcomer Romanyuk, this time Yuriy came on as a substitute, but brought victory to Prykarpattya with a direct free kick. A weighty argument in the fight for a place in the starting lineup and an open “line” in the track record of a footballer who, it turns out, can compete for breaking set pieces!
- SportArena.com statistics: 15 league matches, 1 goal, 2 assists.
Evgeniy Profatilo Best Young Player of the Week – Evgeniy Profatilo (Podolye)
A significant selection success for Podillya. This club traditionally pays great attention to local alumni, and in the winter it signed several experienced newcomers, because it faces a difficult task – to escape the relegation zone and save a place in the First League. And in the match with Viktoria Sumy, a two-time quarterfinalist of the Ukrainian Cup and the rating leader of the Elimination Group, the Khmelnytskyi team could have lost at home, but they were saved by 19-year-old newcomer Profatilo. The alumnus of FC Berdychiv with the school of Zhytomyr Poliesie made his debut in the First League and scored a saving goal in his first appearance as a substitute. This strong-willed draw is of great importance for Podillya, who really need points to get out of the danger zone.
- SportArena.com statistics: 1 league match, 1 goal.
Goal of the week – Ivan Palamarchuk (Nyva Ternopil → Dinaz)
In such weather conditions, the First League gave us a good choice! In fact, every goal of the spectacular match Epicenter – YUKSA – 4:3 could have been here. Zaporizhzhya's Varyanik Minaiu scored with a beautiful pass. A magnificent penalty kick was made by the Carpathian Radulsky. However, we suggest just watching how Ternopil's Palamarchuk cut his shot. We quote the report: “In the 74th minute, the hosts scored again. After a pass from Mysik, Palamarchuk hit the far corner with a gorgeous shot – 4:0. This goal should become the highlight of the entire tour.”
The goal can be seen in the video from 1:48:53
[soundcloud src='_1S2FSktKHU&t=6533s']
Hero of the 1st round of the first stage of the First League. Illustration by pfl.ua Hero of the week – Ivan Bendera (Epicenter)
Read later on our website an interview with the player who scored twice in the match against YUKSA, which they won 4:3.
- SportArena.com statistics: 16 league matches, 5 goals, 3 assists.
Tour scandal
Georgy Sudakov, who, let us recall, studied at the Metalist Academy in 2013-16, spoke out unequivocally after the Kharkiv derby. The media also cited a response from Metalist investor 1925 Nosov, but we cannot verify it – at the time of our screenshot, there was no such reply.
Tour losses
In the Epicenter – YUKSA match, the visitors were forced to replace three central defenders at once due to injuries: Selin in the 16th minute, Lukyanchuk in the 49th, and Melnyk, who replaced him, in the 59th. We can only wish the players a speedy recovery.
Photo tour 
Illustration: screenshot of DiviSport broadcast
Already in the 14th minute of the match Nyva (Ternopil) – Dinaz (Vyshgorod) stewards had to intervene and clean the field so that at least the lines could be seen through the snow. How did the football players score five goals under such circumstances? Or, on the contrary, did the weather conditions change the mechanics of the action so much that it made the task easier for the attackers? We do not know. However, we can testify that in Ternopil, Ivano-Frankivsk, Khmelnytskyi and other cities the football matches resembled the British Boxing Day.
Tour fact
Bukovina scored the 550th goal in the First League (author – Vitaly Koltsov).
A few more interesting things:
- Epicenter's record club winning streak in the First League lasts 5 matches
- Epicenter has not lost in the First League since September 28 – for 9 games: 6 wins and 3 draws
- SK Poltava scored its 100th goal in the First League, including its 50th away goal (Vladimir Odaryuk scored it in the 40th minute)
- Agrobusiness suffers 20th home defeat in First League
- FC Minaj drew for the 10th time and conceded the 50th goal in the First League
- Kremne suffered its 90th away defeat in the First League
- Kremnya's winless streak in the championship has reached 11 games: 2 draws and 9 losses.
- Niva's club record winning march in the First League lasts 5 matches
- Ternopil's Nyva has scored its biggest win in the post-Covid-19 era and the full-scale invasion, following the club's revival
More interesting things can be found in the digital selection of the PFL, whose information partner is Sport Arena.
Tour figures
- Tournament table of the Champions group after the 1st round
-
- Knockout Group Standings After Round 2
- Bombers
| Player | Team | Goals | Pen. |
| Kravchuk Daniil | Epicenter (Kamenets-Podolsky) | 9 | (1) |
| Moura Ari | Metalist 1925 (Kharkov) | 8 | (1) |
| Riznyk Andrey | ***Niva (Ternopil)*** | 7 | |
| Galadey Dmitry | Niva (Ternopil) | 7 | (1) |
| Wendy Wawa | YUKSA (Tarasovka) | 6 | (2) |
| Palamar Ruslan | Victoria (Sumy) | 6 | (5) |
| Evpak Maxim | Victoria (Sumy) | 5 | |
| Bender Ivan | Epicenter (Kamenets-Podolsky) | 5 | |
| Castro Paraguay Pablo | YUKSA (Tarasovka) | 5 | |
| Misyura Evgeniy | SC Poltava | 5 | |
| Remenyak Arthur | ***FC Minaj*** | 5 | |
| Storchous Andrey | FC Kudrovka | 5 | |
| Zubkov Ilya | FC Kudrovka | 5 | (1) |
| Tsutsyura Vasily | Carpathian region (Ivano-Frankivsk) | 5 | (2) |
| Shcherbak Dmitry | SC Poltava | 5 | (3) |
- Assistants
| Player | Team | Passes |
| Gabriel Goulart | YUKSA (Tarasovka) | 6 |
| Savin Anton | Podillya (Khmelnitsky) | 5 |
| Shcherbak Dmitry | SC Poltava | 5 |
| Demidenko Ivan | Epicenter (Kamenets-Podolsky) | 4 |
| Kukharuk Andrey | Podillya (Khmelnitsky) | 4 |
| Lebedenko Alexander | Victoria (Sumy) | 4 |
| Lutsiv Petr | Metalist (Kharkov) | 4 |
| Novikov Andrey | ***Dinaz*** | 4 |
| Yurchenko Vladlen | Metalist 1925 (Kharkov) | 4 |
- Goal+pass
| Player | Team | Goal+Pass | Goals | Passes |
| Kravchuk Daniil | Epicenter (Kamenets-Podolsky) | 11 | 9 | 2 |
| Shcherbak Dmitry | SC Poltava | 10 | 5 | 5 |
| Moura Ari | Metalist 1925 (Kharkov) | 9 | 8 | 1 |
| Wendy Wawa | YUKSA (Tarasovka) | 9 | 6 | 3 |
| Palamar Ruslan | Victoria (Sumy) | 8 | 6 | 2 |
| Bender Ivan | Epicenter (Kamenets-Podolsky) | 8 | 5 | 3 |
| Yurchenko Vladlen | Metalist 1925 (Kharkiv) | 8 | 4 | 4 |
| Galadey Dmitry | Niva (Ternopil) | 7 | 7 | 0 |
| Riznyk Andrey | ***Niva (Ternopil)*** | 7 | 7 | 0 |
| Storchous Andrey | FC Kudrovka | 7 | 5 | 2 |
| Voytikhovsky Maxim | Agribusiness (Volochisk) | 7 | 4 | 3 |
| Lutsiv Petro | Metalist (Kharkov) | 7 | 3 | 4 |
| Castro Paraguay Pablo | YUKSA (Tarasovka) | 6 | 5 | 1 |
| Litovchenko Alexey | FC Kudrovka | 6 | 3 | 3 |
| Molko Vladislav | Flint (Kremenchug) | 6 | 3 | 3 |
| Novikov Andrey | *** Dinaz *** | 6 | 2 | 4 |
| Savin Anton | Podillya (Khmelnitsky) | 6 | 1 | 5 |
| Gabriel Goulart | YUKSA (Tarasovka) | 6 | 0 | 6 |
* * *
All calculations by Artur Valerko, SportArena.com. The material was written by the author in Ukrainian.