The rivalry between Shakhtar and Karpaty is one of the most interesting and unpredictable in the U21 league. Their neighbouring positions in the table also makes it more intriguing. The Pitmen, who have scored 58 points in 26 games (goal difference 59-13), remain in the second place. Though after the last round defeat, the gap between them and the top spot increased to eight points.
The meeting with Karpaty will be missed by the Donetsk midfielder Denys Arendaruk and defender Danylo Sahutkin who have been suspended, with Mykyta Adamenko and Dmytro Shevchenko being injured.
In 26 rounds this season, Karpaty won 15 games with 5 draws and 6 defeats. Thus, the Lviv U21 team scored 50 points (goal difference 39-28), currently sitting in the third spot in the table. It seems that they will not drop below the top three spots, however climbing higher will not be easy at all as they are eight points adrift of Shakhtar. Karpaty started the second league stage with a home victory over Dynamo (2-1), but they lost the next match to Zorya (1-2) and tied with Chornomorets (0-0). Last weekend, Lviv were entertaining Olimpik who also try to claim the third spot, and won this important duel 4-2. Karpaty’s top scorer this season is midfielder Ihor Bohach (6 goals).
Shakhtar and Karpaty met 22 times in the U21 league: 9 wins for the Pitmen, 8 for the Lviv side, also 5 draws. The goal difference is 44-32 in favour of the Orange-and-Blacks.
In the first-round match that took place on August 11, 2016 in Lviv, there was no winner (1-1). The Donetsk team gave one away midway through the first half (Savoshko converted a spot kick), but showed character and managed to equalise: in the 78th minute Mykyta Adamenko scored.
For the second time in the season, the rivals met in Schaslyve in November. The Pitmen again had the advantage, but fialed to convert their chances, with the visitors launching two counterattacks towards the end of the meeting, which were rounded off by Markovic and Busko – 0-2.
The Lviv team have not lost away this spring yet (having two wins and a draw), they also keep a clean sheet at home so far.