Kolos vs Kryvbas: Resumen

In a thrilling Ukrainian Premier League encounter, "FK Kolos Kovalivka" secured a hard-fought 2-1 victory over "FK Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih" at the intimate Stadion Kovalivka on August 1, 2025. The hosts took an early advantage, heading into the halftime break with a 1-0 lead before eventually sealing all three points in what proved to be an enthralling contest.

The atmosphere at Stadion Kovalivka was electric as local supporters rallied behind Ruslan Kostyshyn's men throughout the 90 minutes. The significance of this victory cannot be understated for Kolos, who have started their 2025/2026 Premier Liha campaign positively, showcasing their ambitions for the season ahead.

Yaroslav Shevchenko emerged as one of the heroes for the home side, finding the back of the net in a performance that epitomized Kolos Kovalivka's determination. Defensive stalwart Mykyta Burda was equally impressive, providing stability at the back while Yegor Tverdokhlib made notable contributions to secure the win.

This result propels Kolos Kovalivka up to 1st position in the early Premier Liha standings, while Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih finds themselves in 5th place. For Kostyshyn's squad, this victory represents a statement of intent as they look to establish themselves as serious contenders in Ukraine's top flight this season. The win against a competitive Kryvbas side demonstrates Kolos's growing stature in Ukrainian football and their ability to compete against established Premier Liha opponents.

Ruslan Kostyshyn, Kolos Kovalivka head coach:

"I'm immensely proud of how the team performed today. We executed our game plan perfectly in the first half and showed great resilience when Kryvbas increased the pressure after the break. Yaroslav [Shevchenko] took his chance brilliantly, but this was truly a collective effort. The early season points are crucial as we aim to improve on last season's performance. We're taking one match at a time, but I believe we're building something special here in Kovalivka."

Patrick van Leeuwen, Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih head coach:

"We're naturally disappointed with the result. We had opportunities to take something from this match, especially in the second half when we showed much more urgency. The goal we scored gave us momentum, but unfortunately, we couldn't find an equalizer. Kolos defended well and took their chances. We'll analyze what went wrong and make the necessary improvements for our next fixture."

Mykyta Burda, Kolos Kovalivka defender:

"These three points mean a lot to us. Kryvbas is always a difficult opponent, and we knew we had to be at our best defensively. We've been working hard on our defensive organization, and it paid off today despite conceding. The support from our fans was incredible as always – they're our extra player on the pitch."

Oleksandr Kemkin, Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih midfielder:

"It's a frustrating result because we believed we could get something from this game. We improved significantly in the second half and created enough chances to at least draw the match. Credit to Kolos, they defended well and were clinical with their opportunities. We need to be more consistent throughout the full 90 minutes in our upcoming matches."

Possession: "FK Kolos Kovalivka" 47% - 53% "FK Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih" Shots on Target: "FK Kolos Kovalivka" 5 - 4 "FK Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih" Total Shots: "FK Kolos Kovalivka" 11 - 13 "FK Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih" Corners: "FK Kolos Kovalivka" 4 - 6 "FK Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih" Yellow Cards: "FK Kolos Kovalivka" 2 - 3 "FK Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih" Red Cards: "FK Kolos Kovalivka" 0 - 0 "FK Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih" Fouls: "FK Kolos Kovalivka" 13 - 11 "FK Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih"

Individual Performances:

Yaroslav Shevchenko ("FK Kolos Kovalivka") demonstrated clinical finishing with his goal and maintained an 82% pass completion rate throughout the match. Mykyta Burda was commanding in defense, recording 6 clearances, 2 blocks, and winning 7 aerial duels. Arinald Rrapaj, the 23-year-old talent, created 3 key chances and completed 2 successful dribbles in a promising display.

For "FK Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih", Carlos Paraco was the standout performer with 4 shots, including 2 on target, and completed 27 passes in the final third. Gleiker Mendoza maintained 91% passing accuracy in midfield, while Bakary Konaté won 5 tackles and made 3 interceptions in a solid defensive effort despite the defeat.

The statistical indicators reflect a closely contested match where Kryvbas enjoyed more possession but Kolos demonstrated greater efficiency in front of goal. The hosts' defensive organization proved decisive, as they successfully limited Kryvbas to mostly low-percentage shooting opportunities despite conceding more corners and facing more attacks.

7': Early pressure from "FK Kolos Kovalivka" as Nika Gagnidze fired a warning shot just wide of the post after a well-worked move down the right flank.

23': GOAL! "FK Kolos Kovalivka" 1-0 "FK Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih" - Yaroslav Shevchenko broke the deadlock with a clinical finish after a defensive error from Kryvbas. Shevchenko pounced on a loose ball just inside the penalty area and slotted calmly past the goalkeeper into the bottom corner.

45+2': Half-time: "FK Kolos Kovalivka" 1-0 "FK Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih"

51': Tactical adjustment by Patrick van Leeuwen as Kryvbas shifted to a more attacking 4-3-3 formation, pushing Carlos Rojas further forward to support the attack.

64': GOAL! "FK Kolos Kovalivka" 2-0 "FK Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih" - The hosts doubled their advantage through a well-executed counter-attack, finished off by Elias Telles after being set up by Artem Husol's pinpoint cross from the right wing.

71': SUBSTITUTION: Daniil Alefirenko made way for Yurii Klymchuk as Ruslan Kostyshyn looked to freshen up his midfield and maintain control of the game.

78': GOAL! "FK Kolos Kovalivka" 2-1 "FK Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih" - The visitors pulled one back through Yehor Tverdokhlib, who headed home powerfully from Oleksandr Kemkin's precise corner delivery, setting up a tense finale.

83': Crucial defensive intervention by Mykyta Burda, who made a goal-saving block to deny Carlos Paraco what seemed a certain equalizer from close range.

90+4': Full-time: "FK Kolos Kovalivka" 2-1 "FK Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih" - Kolos held firm during four minutes of added time to secure all three points in this exciting Premier Liha encounter.

The rivalry between "FK Kolos Kovalivka" and "FK Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih" has intensified in recent seasons, with this latest encounter adding another chapter to their developing Premier Liha history. Prior to this match, the head-to-head record was closely balanced, with Kolos holding a slight advantage of 3 wins to Kryvbas's 2, alongside 2 draws in their previous 7 competitive meetings.

Historically, matches at Stadion Kovalivka have favored the home side, with Kolos now winning 3 of their last 4 home fixtures against Kryvbas. The average goal count in these encounters stands at 2.3 goals per game, consistent with today's result. Interestingly, Kolos has now scored in every home match against Kryvbas, highlighting their attacking prowess when hosting this particular opponent.

Key individual battles shaped the outcome of this match. The duel between Mykyta Burda and Carlos Paraco was particularly fascinating, with Burda largely nullifying the threat of Kryvbas's dangerous forward. In midfield, Arinald Rrapaj's creativity against the defensive work of Bakary Konaté provided an intriguing tactical subplot, while Yaroslav Shevchenko continued his good scoring record against Kryvbas with another crucial goal.

This victory extends Kolos Kovalivka's recent dominance in this fixture to 3 consecutive wins against Kryvbas across all competitions, suggesting a psychological edge has been established. As these teams continue to establish themselves in the Ukrainian Premier Liha, their confrontations are becoming increasingly significant in determining league positions and potential European qualification.

After this significant victory in the opening matches of the 2025/2026 Ukrainian Premier Liha season, "FK Kolos Kovalivka" has climbed to 1st position in the table with 3 points. This early success provides them with a perfect platform to build upon as they aim to establish themselves as credible challengers in Ukraine's top flight. Kostyshyn's men have shown both defensive solidity and attacking prowess that will serve them well throughout the campaign.

Meanwhile, "FK Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih" finds themselves in 5th place following this defeat. Despite the loss, their overall performance suggests they have the quality to compete for European qualification positions this season. Patrick van Leeuwen's side demonstrated good possession football and created several opportunities, indicating that with more clinical finishing, they could still achieve their season objectives.

This early season result gives Kolos Kovalivka a psychological edge in what promises to be a highly competitive Premier Liha campaign. Their ambitions for European qualification appear realistic based on this opening performance, while Kryvbas will need to regroup quickly to maintain contact with the leading pack. With the season just beginning, both teams have ample opportunity to influence their trajectory in the standings, but this initial victory gives Kolos valuable momentum in the early stages of the championship race.