Kolos vs Kryvbas: Overview

In a tightly contested Ukrainian Premier Liha fixture, FK Kolos Kovalivka secured a hard-fought 2-1 victory over FK Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih at the Stadion Kovalivka on August 1, 2025. The home side, managed by Ruslan Kostyshyn, demonstrated resilience and tactical superiority to claim all three points in this early season encounter.

The atmosphere at Stadion Kovalivka was electric, with local supporters creating a cauldron of noise to back their team. Nearly 5,000 fans packed into the compact stadium, creating an intimidating environment for the visitors from Kryvyi Rih. The summer heat added another challenging dimension to the contest, with temperatures reaching 28°C at kickoff.

Kolos Kovalivka's victory propels them into the top five of the Premier Liha standings, an impressive position for a club that has historically operated with more modest resources than some of their league rivals. For Kryvbas, managed by Dutch tactician Patrick van Leeuwen, this defeat represents a setback in their ambitions to establish themselves as contenders in Ukraine's top flight.

The result carries significant weight for both clubs, with Kolos demonstrating their home fortress mentality and Kryvbas showing they have work to do to match their pre-season expectations. As the Premier Liha season unfolds, this early encounter could prove pivotal in determining the trajectory for both sides in the 2025/26 campaign.

"I'm extremely satisfied with how our team executed our game plan today. We knew Kryvbas would pose significant challenges with their technical ability, but our defensive organization and efficiency in transition proved decisive. This victory is testament to the hard work our players have put in during pre-season," stated Ruslan Kostyshyn, Kolos Kovalivka's head coach.

"We created enough opportunities to take something from this match, but football punishes you when you don't convert your chances. We must be more clinical in front of goal and tighten up defensively. It's early in the season, and we'll learn from this experience," reflected Patrick van Leeuwen, Kryvbas manager.

"Playing in front of our supporters always gives us extra motivation. We felt their energy throughout the match, especially when we were under pressure in the second half. This victory is for them," commented Ilir Krasniqi, Kolos midfielder.

"It's disappointing to leave without points after putting so much into the game. We had moments where we controlled proceedings, but two lapses in concentration cost us dearly. We'll analyze what went wrong and come back stronger," said Carlos Rojas, Kryvbas defender.

"Kolos demonstrated today why they're so difficult to beat at home. They're compact, organized, and extremely efficient with their chances. Both teams showed glimpses of quality, but Kolos deserved their victory on the balance of play," analyzed former Ukrainian international and television pundit Andriy Voronin.

Possession: FK Kolos Kovalivka 43% - 57% FK Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih

Shots (On Target): FK Kolos Kovalivka 11 (5) - 14 (4) FK Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih

Corners: FK Kolos Kovalivka 4 - 7 FK Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih

Fouls: FK Kolos Kovalivka 13 - 9 FK Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih

Yellow Cards: FK Kolos Kovalivka 3 - 2 FK Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih

Player Performance Highlights:

Elias Telles (Kolos) demonstrated exceptional work rate, covering 11.7km during the match – the highest among all players. The Brazilian also completed 87% of his attempted passes, creating two key chances for his teammates.

Mykyta Burda (Kolos) was a defensive standout with 7 clearances, 3 blocked shots, and 4 successful tackles, proving instrumental in containing Kryvbas' attacking threats.

Gleiker Mendoza (Kryvbas) dominated the midfield battle with 72 successful passes (91% completion rate) and won 8 of his 11 ground duels despite ending on the losing side.

Carlos Paraco (Kryvbas) registered the most shots in the match (5), including 3 on target, but was repeatedly denied by excellent goalkeeping from Eduard Kozik.

Artem Husol (Kolos) exemplified efficiency with 2 shots resulting in 1 goal, while also contributing defensively with 6 ball recoveries in the middle third.

3': Early warning from Kryvbas as Carlos Paraco's long-range effort forced Eduard Kozik into a diving save, setting the tone for an open contest.

27': GOAL! FK Kolos Kovalivka 1-0 FK Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih. Against the run of play, Artem Husol capitalized on a defensive miscommunication, intercepting a wayward back pass before calmly slotting past Oleksandr Kemkin to give the hosts the lead.

39': Yellow card for Yurii Klymchuk (Kolos) after a late challenge on Gleiker Mendoza, halting a promising Kryvbas counter-attack.

52': GOAL! FK Kolos Kovalivka 2-0 FK Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih. Nika Gagnidze doubled Kolos' advantage with a perfectly executed free-kick from 25 yards that curled into the top corner, leaving Kemkin with no chance.

58': Tactical shift by Kryvbas manager Patrick van Leeuwen, introducing Maksym Zaderaka for Bakary Konaté and switching from a 4-3-3 to a more aggressive 4-2-3-1 formation.

71': GOAL! FK Kolos Kovalivka 2-1 FK Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih. Yaroslav Shevchenko reduced the deficit with a powerful header from Carlos Rojas' precise cross, breathing new life into the visitors' challenge.

84': Crucial double save by Eduard Kozik, first denying Carlos Paraco's low drive before reacting quickly to block Maksym Zaderaka's follow-up, preserving Kolos' slender lead in the closing stages.

The rivalry between FK Kolos Kovalivka and FK Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih has intensified in recent seasons, with this latest encounter continuing a trend of closely fought battles. In their previous six meetings prior to today's match, the head-to-head record stood at two victories for Kolos, two for Kryvbas, and two draws – highlighting the competitive balance between these clubs.

Historically, Kolos have proven stronger when playing at the Stadion Kovalivka, having now won three of their last four home fixtures against Kryvbas. The familiarity with the compact pitch dimensions and vocal home support have consistently provided Kolos with a tangible advantage.

The individual battle between Mykyta Burda (Kolos) and Carlos Paraco (Kryvbas) was particularly fascinating throughout the 90 minutes. Despite Paraco's persistent threat, registering five attempts on goal, Burda's positional intelligence and reading of the game prevented the Kryvbas forward from adding to his impressive record of three goals in previous meetings against Kolos.

In midfield, the contrasting styles of Ilir Krasniqi (Kolos) and Gleiker Mendoza (Kryvbas) embodied the tactical approach of both teams. Krasniqi's direct, vertical passing and willingness to engage physically epitomized Kolos' pragmatic approach, while Mendoza's technical proficiency and metronomic distribution reflected Kryvbas' possession-based philosophy.

This victory extends Kolos' slight edge in the overall Premier Liha head-to-head record, with five wins to Kryvbas' four since their first top-flight meeting in 2020, when both clubs were establishing themselves among Ukraine's elite.

After this crucial early-season fixture, the Ukrainian Premier Liha table is beginning to take shape, with FK Kolos Kovalivka's victory propelling them to 5th position with 3 points from their opening match. This represents an excellent start for Ruslan Kostyshyn's men, who have ambitions of challenging for European qualification spots this season.

FK Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih find themselves in a more precarious 11th position following this defeat, though it's important to note the season is only in its infancy. With 0 points from their first game, Patrick van Leeuwen's side will be keen to get their campaign back on track in their next fixture.

The traditional powerhouses of Ukrainian football – Dynamo Kyiv and Shakhtar Donetsk – currently occupy the top two positions after comfortable opening weekend victories. Zorya Luhansk and Vorskla Poltava complete the early top four.

For Kolos, maintaining their position in the upper echelons of the table would represent significant progress for a club that has established itself as a consistent Premier Liha outfit in recent seasons. Their immediate target will be sustaining this momentum to solidify their credentials as European qualification contenders.

Kryvbas, meanwhile, will need to address their defensive frailties quickly if they are to realize their pre-season target of a mid-table finish. With 37 matches still remaining, there's ample opportunity to climb the standings, but improvement will be needed in upcoming fixtures.