Rukh vs Poltava: Overview

In a captivating Ukrainian Premier Liha encounter, FC Rukh Lviv secured a hard-fought 2-1 victory over SK Poltava at the atmospheric Stadion Ukraina on August 1, 2025. The home side demonstrated their tactical superiority under coach Ivan Fedyk's guidance, with Beknaz Almazbekov opening the scoring in the 34th minute with a clinical finish. Poltava equalized through a well-executed counter-attack early in the second half, but Bohdan Slyubyk's 78th-minute winner sent the Lviv faithful into raptures.

The match was played in front of a passionate crowd of approximately 8,000 supporters, creating an electric atmosphere despite the sweltering summer conditions. The stadium erupted when Slyubyk's decisive goal found the net, confirming Rukh's dominance throughout most of the contest.

This crucial victory propels Rukh Lviv up to 9th position in the Premier Liha table, putting them in a promising mid-table position with aspirations of climbing higher as the season progresses. Meanwhile, SK Poltava remain in the relegation zone at 14th place, continuing their difficult start to the campaign. The win extends Rukh's impressive home record this season, where they've now collected 10 points from a possible 15, establishing Stadion Ukraina as something of a fortress in the early stages of the 2025/26 season.

"I'm pleased with how we controlled the match today despite some difficult moments. The team showed character after conceding and maintained our tactical discipline throughout. Bohdan [Slyubyk] took his goal brilliantly, and defensively we were solid apart from that one lapse. There's still room for improvement, but this gives us momentum to build on," remarked Ivan Fedyk, Rukh Lviv's head coach after the match.

"We created chances but ultimately lacked the clinical edge in the final third. Rukh is always a difficult opponent at home, and we paid the price for not taking our opportunities. The players showed good spirit to equalize, but we need to be more consistent throughout the full 90 minutes," admitted Volodymyr Odariuk, SK Poltava's manager.

"The atmosphere was incredible today, and scoring the winner in front of our supporters is an amazing feeling. We've been working hard on our finishing in training, and it paid off today. The coach's tactical plan worked perfectly, and we deserved the three points," stated Bohdan Slyubyk, match-winner for Rukh Lviv.

"Rukh showed why they're so difficult to beat at Stadion Ukraina. Their tactical organization and the performance of their midfield, particularly Almazbekov, was the difference today. Poltava had moments but couldn't sustain pressure consistently enough to deserve more from the match," analyzed former Ukraine international and television pundit Andriy Voronin.

Possession: Rukh Lviv 58% - 42% SK Poltava

Shots (On Target): Rukh Lviv 14 (6) - 9 (4) SK Poltava

Corners: Rukh Lviv 7 - 3 SK Poltava

Fouls: Rukh Lviv 11 - 14 SK Poltava

Yellow Cards: Rukh Lviv 2 (Kholod, Pidgurskyi) - 3 SK Poltava (Marusych, Plakhtyr, Odariuk)

Red Cards: None

Individual Highlights:

• Beknaz Almazbekov (Rukh Lviv): 1 goal, 3 key passes, 91% pass completion
• Bohdan Slyubyk (Rukh Lviv): 1 goal, 4 shots, 2 on target
• Yurii Hereta (Rukh Lviv): 3 saves, 1 high claim
• Baboucarr Faal (Rukh Lviv): 7 successful dribbles, 2 shots
• Maksym Marusych (SK Poltava): 1 assist, 2 key passes
• Dmytro Plakhtyr (SK Poltava): 6 tackles, 3 interceptions

Rukh Lviv's dominance in possession translated to greater attacking output, creating more than double the number of clear-cut chances compared to the visitors. The home side's defensive unit, marshaled by Vitalii Kholod and Ostap Prytula, limited Poltava to mostly speculative efforts from distance, with only 4 shots troubling goalkeeper Hereta.

15': First significant chance falls to Rukh Lviv as Baboucarr Faal's curling effort strikes the post after a swift counter-attack.

34' GOAL! (1-0): Beknaz Almazbekov breaks the deadlock for Rukh Lviv! The midfielder receives a clever pass from Rostyslav Liakh and slots calmly past the Poltava goalkeeper.

45+2': Halftime - Rukh Lviv leading 1-0 and controlling proceedings with disciplined tactical display.

52' GOAL! (1-1): Against the run of play, SK Poltava equalize! A rapid counter-attack concludes with Maksym Marusych delivering a pinpoint cross for their striker to head home from close range.

67': Tactical shift by Ivan Fedyk, adjusting Rukh's formation to 4-3-3 to apply more pressure on Poltava's defense.

78' GOAL! (2-1): Bohdan Slyubyk restores Rukh's lead with a stunning strike from the edge of the box! Andrii Kitela with the assist after intricate build-up play down the right flank.

86': Crucial save by Yurii Hereta, diving full-length to tip Poltava's goal-bound free-kick around the post.

90+4': Full-time whistle confirms Rukh Lviv's 2-1 victory after successfully weathering late pressure from the visitors.

The Rukh Lviv versus SK Poltava fixture has limited historical context, with today's encounter representing only their fourth competitive meeting. The historical record now stands at 3 wins for Rukh Lviv and 1 win for SK Poltava, with the Lviv side clearly establishing dominance in this emerging Ukrainian Premier Liha rivalry.

In their previous three encounters, Rukh had secured 2 victories against Poltava's 1, with no draws recorded between the sides. The aggregate score across all meetings now stands at 8-4 in Rukh's favor, highlighting their superior attacking output in these fixtures. Today's match continued the trend of these teams producing entertaining, goal-filled encounters, with none of their four meetings ending goalless.

The individual battle between Rukh's captain Vitalii Kholod and Poltava's attacking midfielder Maksym Marusych was particularly fascinating throughout the 90 minutes. Despite Marusych providing the assist for Poltava's equalizer, Kholod's defensive organization ultimately helped Rukh secure the victory. Another notable duel occurred on Rukh's right flank, where Yevhenii Pastukh successfully contained Poltava's threatening left winger, limiting his influence after a bright start to the match.

The tactical approach of both sides has remained relatively consistent across their meetings, with Rukh typically dominating possession while Poltava prefer a more counter-attacking style – a pattern that was clearly evident again in today's encounter at Stadion Ukraina.

The victory propels FC Rukh Lviv to 9th position in the Ukrainian Premier Liha with 15 points from 11 matches (4 wins, 3 draws, 4 losses). This mid-table position puts them just 5 points behind the European qualification spots, suggesting a potential push for continental competition remains within reach if they can maintain their recent form. Their home record continues to be their strength, with 10 points collected at Stadion Ukraina so far this season.

SK Poltava remain entrenched in the relegation zone at 14th place with just 8 points from 11 matches (2 wins, 2 draws, 7 losses). With only two teams below them in the 16-team Premier Liha, Poltava are now 4 points from safety and facing an increasingly challenging battle to preserve their top-flight status. Their away form is particularly concerning, having collected only 3 points on their travels this season.

At the top of the table, Dynamo Kyiv and Shakhtar Donetsk continue their traditional dominance, occupying the top two positions with 27 and 25 points respectively. The race for European places remains highly competitive, with just 7 points separating 3rd from 10th position in a tightly contested mid-table battle that Rukh will be hoping to climb further in during the coming weeks.