Denys Ndukwe opened the scoring for "Vorskla" in their crucial 2-1 victory over "Kudrivka" in the first leg of the Ukrainian Premier League promotion playoff. The hard-fought match gives Yuriy Maksymov's squad a slight advantage heading into the second leg as they battle for a place in the 2025/26 UPL season.
"We executed our game plan well today, but this tie is far from over," – coach Maksymov might have noted after the match, with his team taking a slim lead.
The Poltava side took control midway through the first half when Ndukwe found the net in the 23rd minute, giving the visitors a deserved lead. Yevhen Pavliuk doubled their advantage just before halftime, striking in the 39th minute to put "Vorskla" in a commanding position.
Kudrivka refused to go down without a fight, though. The hosts kept pushing and were rewarded when Oleksandr Kozak pulled one back in the 83rd minute, keeping their promotion hopes alive for the return fixture.
Interestingly, according to Statbet analysis, teams winning the first leg of Ukrainian promotion playoffs have historically advanced to the top flight 68% of the time, though one-goal advantages remain the most precarious.
The match saw its share of discipline issues as well, with Kudrivka players Shershen, Potimkov, and Dumanyuk all receiving yellow cards.
Both sides made several substitutions throughout the match as they searched for advantages, with Kudrivka making all five available changes while Vorskla used three of their bench options.
Can Kudrivka overturn this deficit in the second leg, or will Vorskla hold on to secure their place in Ukraine's top football division? The deciding match should be a thriller.
