Referee: Podushkin, Kharkiv
Linesmen: Davydov, Kremenchuk; Matyash, Poltava

Metalurh D 5:0 Zakarpattya Kosyrin 6 (pen.), 24,65, Tkachenko 35, Arakelyan 88 Disljenkovic, Danilov (Romanenko 57), Arakelyan, Bilozor, Bulut, Tkachenko, Sapay, Danylovskiy (Gvozdenovic 72), Fernandes, Kosyrin, Sytnik (Volovik 57) Nad, Kraja, Donets (Buriy 42), Shopin, Shuha, Platon, Ksyonz (Vitoshinskiy 84), Yesin, Yarosh (Nevuche 46), Mykulyak, Babych Bulut 29 Yesin 87 Babych 25

Metalurh scored an early goal by joint efforts of Sapay, Kosyrin and the referee Podushkin. The former received a great diagonal pass and shot from the corner of the six-yard box while the latter decided that Shuha handballed as he blocked the shot. Metalurh top scorer Kosyrin scored from the spot taking the hosts ahead – 1:0.

The highlight of the first half was Tkachenko’s long pass over Zakarpattya central defenders Donets and Kraja to Kosyrin. The forward’s first shot was deflected clear by the keeper but then Kosyrin headed it into the back of the net – 2:0. Just a minute later Kostyantyn Babych made a two-feet sliding tackle against Tkachenko in the midfield and received the red card.

Being reduced to ten men, Zakarpattya could concede the third goal when Kosyrin connected with Sytnik’s cross from the left and Nad had problems saving the shot in the left corner. Then Arakelyan headed the cross from Fernandes across the goal but the linesman signaled offside. Sapay sent the ball in from the right flank but Sytnik didn’t allow Fernandes to head the ball in and it went over the bar. Finally after a long attack by hosts Danylovskiy passed to Tkachenko and the midfielder rifled the ball with his right foot into the left corner from 23 meters – 3:0.

The second half didn’t bring significant changes as Metalurh’s advantage was still overwhelming. Sytnik’s shot from the edge of the area was blocked by Shopin. Kosyrin went one-on-one with Nad after Tkachenko’s pass, rounded the keeper but had to shoot from very sharp angle and hit the sidenetting.

Zakarpattya managed to launch a counterattack in which Shuha was tripped by Danilov near the penalty area. Ksyonz decided to shoot from the free kick and rifled the ball over the bar. Then Platon robbed Tkachenko of the ball, approached the box and shot but Disljenkovic saved his effort. Tkachenko immediately improved after allowing the opponents to create this opportunity and made a great cross from the right flank that Kosyrin headed home from the edge of the six-yard box to increase his goalscoring tally of the season to 16 goals.

After the fourth goal the match became calmer although Fernandes tried to lob the ball over Nad but sent it over. Then the Portuguese could score after Tkachenko’s cross from the left flank but his header missed the empty corner of the goal. Ksyonz and Platon tried to create something for Zakarpattya and the former won a dangerous free kick near the right corner of the penalty area that Disljenkovic turned behind. The final score was established after Tkachenko made another assist, crossing the ball to the edge of the goalkeeping area, and Arakelyan headed it into the near corner – 5:0.

Nikola Kostov, FC Metalurh Donetsk head coach:

— Our players were preparing for this match very seriously because our team is currently too low in the table. We succeeded in scoring an early goal and had the game under control. I congratulate the team for their attitude and personally Kosyrin for his hat-trick. I also wish luck to Zakarpattya and their coach.

— There were many corners in the match. Are you happy with the way your team performed these set pieces?

— Perhaps our opponents studied our set pieces well. It was more important for us to play good. Set pieces can be improved but if we don’t play good it is bad. And we played good today.

Volodymyr Vasyutin, Zakarpattya acting head coach:

— It is difficult to comment on this match as we had five key players injured and unavailable for the game. The psychological situation in the team also wasn’t great although I don’t want to go into details here. Metalurh were stronger than us and made it show to the full.

I also want to say something about the refereeing. They gather us, teach and license us, so let them tell us clearly when there is handballing and when there isn’t. Our defender had his hand clasped to his body and the shot was made from just two meters but the spot kick was awarded just 5 minutes into the game, and later our defender was sent off. Of course it was difficult to play after that.