Livyi Bereh vs Kudrivka: an early UPL survival test neither side can ignore

Livyi Bereh finally get their Ukrainian Premier League season under way on Saturday, August 8, when they host Kudrivka at the Livyi Bereh Arena in Kyiv Oblast. Kick-off is at 15:30, with Dmytro Yevtukhov from Dnipro refereeing and UPL.TV broadcasting live. The hosts were due to open the campaign last weekend, but their first-round fixture against Dynamo Kyiv was postponed because the capital club were involved in European competition. Oleksandr Riabokon's side spent the summer quietly. Five friendlies produced three wins - 4-0 against Kudrivka, 2-1 against Chernihiv and 2-1 against Kharkiv - plus two draws, 1-1 with Viktoriia and 2-2 with Obolon. There has also been a squad refresh: Maksym Mekhaniv, Volodymyr Shvets, Oleksandr Kalinin, Simon Haloyan, Ruslan Dedukh, Andrii Chepurnyi and Yehor Hunichev left, while Denys Ihnatenko, Valerii Bondarenko, Oleh Kryvoruchko, Illia Kvasnytsia and Roman Herysh arrived. The goal is straightforward - establish themselves in the UPL. Matches like this one, against a direct rival, should show whether Riabokon's team are genuinely good enough to cope with the fight. Kudrivka had a similar preparation, testing themselves against five Ukrainian opponents. There were wins over Rebel (2-1), the Kolos reserve team (2-0) and Obolon (1-0), but also defeats to Livyi Bereh (0-4) and Kolos (0-2). After saving their place in the top flight through the relegation playoff against Ahrobiznes, they have essentially rebuilt the squad: ten players left, not counting loanees, and ten came in. The first round was painful. Kudrivka lost 5-1 to Shakhtar Donetsk, scoring from a corner routine and creating one more chance from a set piece, but the champions were a different class. It is far too early to judge Oleksandr Protchenko's side on that game alone, which makes this trip a much better measuring stick. The teams have met four times, with two draws. Kudrivka won the first meeting in the Ukrainian Cup in 2024, 3-2, while Livyi Bereh thrashed their opponents 4-0 in a summer friendly. Bookmakers lean toward the hosts: a Livyi Bereh win in regular time is priced at 2.08, a draw at 3.50 and a Kudrivka win at 3.50. A few useful numbers: Livyi Bereh have gone six UPL matches without a draw - one win and five losses. Kudrivka are winless in seven away league matches, with two draws and five losses, and are also on a five-game run without a draw. Riabokon is starting at his fourth UPL club, having previously coached Borysfen, Obolon and Desna. His teams across those jobs can reach a 60th win or a 100th home goal - they still need two more goals for that milestone. Raymond Ovusu of Kudrivka could make his 50th UPL appearance. Likely lineups - Livyi Bereh: Zhmurko; Kovalenko, Yakymiv, Bondarenko, Sidney; Kvasnytsia, Banada, Shastal, V. Voloshyn, Vorobchak; N. Voloshyn. Kudrivka: Yashkov; Pasich, Serdiuk, Vekliak, Melnychuk; Dumaniuk, Makosso, Smyrnyi; Svitukha, Ovusu, Petriak. Prediction: Livyi Bereh 2-1 Kudrivka.