FC Chernihiv has advanced to the final of the Ukrainian Cup for the 2025/26 season, defeating FC Metalist 1925 Kharkiv in a tense semifinal match that concluded with a penalty shootout.
The first finalist, FC Dynamo Kyiv, secured their place by defeating FC Bukovyna Chernivtsi with a score of 3-0. This will mark Dynamo’s 20th appearance in the Ukrainian Cup final.
Chernihiv reached this stage following a series of victories, including a technical win over FC Kryvbas due to the opponent’s violation of foreign player limits, as well as wins against FC Lisny and FC Feniks-Mariupol in penalty shootouts. For Metalist 1925, this season has been the most successful in the club’s history, as they not only reached the semifinals but are also competing for top positions in the Ukrainian Premier League and a potential spot in European competitions.
Match Overview
- The match in Zhytomyr was delayed for over two hours due to an air raid alert.
- A pivotal moment occurred early in the game when Chernihiv defender Pavlo Shushko fouled Artem Shabanov in the penalty area. Initially shown a yellow card by referee Vitaliy Romanov, the decision was changed to a red card following a VAR review, leaving Chernihiv with ten players by the fifth minute.
- Metalist 1925 scored in the 27th minute when Arevalo connected with a pass from Vladyslav Kalytvintsev. However, the goal was disallowed after VAR confirmed an offside position.
- Despite playing with a numerical disadvantage for most of the match, Chernihiv managed to hold Metalist to a draw in regular time. In the subsequent penalty shootout, Chernihiv proved more accurate than their Premier League rivals.
Ukrainian Cup Semifinal
Metalist 1925 Kharkiv — Chernihiv 0:0 (5:6 on penalties)
Red Card: Shushko, 5′ (Chernihiv)
FC Chernihiv becomes only the second club in Ukrainian Cup history to reach the final while representing the First League, following FC Inhulets Petrove’s achievement in 2019.
The final will see Chernihiv face FC Dynamo Kyiv at the Arena Lviv in Lviv on Wednesday, May 20.
FC Chernihiv has made history by reaching the Ukrainian Cup final after overcoming FC Metalist 1925 in a penalty shootout. They will face FC Dynamo Kyiv, marking a significant achievement for a First League club.