Kryvbas KR vs Inhulets

Kryvbas took the lead in the 19th minute when Andrusv Araujo intercepted a mistake by Inhulets goalkeeper Oleksiy Slutsky and laid the ball off to Yaroslav Shevchenko, who cut inside and fired into the far corner from inside the box.

The lead lasted only seven minutes. Referee Anatoliy Ukhov pointed to the spot and Artem Benedyuk equalised with a Panenka penalty straight down the middle — 1-1 in the 26th minute.

Inhulets struck decisively early in the second half. In the 48th minute, Kryvbas lost possession in midfield and the visitors swept forward, with Yevgeniy Profatylo finishing from close range to make it 2-1.

Profatylo's 48th-minute goal came inside a chaotic period when Kryvbas head coach Patrick van Leeuwen had just introduced an entirely fresh outfield XI at half-time. The defensive disorganisation from the wholesale changes — nine substitutions at the interval — cost Kryvbas dearly as Inhulets pounced on a midfield turnover and converted within three minutes of the restart.

Van Leeuwen made 11 substitutions in total across the second half, including handing a debut to a trialist (Giovanni Herbert) and introducing U-19 players Yegor Sotnikov and Timur Butenko.

Yevgeniy Profatylo (Inhulets) — The young striker scored the decisive goal just after half-time and troubled the Kryvbas defence with his movement throughout the second period. Clear player of the match.

Yaroslav Shevchenko (Kryvbas KR) — Scored the opener with a composed finish and looked sharp before being substituted at half-time along with the rest of the starting XI.

Artem Benedyuk (Inhulets) — Held his nerve to convert the equalising penalty with a Panenka and anchored Inhulets' midfield display.

Andrusv Araujo (Kryvbas KR) — The Brazilian created the opening goal by forcing Slutsky's error and provided a creative spark in the first half.

The provider payload recorded the final score (1-2) but did not publish detailed statistics such as possession, shots or xG — standard for a behind-closed-doors pre-season friendly with no broadcast. The match was played in a closed format without spectators, as confirmed by FC Kryvbas.

The narrative tells the story: Kryvbas started brightly and scored first, but Inhulets grew into the game, equalised before half-time and struck early in the second period. Van Leeuwen's decision to change all 10 outfield players at the break disrupted any rhythm, and Inhulets capitalised.

This was the first pre-season friendly of summer 2026 for both Ukrainian sides. Kryvbas (Ukrainian Premier League, finished 7th in 2025/26 with 48 points) will continue their preparation with a friendly against Chornomorets Odesa on 1 July before departing for a training camp in the Netherlands.

Inhulets (Ukrainian First League, finished 5th in 2025/26) opened their pre-season campaign with an impressive away victory against top-tier opposition. The result will boost confidence under head coach Vasyl Kobin as they build towards the new First League season.

A typical early pre-season friendly: Kryvbas dominated the opening phase, lost cohesion after wholesale half-time substitutions, and were punished by a well-organised Inhulets side that struck at the right moments. For betting purposes, the result carries limited predictive value given the experimental lineups, but Inhulets' discipline and clinical edge deserve noting.