Oleksandria vs SK Poltava

Oleksandria needed just 45 minutes to effectively settle this contest. The hosts flew out of the blocks and had four goals in the net before the interval — a statement of intent from a side that dropped out of the Ukrainian Premier League via the relegation play-offs just weeks earlier.

Houssein Touati opened the scoring to make it 1-0. Venezuelan forward Bryan Castillo doubled the lead. Artur Andreychyk added a third and Maksym Tretyakov made it 4-0 before Poltava pulled one back before the break, sending the sides in at 4-1.

The second half was more measured. Ostap Prytula restored Oleksandria's four-goal cushion with a fifth, and Poltava managed a late consolation to make the final scoreline 5-2.

Tretyakov's 4-0 goal — the fourth of the first half — effectively ended the contest inside 45 minutes. Poltava's response before the interval made the scoreline slightly more respectable, but Oleksandria's blistering start had already decided the match.

Bryan Castillo — The Venezuelan attacker was among the scorers and looked sharp in his first pre-season run-out. A player Oleksandria will lean on heavily in the First League campaign ahead.

Maksym Tretyakov — Found the net to make it 4-0, capping a dominant first-half display. His movement in the final third caused Poltava's defence consistent problems.

Ostap Prytula — Scored Oleksandria's fifth goal in the second half, maintaining the hosts' intensity after the break.

The 4-1 half-time scoreline tells the story of a one-sided first period. Oleksandria scored four goals through four different players — a spread of scorers that suggests the attacking patterns Sharan is installing are already showing early returns. The 5-2 final score reflects a more even second half, but the damage was done before the interval.

This was Oleksandria's first of five scheduled pre-season friendlies under Sharan, who returned to the club after their relegation from the UPL. Both sides will compete in the Ukrainian First League in 2026/27 after dropping out of the top flight — Poltava finished bottom of the UPL (16th), while Oleksandria lost their relegation play-off against Livyi Bereh.

Oleksandria's next friendly is against Chornomorets Odesa on 4 July, followed by matches against Epitsentr (8 July) and others as their summer training camp continues. SK Poltava will also continue preparations for the First League season, which is expected to begin in late July.

A dominant pre-season opener from Oleksandria, who showed no signs of a relegation hangover. Five different scorers and a 4-1 half-time lead suggest Sharan's side have the attacking depth to compete at the top of the First League. Poltava, who also dropped out of the UPL last season, have work to do before the competitive season begins.