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Friendlies ClubsSeason 2026

Kolos Kovalivka vs Kolos Kovalivka II

4 July 2026 at 11:00
AI

Kolos Kovalivka beat their reserve side 4-0 in a pre-season friendly on 4 July 2026. Anton Salabay scored twice, with Arinaldo Rrapaj and Oleksandr Demchenko also on target.

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Match Analysis

AI Summary

How it unfolded

The match was agreed between the two clubs as a training-ground workout, with the first team using the opportunity to build fitness ahead of the 2026/27 Ukrainian Premier League campaign. The game was played in four 25-minute periods rather than the traditional two halves, allowing both coaching staffs to rotate heavily.

Anton Salabay struck twice in the first half of the contest to put the senior side in control. The forward's double inside the opening 50 minutes effectively settled the friendly before the break.

After the interval, Arinaldo Rrapaj added a third before Oleksandr Demchenko rounded off the scoring with a fourth, securing a clean sheet for the first-team goalkeepers who shared duties across the four quarters.

The turning point

Salabay's second goal, coming after he had already opened the scoring in the first quarter, gave Kolos a two-goal cushion that the reserve side never looked capable of overturning. The second-string team — set to compete in the Ukrainian Second League (Persha Liha) next season — created few clear chances against a senior defence that changed personnel entirely at the midway point.

Key performers

Anton Salabay (Kolos Kovalivka) — Player of the match. Scored both goals in the first half of the contest, demonstrating sharp finishing in the early stages of pre-season. His movement off the ball caused persistent problems for the Kolos II defence.

Arinaldo Rrapaj (Kolos Kovalivka) — Added the third goal after the interval, continuing his involvement in the second half after the complete XI change at half-time of the match.

Oleksandr Demchenko (Kolos Kovalivka) — Came off the bench in the second half and scored the fourth goal, capping a convincing team performance.

By the numbers — interpreted

The 4-0 scoreline reflects the gulf in experience and quality between a Ukrainian Premier League first team and a reserve side preparing for third-tier football. The four-quarter format — agreed by both coaching staffs — meant both sides used two entirely different XIs, with Kolos fielding a first-half XI of: Pakholyuk, Rukhadze, Honcharenko, Ponyedyelnik, Denysenko, Telles, Ndukve, Salabay, Stankovski, Kane; and a second-half XI of: Morhun, Tsurikov, Khrypchuk, Chelyadin, Demchenko, Husol, Rrapaj, Klymchuk (Takhiri), Kasalla. The fact that the senior team scored twice in each half — regardless of which XI was on the pitch — underscores the depth advantage.

What it means

The match was part of Kolos Kovalivka's summer pre-season preparations under manager Ruslan Kostyshyn. The Ukrainian Premier League side will continue their friendly schedule with a match against Veres on 10 July. Kolos II, meanwhile, are preparing for their debut campaign in the Ukrainian Second League (Persha Liha) after earning promotion.

For the first team, the objective was simple: build match sharpness, give minutes to the full squad, and secure a confidence-building result against familiar opposition. All three boxes were ticked.

Verdict

A straightforward pre-season workout in which the senior side's quality told from the first quarter. Salabay's early double removed any doubt, and the four-quarter format allowed Kostyshyn to give every available outfielder game time. Kolos will face sterner tests — starting with Veres on 10 July — but the fitness-building objective was achieved without complication.

Statistics are for informational purposes only. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

API data: 9 Jul 2026