Kudrivka Escapes Bottom Spot With Narrow Win Against Chornomorets
Kudrivka moved out of last place in the Ukrainian Premier League standings following a 1–0 victory over Chornomorets Odesa at the Avanhard Stadium in Rivne, sport.ua reported. Artem Smyrnyi scored the game’s only goal in the 9th minute, capitalizing on a cross from Danyil Svitiuk to head the ball past goalkeeper Francis Anagboso. The win snapped an eight-match run in which Kudrivka had conceded at least one goal in every fixture.
Heading into the 12th-round fixture, Kudrivka carried the league’s weakest defensive record and sat at the foot of the table under coach Protchenko. Chornomorets arrived aiming for consecutive victories after defeating Veres in their previous outing. Chornomorets manager Roman Hryhorchuk kept his starting lineup unchanged from that win, while Protchenko made four alterations to Kudrivka’s side, handing a league debut to goalkeeper Lavuta.
The hosts pressed immediately after kickoff, testing Anagboso through early attempts from Denys Pasich and Andriy Plaksa before Smyrnyi broke the deadlock. Chornomorets sought an instant response when Peter Itong Mba missed high over the crossbar following a pass from Oleksandr Pushkarev. As the match progressed, Kudrivka maintained pressure, with Vladyslav Vekliak forcing a save from Anagboso.
After halftime, Kudrivka dominated territorial play and came close to extending their lead when Plaksa struck the post. Anagboso subsequently made crucial stops against Svitiuk and Samuel Ofori to keep Chornomorets within reach. In the closing stages, Chornomorets mounted sustained pressure, but debutant goalkeeper Lavuta denied multiple one-on-one chances from Bohdan Homa and Samson Iyok, while Mykola Alefirenko also had an effort saved.
In additional time, Chornomorets pushed for an equalizer, but Ofori blocked a goalbound shot from Djibril Djara to preserve the clean sheet. The result temporarily lifts Kudrivka from the bottom of the table, ending a difficult stretch of defensive vulnerabilities.
Upcoming Fixtures for Kudrivka and Chornomorets
Kudrivka will return to action on November 21, when the team faces Kryvbas in the next round of the Ukrainian Premier League. Chornomorets will play their following fixture on November 23, hosting Epitsentr.
