On Wednesday, May 20, the Ukrainian Cup 2025/26 concluded with a highly anticipated final in Lviv. The match featured the perennial favorites, Dynamo Kyiv, and the surprising underdog from the First League, FC Chernihiv. According to the official match coverage, Dynamo Kyiv secured the trophy with a 3:1 victory, though the game was far more competitive than the scoreline suggests.
Dynamo controlled the pace from the onset, but Chernihiv’s defense, led by goalkeeper Maksym Tatarenko, stood firm under immense pressure. Dynamo finally broke the deadlock in the 26th minute through captain Vitaliy Buyalskiy, who fired a powerful shot under the crossbar. However, Chernihiv shocked the favorites in the 34th minute when Anatoliy Romanchenko leveled the score with a header following a well-executed free kick by Yehor Shalfeiev.
After a tense first half, the class of the Kyiv side eventually shone through. Buyalskiy completed his brace in the 53rd minute, capitalizing on an assist from Matviy Ponomarenko to regain the lead for his team. The victory was cemented in the 70th minute when legendary winger Andriy Yarmolenko, who had entered as a second-half substitute, linked up with Eduardo Guerrero to net the third goal, extinguishing any hopes of a Chernihiv comeback.
This triumph marks Dynamo Kyiv’s 14th Ukrainian Cup title, keeping them just one trophy behind Shakhtar Donetsk’s record of 15. The match highlighted the grit of lower-league clubs in national tournaments and served as a reminder of the evolving landscape of domestic football. As the season ends, the focus shifts to the upcoming European qualification spots, which are currently being determined based on these final standings. For Dynamo, this win provides a much-needed psychological boost as the team looks to solidify its position in the European arena for the coming cycle.