Soccer
• Ukraine lost 0-2 against Iceland on September 5 in Reykjavik as part of the World Cup qualifiers for Europe. In the previous match against Turkey on September 2, Andriy Yarmolenko scored a brace of goals for Ukraine at Metalist Stadium in Kharkiv. Ukraine won the match 2-0 with Yarmolenko scoring in the 18th minute and then again in the 42nd minute. The head coach for Turkey was Mircea Lucescu, a Romanian and former coach for Shakhtar Donetsk. Ukraine is in fourth place in Group I after eight matches played (four wins, two draws and two losses) with 14 points (tied with Turkey). Croatia tops the group with Iceland with 16 points each. Ukraine plays Kosovo on October 6 in Shkoder, Kosovo, and Croatia on October 9 in Kyiv. Other teams in the group, Finland is in fifth place (seven points) and Kosovo is in sixth place with one point. Ukraine won 2-1 against Finland on June 11 at Ratina Stadium in Tampere, Finland. The nine group winners will qualify for a spot in the World Cup, with the eight best runners-up of each group advancing to Round 2 of the preliminary matches, which are set to begin in November. The 2018 World Cup is being hosted by Russia on June 14 through July 15.
• Borussia Dortmund has signed Dynamo Kyiv winger Andriy Yarmolenko to a five-year contract worth 30 million euros. “I am very grateful that Dynamo Kyiv has fulfilled my dream of being able to switch to a big European club! I will wiork hard at training sessions to help BVB achieve its highest goals – that’s what I always do,” he said.
• Oleksandr Kucher, a former defender for Shakhtar Donetsk and the Ukrainian National Team, signed a one-year contract with Kayserispor of Turkey. Having played for Shakhtar for 11 years, Kucher, 34, was a free agent this summer. He had played in 167 matches for Shakhtar and scored seven goals.
• Dynamo Kyiv won 1-0 against Shakhtar Donetsk in the second round of the Ukrainian Football Championships. The lone goal was scored in the beginning of the second half by Dieumerci Mbokani. Shakhtar is set to compete in the UEFA Champions League, having secured a spot in the group stage after it won the 2017 Ukrainian Premier League title.
• In the UEFA Women’s Champions League, WFC-2 Kharkiv was eliminated after finishing in third place of Group 2 of the qualifying round after three matches played (one win, one draw and one loss), with four points and 10 goals for and two against. Kharkiv lost 0-1 against CFF Olimpia Cluj (Romania) on August 22, tied 1-1 with Hibernian Ladies FC (Scotland) on August 25, and won 9-0 against Swansea City Ladies (Wales) on August 28. The tournament final stage is to be hosted in Kyiv on May 24, 2018.
• Dynamo Kyiv won 3-1 against the Young Boys (Switzerland) in the third qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League on July 26 at home, but lost 0-2 in the second-leg match on August 2 in Berne. The Young Boys won on away goals after drawing 3-3 on aggregate. Scoring for Dynamo were: Andriy Yarmolenko (15th minute), Dieumerci Mbokani (34th) and Denys Garmash (90+3). Dynamo Kyiv was relegated to the UEFA Europa League and tied 0-0 in an away game against CS Maritimo of Portugal on August 17 (Yevhen Khacheridi got red-carded in the 89th minute) and won 3-1 at home on August 24 in Kyiv to advance to the play-off round. Shakhtar Donetsk secured its spot in the group stage of the UEFA Champions League and has drawn Group F with Manchester City (England), Napoli (Italy) and Feyenoord (the Netherlands). Matches are played in two-leg segments from September 13 through December 6. Shakhtar’s home matches are played at Metalist Stadium in Kharkiv.
• Ukraine’s Oleksandriya advanced to the play-off round of the UEFA Europa League after it won 1-0 on aggregate against Astra of Romania (0-0 on July 27 and 1-0 on August 3). Olimpik Donetsk lost 1-3 on aggregate against Greece’s PAOK (1-1 on July 27 and 0-2 on August 3) in the third qualifying round and was eliminated from the competition. Oleksandriya tied 1-1 against BATE Borisov of Belarus on August 17 and Oleksandriya lost 1-2 on August 23 and was eliminated after losing 2-3 on aggregate. Zorya Luhansk secured its spot in the group stage based on its performance in the previous season. Dynamo Kyiv has drawn Group B with the Young Boys (Switzerland), Partizan (Serbia) and Akenderbeu (Albania); Zorya has drawn Group J with Athletic Madrid (Spain), Hertha (Germany) and Ostersund (Sweden). Matches are played in two-leg segments on September 14 through December 7 (Zorya’s home matches are played in Lviv).
• Ukraine lost 0-1 against Malta in an international friendly match on June 6 at UPC Arena in Graz, Austria. Malta scored in the 14th minute with a header by Zach Muscat.
• Alyaksandr Khatsevich, who was a former player of the Dynamko Kyiv soccer club, was appointed as Dynamo’s head coach. Khatsevich is contracted for two years and brings with him experience playing for the Belarus National Team. Other former Dynamo players joining the staff are Maksym Shatskykh, Oleh Luzhny and Mykhailo Mykhailov. Born in Minsk on October 19, 1973, Khatsevich began to play soccer for Minsk Dynamo until he moved to Kyiv in 1996 and continued with the Ukrainian club until 2004. While Khatsevich was with Dynamo Kyiv, the club won seven championships for Dynamo and was a four-time winner of the Ukrainian Cup. He then played for Chinese Tianjin Teda and the Latvian club Ventu before ending his playing career with his native club, Dynamo Minsk. Khatsevich’s coaching career began in 2007 with Dynamo Minsk, coaching the U-18 national team of Belarus, and FC Vitebsk. He also worked as assistant coach of the Ukrainian National Team from February 2010 to April 2011. In 2010 he headed the youth team of Dynamo Kyiv and in 2013 led Dynamo-2. Khatsevich comes to Ukraine following his 2014-2016 stint as head coach of the National Team of Belarus.
• Ukraine has drawn Group L in the Philadelphia International Unity Cup. This year, 48 teams will compete. Also in Group L are Brazil, Ghana and Panama. Ukraine plays against Brazil on September 8, against Ghana on September 16 and against Panama on September 23 at Ramp Playground. The knockout rounds begin on October 7 with the final to be played on November 11 at Lincoln Financial Field.
Tennis
• At the U.S. Open in Flushing Meadows, New York, on August 28 through September 10, Alexandr Dolgopolov lost 2-6, 4-6, 1-6 in the fourth round against Rafael Nadal of Spain. Lesia Tsurenko lost 3-6, 1-6 against Yanina Wickmayer of Belgium in the first round, and Kateryna Kozlova lost 4-6, 4-6 against Anastasija Sevanstova of Latvia in the second round. Elina Svitolina lost 6-7(2-7), 6-1, 4-6 in the fourth round against Madison Keys of the U.S.A.
In women’s doubles, Nadia Kichenok and Anastasia Rodionova of Australia lost 6-4, 2-6, 1-6 in the second round against Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina of Russia. Lyudmyla Kichenok and Barbora Krejcikova of the Czech Republic lost 1-6, 7-5, 2-6 against Lucie Safarova and Barbora Strycova of the Czech Republic in the third round. Kateryna Bondarenko and Chen Liang of China lost 4-6, 2-6 in the first round against Kristie Ahn and Irina Falconi of the U.S.A. Olga Savchuk and Julia Gorges of Germany lost 2-6, 2-6 in the first round against Kiki Bertens of the Netherlands and Johana Larsson of Sweden. In mixed doubles, Olga Savchuk and Artem Sitak of Australia lost 2-6, 2-6 against Abigail Spears of the U.S.A. and Juan Sebastian Cabal of Colombia in the second round.
In girls’ singles, Margaryta Blokhin lost 1-6, 4-6 against Whitney Osuigwe of the U.S.A., Viktoriia Dema lost 3-6, 1-6 against Caty McNally of the U.S.A., and Anna Laguza lost 5-7, 6-7(1-7) against Naho Sato of Japan, all in the first round. Marta Kostyuk lost in the second round 6-7, 2-6 against Elysia Bolton of the U.S.A. In girls’ doubles, Kostyuk and Olga Danilovic of Serbia are in the quarterfinal and will play against the winner of the match between Dema and Mihaela Lorena Marculescu of Romania against Emily Appleton of Great Britain and Emiliana Arango of Colombia. Laguza and Hurricane Tyra Black lost 6-3, 3-6, 11-13 in the first round against Mai Hontama and Anri Nagata (both of Japan) and Blokhin and Viktoriya Morvayova of Slovakia lost 6-4, 3-6, 6-10 against Carson Branstine of Canada and Sofia Sewing of the U.S.A., also in the first round.
• Lesia Tsurenko lost 2-6, 3-6 in the first round against Kirsten Flipkens of Belgium at the Connecticut Open held on August 18-26 in New Haven. In doubles, Olga Savchuk and Raluca Olaru of Romania won 6-1, 6-4 against Lara Arruabarrena of Spain and Arantxa Parra Santonja of Spain. Olaru/Savchuk lost 6-7(3), 3-6 in the quarterfinal against Gabriela Dabrowski of Canada and Yifan Xu of China. Nadiia Kichenok and Anastasia Rodionova of Russia 1-6, 2-6 against Elise Mertens of Belgium and Kristyna Pliskova of the Czech Republic.
• Elina Svitolina lost 5-7, 4-6 against Julia Goerges of Germany of the Western and Southern Open in Cincinnati on August 12-20. In women’s doubles, Lesia Tsurenko and Lyudmyla Kichenok lost 2-6, 5-7 in the third round against Su-Wei Hsieh of Taipei and Monica Niculescu of Romania. Olga Savchuk and Julia Goerges of Germany lost 5-7, 4-6 in the second round against Sania Mirza of India and Shuai Peng of China. In men’s singles, Alexandr Dolgopolov lost 3-6, 6-7(6) in the second round against Nick Kyrgios of Australia.
• Sergiy Stakhovsky returned to the top-100 men’s singles players, as ranked by the ATP. Stakhovsky is ranked in 99th place (jumping 16 spots) after winning the final 6-7(4), 7-6(6), 6-3 against Matteo Berrettini of Italy at the Zavarovalhnica Sava Slovenia Open in Portoroz, Slovenia, on August 7-12. In doubles, Stakhovsky and Adrian Menendez-Maceiras of Spain lost in the quarterfinals 3-6, 6-2, 5-10 against Matteo Berrettini and Flavio Cipolla of Italy.
• Kateryna Kozlova lost 3-6, 1-6 against Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark in the quarterfinal of the Bastad Open tennis tournament in Bastad, Sweden, on July 17-23.
• Sergiy Stakhovsky and Adrian Menendez-Maceiras won in the men’s doubles of the Open Castilla Leon in Segovia, Spain, on July 31 through August 6. In the final, the duo won 4-6, 6-3, 10-7 against Roberto Ortega-Olmedo and David Vega Hernandez of Spain.
• Lesia Tsurenko lost in the quarterfinals 4-6, 3-6 against Madison Keys of the U.S.A. at the WTA Premier tennis tournament in Stanford, Calif., on July 18-24. Kateryna Bondarenko lost 2-6, 2-6 in the round of 16 against Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic. In women’s doubles, Bondarenko was paired with Arina Rodionova of Austria, and lost 6-2, 1-6, 10-12 in the round of 16 against Alize Cornet of France and Alaicja Roskolska of Poland.
• Alexandr Dolgopolov lost 4-6, 4-6 against David Ferrer of Spain in the final of the SkiStar Swedish Open in Bastad, Sweden, on July 17-23.
• Kateryna Kozlova was eliminated 4-6, 0-6 by Jana Cepelova of Slovakia in the semifinal of the Budapest Open on July 10-16, hosted by the International Tennis Federation.
• Ukraine had its share of tennis players represent the country at The Championships, known as Wimbledon, on July 3-16 in London. In women’s singles, Elina Svitolina was eliminated after losing 3-6, 6-7(8) in the round of 16 by Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia; Lesia Tsurenko lost 2-6, 1-6 against Magdalena Rybarikova of Slovakia in the third round. In men’s singles, Sergiy Stakhovsky lost 4-6, 7-6(7), 1-6, 6-7(8) in the second round against Kei Nishikori of Japan; Alexandr Dolgopolov lost 3-6, 0-3 after retiring in the second set against Roger Federer of Switzerland in the first round.
In women’s doubles, Kateryna Bondarenko and Alexandra Krunic of Serbia lost 2-6, 4-6 in the second round against Catherine Bellis of the U.S.A. and Marketa Vondrousova of the Czech Republic; Nadia Kichenok and Olga Savchuk lost 4-6, 4-6 in the second round against Elise Mertens of Belgium and Demi Schuurs of the Netherlands; Lyudmyla Kichenok and Lesia Tsurenko lost 4-6, 2-6 in the third round against Bellis and Vondrousova. In mixed doubles, Lyudmyla Kichenok and Mate Pavic from Croatia lost 3-6, 6-2, 3-6 in the quarterfinal against Marcelo Demoliner of Brazil and Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez of Spain.
In girls’ singles, Marta Kostyuk lost 1-6, 4-6 against Maja Chwalinska of Poland in the second round. In girls’ doubles, Kostyuk and Carson Branstine of Canada lost 2-6, 2-6 in the semifinal against Caty McNally and Whitney Osuigwe of the U.S.A.
• Lesia Tsurenko lost 3-6, 6-4, 4-6 against Heather Watson of Great Britain in the round of 64 at the Aegon International Eastbourne tournament on June 23 through July 1 at the Devonshire Park Lawn Tennis Club in Eastbourne, Great Britain.
• Illya Marchenko was eliminated in the round of 16 after losing 4-6, 6-7(6) against Jay Clark of Great Britain at the Aegon Ikley Trophy tournament on June 19-25 in Ikley, Great Britain. In doubles, Marchenko was paired with Norbert Gombos and lost 3-6, 2-6 in the round of 16 against John Millman and Luke Saville of Australia.
• Elina Svitolina lost 4-6, 6-4, 2-6 against Camila Giorgi of Italy in the round of 16 at the 2017 Aegon Classic Birmingham on June 19-25 at the Edgbaston Priory Club in Birmingham, England
• Lesia Tsurenko lost 3-6, 7-6(0), 2-6 against Anett Kontaveit of Estonia in the semifinal of the RICOH Open International tournament on June 12-18, in ’s-Hertogenbosh, the Netherlands. In women’s doubles, Tsurenko was paired with Varvara Lepchenko of the U.S.A. and lost 2-6, 7-5, 2-10 against Timea Babos of Hungary and Andrea Hlavackova of the Czech Republic in the round of 16. In men’s singles, Alexandr Dolgopolov retired in the third set after losing 6-7(2), 2-4 in the round of 16 against Vasek Pospisil of Canada in the round of 16.
• Sergiy Stakhovsky lost 6-4, 2-6, 6-7(5) against Thomas Fabbiano of Italy in the quarterfinal of the Aegon Open Nottingham on June 12-18 in Nottingham, England. In men’s doubles, Stakhovsky was paired with Marius Copil of Romania and lost 6-7(10), 6-7(5) in the quarterfinal against Marchenko and Konstantin Kravchuk of Russia. Stakhovsky also was eliminated in the quarterfinal round of the Aegon Surbiton Trophy in Surbiton, England, on June 5-11 after losing 5-7, 4-6 against Copil.
• Kateryna Bondarenko lost 2-6, 1-6 in the quarterfinal against Mandy Minella of Luxembourg at the Bol Open tournament in Bol, Croatia, on June 5-11.
• Elina Svitolina lost 6-3, 6-7(8), 0-6 in the women’s singles quarterfinal against Simona Halep of Romania at the Roland Garros (French Open) tournament in Paris on May 22 through June 11. Lesia Tsurenko lost 1-6, 4-6 in the third round against Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia. Kateryna Bondarenko lost 2-6, 5-7 in the first round against Petra Martic of Croatia. In men’s singles, Alexandr Dolgopolov lost 4-6, 6-7(5), 5-7 in the second round against Stan Warwinka of Switzerland, and Sergiy Stakhovsky lost 2-6, 4-6, 6-3, 3-6 in the second round against David Goffin of Belgium.
In women’s doubles, Olga Savchuk and Roluca Olaru of Romania lost 2-6, 1-6 against Yun-Jan Chan of Taipei and Martina Hingis of Switzerland in the quarterfinal; Tsurenko and Bondarenko lost 7-5, 2-6, 3-6 in the first round against Viktorija Golubic of Switzerland and Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic; Lydia and Nadiia Kichenok lost 7-6(9), 2-6, 6-7 (4) in the first round against Ana Konjuh of Croatia and Magda Linette of Poland. In boys’ doubles, Nikita Mashtakov and Marko Miladinovic of Serbia lost 2-6, 2-6 in the first round against Miomir Kecmanovic of Serbia and Sebastian Korda of the U.S.A. In girls’ doubles, Marta Kostyuk and Katarina Zavatska lost in a walkover against Zeel Desai of India and Fernanda Labrana of Chile in the first round.
In girls’ singles, Marta Kostyuk lost 6-3, 6-7(5), 3-6 against Amina Anshba of Russia in the second round; Katarina Zavatska lost 1-6, 4-6 against Tg Pedretti of Brazil in the first round. In boys’ singles, Mashtakov lost 3-6, 2-6 against Michael Vrbensky of the Czech Republic in the first round.
In the men’s under-45 doubles, Andrei Medvedev of Ukraine, paired with Paul Haarhuis of the Netherlands, lost 4-6, 6-3, 8-10 against Sebastian Grosjean and Michael Llorda of France.