Veres vs Shakhtar Donetsk: Ukrainian Premier League Prediction (17.08.2025)

On Sunday, 17 August at 19:30 WIB, at the Avangard Stadium in Rivne, the local football club Veres will host Shakhtar Donetsk in the third round of the 2025–2026 Ukrainian Premier League. The hosts have lost both of their opening matches in the championship and sit at the bottom of the table, while the visitors have collected four points and are currently third.

In the Veres – Shakhtar Donetsk clash, bookmakers naturally regard the Donetsk side as the clear favourite. Odds are set at 12.50 for a Red-and-Blacks victory, 6.00 for a draw, and 1.24 for an Orange-and-Blacks win. Football experts expect plenty of goals, mainly from the visitors: over 2.5 goals is priced at 1.57, while betting on both teams to score is offered at 2.05.

Veres

Last season, Oleh Shandruk’s team finished ninth in the UPL standings. At the end of the championship, the Red-and-Blacks went on a run of five winless matches. The new campaign also started with two defeats: a 0–1 home loss to Dynamo Kyiv, followed by a 0–1 away defeat to LNZ Cherkasy.

During the off-season, the Rivne club managed to bring in several players from other Ukrainian teams. However, Veres’s squad remains significantly weaker than their upcoming opponent. The only question is how effective a defensive “bus” the Wolves can park this coming Sunday.

Shakhtar Donetsk

In just the second round, the Miners dropped their first points of the current UPL campaign. A 3–3 draw with Karpaty was a real wake-up call for Arda Turan’s men. Few expected such a result after the Orange-and-Blacks had comfortably beaten Beşiktaş in a friendly. While European competition remains a priority, reclaiming the league title is no less important this season.

Shakhtar already have some injury concerns. Eguinaldo picked up a knock last week. The Brazilian, often used as an attacking substitute, is still a key part of the Turkish coach’s rotation plan.

Head-to-Head Statistics

Since 2022, the teams have met seven times, with Shakhtar winning five and the other two ending in draws. In last season’s Ukrainian Premier League, Veres held them to a 1–1 draw at home but suffered a heavy 0–3 defeat away.

Prediction

After the draw with Karpaty, the Miners must take a more serious approach to collecting points in the UPL. The suggested bet is Shakhtar -1.5 handicap at odds of 1.74.