Alexandria vs Shakhtar: prediction, head-to-head and probable lineups – March 6, 2026
One of the matches of the 19th round of the Ukrainian Premier League will be played on Friday in Alexandria at the Nika Stadium, where the local Alexandria side will host Donetsk's Shakhtar. Let's break down the possible outcome of this encounter, where the league leader will look to strengthen its position in the table against a team fighting to escape the relegation zone.
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Match preview
The season restart has been tense and even controversial for the hosts: their home match against Obolon was canceled due to the condition of the pitch after severe frosts. As a result, after the winter break, the team managed to play just one match – a defeat to Metalist (0:1), extending a disappointing run: in their last ten league games, Alexandria have suffered six defeats and drawn four times.
The situation is further complicated by personnel issues. The team's top assist provider, Serhiy Buletsa, is sidelined with injury, while defender Mykola Oharkov will miss the match due to suspension. Offensively, Alexandria remains one of the weakest sides in the league – just 14 goals in 17 matches and the lowest expected goals tally in the competition.
Shakhtar approach this match as UPL leaders, riding an impressive run of form. Since their only league defeat to LNZ, Arda Turan’s men have gone unbeaten in ten matches, and after the winter break, they confidently dispatched Karpaty (3:0) and edged Veres (1:0).
The Miners are currently without their top scorer, Kauan Elias, but his absence has been covered by Lassina Traoré. The Burkina Faso international striker netted a hat-trick against Karpaty and provided an assist versus Veres, while Shakhtar’s defense remains one of the most reliable in the league – goalkeeper Dmytro Riznyk has already kept 11 clean sheets.
Probable lineups
- Alexandria: Makarenko, Vashchenko, Ferreira, Bol, Butko, Enrique, Amaral, Shostak, Tsara, Jota, Ndiaga Yade.
- Shakhtar: Riznyk, Konoplia, Bondar, Matviyenko, Pedrinho, Gomez, Nazarina, Bondarenko, Pedrinho, Eginayldo, Traoré.
Match facts and head-to-head
- Shakhtar are unbeaten in ten consecutive league matches, with seven wins and three draws in that span.
- The teams faced off three times in 2025, with Donetsk’s side winning all three matches without conceding a goal.
- Alexandria have scored only once in their last five home league matches.
Prediction
The teams come into this game in completely different form. Alexandria are struggling badly in attack and haven't tasted victory for some time, while the loss of Buletsa further diminishes their creativity in midfield. Shakhtar, on the other hand, are showing stability and confidence, especially at the back where errors are rare. With this in mind, the league leaders should be able to control the game and make their class count.
