Two games suspended, one abandoned as Ukraine extends martial law

Premier League games involving FC Obolon Kyiv and FC Shakhtar Donetsk were suspended

FC Zorya came back from a goal down to beat FC Chornomorets Odesa 2-1

Two Ukrainian Premier League games were suspended on Saturday, August 27, and one was abandoned due to air raid sirens, as the country continues to extend martial law amid the ongoing war with Russia.

The game between FC Obolon Kyiv and FC Shakhtar Donetsk in Kyiv was suspended in the 20th minute, while the game between FC Lviv and FC Rukh Lviv in Lviv was abandoned in the 35th minute.

In the game between FC Obolon Kyiv and FC Shakhtar Donetsk, the air raid siren sounded just before the 20-minute mark. The referee immediately stopped the game and the players left the field.

The game between FC Lviv and FC Rukh Lviv was abandoned after the air raid siren sounded for the second time. The first time, the game was stopped for about 10 minutes before resuming.

The only game that was completed on Saturday was between FC Zorya Luhansk and FC Chornomorets Odesa in Zaporizhzhia. FC Zorya came back from a goal down to beat FC Chornomorets Odesa 2-1.

FC Chornomorets Odesa took the lead in the 10th minute through a goal from Serhiy Kravchenko. FC Zorya equalized in the 25th minute through a goal from Allahyar Sayyadmanesh.

FC Zorya got the winning goal in the 65th minute through a goal from Denys Favorov.

The Ukrainian Premier League is set to resume on August 30, with FC Shakhtar Donetsk hosting FC Dynamo Kyiv in Lviv.

Serhiy Shyshchenko, the goalkeeper for FC Obolon Kyiv, spoke about the challenges of playing during wartime

"It's very difficult to play when you know that there is a war going on," Shyshchenko said.

"You have to try to focus on the game, but it's not easy when you can hear the air raid sirens going off."

"We just have to try to stay positive and hope for the best," Shyshchenko added.

Kateryna Monzul, a Ukrainian referee, has been appointed to officiate the UEFA Women's Champions League final

Monzul will be the first Ukrainian woman to referee a UEFA Women's Champions League final.

The final will be played between FC Barcelona and Olympique Lyonnais on May 21, 2023, at the PSV Stadion in Eindhoven, Netherlands.

Monzul has been a FIFA referee since 2014 and has officiated at two Women's World Cups and two Olympic Games.