Kyiv's "Dynamo" and Donetsk's "Shakhtar" took their planned three points in the matches of the 8th round. Admittedly, the victories of the Kyivans over Donetsk's "Metalurh" and the miners over the capital's "Arsenal" cannot be called easy. \n \n"Dynamo" - "Metalurh" (Donetsk) - 1:0 \nGoal: Shatskykh 38 \n"Dynamo": Reva, Hioane (Husiev 46), Havranchich, Rodolfo, Nesmachnyi, Husin, Bidnenko (Sablich 79), Peiev, Chernat - Shatskykh, Verpakovskis (Kleber 68) \n"Metalurh" D: Virt - Neziri, H`yuzelov, Lolo, Checher, Bechiri (Busaidi 46), Zotov, Tkachenko (Dzhamarauli 77), Ristich - Demetradze, Mendoza (Stolitsa 66) \n \nThe central match of the entire eighth round was the meeting in Kyiv between "Dynamo" and "Metalurh". It was precisely these two teams that until Friday, September 24, occupied second and third place respectively, having 16 points each in their account. However, if the "metalurhivtsi" came to Kyiv thinking first of all about the match with "Dynamo", then in the heads of the Dynamo players the future confrontation with "Bayer" in the Champions League was already spinning. \n \nYozhef Sabo from the first minutes of the game sent onto the field players who had been given rest to those who would most likely take the field on Tuesday. Both teams did not spoil the spectators with too high speeds and striking attacks. The first dangerous moment was created in the 13th minute. Verpakovskis was brought into a shooting position, who ran away from the defenders and from the corner of the penalty area tried to close in to the minimum distance with the goalkeeper, but Virt played ahead of time, parrying the Dynamo player's shot with his feet. \n \nThe Donetsk side's response was no less dangerous. Only Reva's excellent reaction saved "Dynamo" from a goal after Zotov's shot from the penalty line in the 16th minute. However, after a corner kick, fortune was again on the side of the Kyivans after Checher's header was taken by the crossbar. \n\nSubsequently, the game proceeded in a completely even struggle, true, with a large number of collisions and already in the first 20 minutes of the duel the players of "Metalurh" were shown three yellow cards. The fate of the match was decided in the 38th minute. Havranchich robbed Bechiri near his own penalty area and, having run with the ball almost half the field, passed to Verpakovskis, who from the corner flag crossed into the guests' penalty area, and Maksym Shatskykh after a mistake by Virt and the defenders sent the ball into the free corner of the goal with a header. \n \nAn interesting episode occurred in this game in the 45th minute. After the breakdown of "Dynamo's" attack, the ball was redirected to Demetradze, who at speed was bursting into the penalty area, and the main referee of the match blew the whistle for halftime... I would not like to comment on the referee's actions, but still. In the vast majority of episodes, referees let the team finish playing... There was another example in this match. \n\nIn the second half, the same game took place on the field, but with even lower speeds and with a large number of stoppages. Referee Vitalii Hodulian handed out "mustard plasters" left and right even when the situation did not require it. Which also affected the game. Over the entire match, Hodulian gave two cards to the Dynamo players and six to the Donetsk players. \n\nAs for the chances, in the final 45-minute period both one and the other team should have scored. For "Metalurh", Tkachenko lost a chance, who from eight meters shot straight into Reva's hands, and for the Kyivans Nesmachnyi and Chernat shot dangerously, but Virt saved them. \n\nAlready in the fourth minute (three had been added), referee Hodulian for some reason did not show his principle. The Brazilian forward of "Dynamo", Kleber, was going one-on-one with Virt, but was brought down on the line by Lolo. Such a violation in most cases is also interpreted as a foul of last resort and is punished by expulsion. The dark-skinned legionnaire of "Metalurh" did not even receive a yellow card... The free kick was taken by Havranchich, but again Virt played successfully, parrying this shot. And one more thing. In this moment, Hodulian let the Dynamo players play to the end, although the time had already expired... But the referee knows better, apparently. \n \n"Shakhtar" - "Arsenal" - 3:0 \nGoals: Brandau 64 - from a penalty, Matuzalem 79, Vorobei 89. \n"Shakhtar": Lashtuvka, Stoikan (Batista 68), Berkeuan, Hyubshman, Rats, Tymoshchuk, Duliai, Matuzalem, Vukich (Vorobei 57), Marika (Bielik 73), Brandau. \n"Arsenal": Bazhan, Omelianchuk, Bunevchevich, Pershyn, Kovalchyk, Babich (Kostiuk 66), Nakonechnyi, 21.Mizin, Ibanda (Konovalov 16, Ivanov 50), Rozhon, Anikeiev. \n\nAs for the game of "Shakhtar" with "Arsenal". Lucescu's charges, as is customary for leaders, dominated their opponents throughout the entire game, although, in terms of tension, this match was even more heated in passions on the field than in Kyiv. The main referee showed eight yellow cards, and towards the end of the match, for a second caution, he sent off Bielik, who was too active in conversations with the referee. \n\nThe scoring in the meeting was opened by the players of "Shakhtar" in the 64th minute from a penalty. According to the referee, in this moment an "Arsenal" player handled the ball. Brandau executed the verdict, who opened the score with an accurate shot. The hosts completed the rout of the "Arsenal" players in the 79th and 89th minutes when Matuzalem and Vorobei scored goals. Already in the 96th minute, Anatolii Tymoshchuk scored another goal into "Arsenal's" net, but the assistant referee saw an offside position in this moment. So, 3:0 victory for "Shakhtar". \n