Ukraine round-up: Metalurh make their mark

FC Metalurh Donetsk are on target for next season's UEFA Cup after a 3-2 win against FC Metalist Kharkiv.

Third-place challenge
With the top two, FC Shakhtar Donetsk and FC Dynamo Kyiv, in action earlier in the week, third-placed Metalurh came from behind twice to stake boost their hopes of a European place.

Tchoutang stars
Relegation-threatened Metalist took the lead twice but Georgi Demetradze pulled his side level on both occasions before Cameroonian striker Bernard Tchoutang struck to give Metalurh their 15th win of the season.

Dropped points
The Donetsk side now have 49 points and are three points clear of fourth-placed FC Arsenal Kyiv, who dropped points with a 0-0 draw at FC Olexandria. FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk are five points adrift of Metalurh in fifth place with six matches remaining after a 2-0 defeat at FC Illychivets Mariupol.

European situation
With the Ukrainian Cup final being contested between Shakhtar and Dynamo, both of whom look likely to qualify for the UEFA Champions League, an additional UEFA Cup place is likely to be handed to the team that finishes fourth in Ukraine.

Extra place
At the moment, that would mean places in the UEFA Cup for both Metalurh and Arsenal, but with six games still to play, Dnipro still stand a chance of automatic qualification.

Other games
In the weekend's other games, FC Karpaty Lviv came from behind to secure a 2-1 win against FC Chornomorets Odesa with goals from Alexei Suchkov and Taras Kabanov. FC Obolon Kyiv drew 1-1 with FC Tavriya Simferopol, while FC Vorskla Poltava beat FC Metalurh Zaporizhya 2-0.