Viacheslav Koidan broke the deadlock in the 63rd minute as "Chernihiv" defeated "Metalurg" Zaporizhzhia 2-0 in Thursday's promotion playoff second leg, securing their place in Ukraine's First League next season.
The visitors, already holding a comfortable 3-0 advantage from the first match, showed no signs of complacency at "Metalurg's" home ground on June 12. The hosts faced an uphill battle but couldn't find even a consolation goal throughout the 90 minutes.
By the time Maksym Shumylo doubled "Chernihiv's" lead in the 84th minute, the outcome was beyond doubt. The northern Ukrainian side completed an impressive 5-0 aggregate victory, leaving no questions about which team deserved promotion.
"Metalurg" seemed unable to generate any meaningful offense across both legs. The Zaporizhzhia club now faces another season outside the First League after this comprehensive defeat.
Interestingly, despite needing to overturn a three-goal deficit, the home side failed to mount any significant pressure on their opponents. Could the psychological weight of the first-leg result have been too heavy for "Metalurg" to overcome?
With this convincing performance, "Chernihiv" has earned their spot in Ukraine's second tier. The club can now begin preparations for what promises to be a challenging but exciting 2023-24 campaign in the First League.
