Second League. Today the 2023/2024 season starts: 15 participants will compete for one direct spot

Today, on August 6, the first edition of Ukraine's football competition among Second League teams begins, with 15 participants expressing their desire to take part.

Second League. Today the 2023/2024 season starts: 15 participants will compete for one direct spot

The tournament winner will immediately be promoted to a higher league, and the two teams that finish as runners-up will play transitional matches against the clubs finishing in 16th and 17th places in the first league.

Thus, on August 6, there will be matches between «Sloka 1911» and «Kudryvka», «Kremen-2» and «Chayka», «Niva» and «Zvyahel», «Trostyanets» and «Metallurg-2». The following day will see matches between «Ruh-2» and «Karpaty-2», «VAST» and «Druzhba», and «Locomotiv» and «YUKSA». The opening match of the first round will be between «Real Pharma».

And this is necessary, as already at the start in Vinnytsia, the draw brought together main contenders for victory — «Niva» and «Zvyahel», which were led during the off-season by renowned experts — Yuri Yaroshenko and Yuri Maximov respectively.

Also of interest is the match-up in Stryi between ambitious newcomers «Sloka 1911» and «Kudryvka». In particular, the hosts do not hide their intention to secure a prize place that would give them the right to transitional matches for promotion.