Misplaced Pages

Zorya Luhansk

Full name	Футбольний клуб «Зоря» Луганськ Football Club Zorya Luhansk
Nickname(s)	Muzhyky (The Men)
Founded	5 May 1923; 101 years ago (5 May 1923)
Ground	Slavutych-Arena, Zaporizhzhia (Avanhard Stadium, Luhansk)
Capacity	12,000
Owner	Yevhen Heller
General Director	Ihor Huz (interim)
Head Coach	Mladen Bartulović (interim)
League	Ukrainian Premier League
2023–24	Ukrainian Premier League, 10th of 16
Website	http://zarya-lugansk.com/home.php
Home colours Away colours
Current season

FC Zorya Luhansk (Ukrainian: ФК «Зоря» Луганськ [zoˈrʲɑ lʊˈɦɑnʲsʲk]) is a Ukrainian football team. Zorya Luhansk was based in the city of Luhansk, Ukraine. However, due to the Russo-Ukrainian War, the team currently plays its games at Slavutych-Arena in Zaporizhzhia.

The modern club as a team of masters was established on 10 April 1964 by the Football Federation of the Soviet Union merging the October Revolution Plant (Luhanskteplovoz) sports club Zorya and the Luhansk regional branch of the "Trudovye Rezervy" sports society. In 1972, as Zaria Voroshilovgrad, the club became the first provincial Soviet club to win the Soviet Top League title. Today, the modern club considers its predecessor the football team of the Luhansk Steam Locomotive Plant (October Revolution Steam Locomotive Plant, today Luhanskteplovoz) that was established back in 1923, however due to poor performance of the factory team in the 1950s which played at republican level, the playing record of "Trudovye Rezervy" which played at all-Union level is also considered part of the club's history.

The club is a flagman club in Luhansk Oblast and one of three Ukrainian football "teams of masters" that won the Soviet Top League. The name Zorya roughly means "dawn" in Ukrainian or more precisely the red skies phenomenon.

History

The modern professional team of Zorya Luhansk, during its Soviet period known also as Zaria Voroshilovgrad/Lugansk and for a short period Zorya-MALS, was created in 1964 as the city's team of masters by merging the factory team with another team of masters "Trudovye Rezervy". Before 1964, the factory team played mostly in republican competitions of the Ukrainian SSR.

The history of football in the city of Luhansk begins in the early 20th century.

The first Luhansk team was created in the Russian Empire in 1908 when the workers of the Russischen Maschinenbaugesellschaft Hartmann (today "Luhansk Locomotive") created the "Society of Rational Recreations". One of the disciplines was a game of kickball headed by the Czech specialist Henrich Drževikovski from Prague, who originally was an instructor of gymnastics of the factory's ministerial school. That team played its games and conducted its training on the empty lot near the factory where today the sport hall "Zorya" is located.

The first mention of games involving the Luhansk team dates back to 1911. In 1913 in Kostyantynivka the first regional football league of Donets basin was created. During World War I and the subsequent Soviet and German hostilities, the league was suspended until 1920, by which time the situation in the region had stabilized.

In 1922 in the city of Luhansk was built a new stadium, possibly "on the personal order" of Vladimir Lenin and later named after him. In 1923 the workers of the Luhansk steam train factory of the October Revolution (hence – the club's logo with a locomotive) organized their football team "Metalist" which became the forerunner of today's Zorya. The following year there the championship of the newly created Luhansk okruha (district) was created. In the final game the collective city team of Luhansk was victorious against their rivals from the city of Snizhne, winning the title after extra time 1–0. In 1926, the All-Ukrainian Committee of the Mining Workers' council organized a team of Donbass miners, players from Kadiivka, for a tour in Germany (Weimar Republic). There the Donbass team won four of their eight games. The following year an international game took place in Luhansk, in which the city team was challenged by their rivals from Austria. The Donbas players lost the game.

In 1936 the football teams "Metalist" and "Dynamo" (KGB team) merged to form the united Luhansk city-team which the following year was named Dzerzhynets. The name "Dzerzhynets" derives from the steam locomotive that was produced at the steam train factory FD – "Felix Dzerzhinsky". That year "Dzerzhynets" reached 3rd place in the Ukrainian second league.

In 1937 "Dzerzhynets" won Ukrainian's second league and was promoted to the first. Moreover, it reached the 1/8 final of the Ukrainian Сup and the 1/16 final of the Soviet Cup. The team consisted of the following players: Klad'ko (coach), Hrebenyuk, Svidyns'kyi, Mazanov, Morozov, Krasyuk, Nosko, Movchan, Brovenko, Chernyavs'kyi, Voloschenko, Lokotosh, Sytnikov, Yevdokymov, Myroshnikov, Ishchenko.

In 1938 "Dzerzhynets" became champions of Ukraine after having won 9 games and drawn two. It was thus admitted to all-Union competitions, the 1939 Soviet Football Championship Gruppa B (second tier). It made its debut on Friday, 12 May 1939 in away match in Dnipro against Stal Dnipropetrovsk which Dzerzhynets lost 0:1. The goal was scored by Vasyl Hotselyuk. The team was composed of the following players: Pavlo Svidynskyi (goalkeeper), Mykhailo Sukharev, Semen Myroshnikov, Oleksandr Kulahin, Hryhoriy Nosko (all defenders), Mykola Krasyuk, Artavazd Akopyants (both halfbacks), Kostiantyn Pyrohov, Pyotr Buyanov, Mykola Lokotosh, Petro Yurchenko (all forwards).

Post war revival

After World War II, the club was not revived right away. The city of Luhansk was represented by Dynamo Luhansk, while in 1949–1951 there was as well a team of the Luhansk regional party administration "Trudovi Rezervy". In 1950 Dynamo Luhansk merged into Trudovi Rezervy. In 1951 the chief of Trudovi Rezervy's regional administration, Ivan Lomakin; went on trial and the team was liquidated.

In 1948 "Dzerzhynets" was re-established in the lower leagues of the Ukrainian championship. Due to the liquidation of Trudovi Rezervy, Dzerzhynets was allowed to compete among the "mater teams" (Soviet terminology for their professional level). Few players from Trudovi Rezervy joined the factory team. In 1954, Dzerzhynets was transferred under the administration of the Republican Volunteer Society of "Avanhard" which continued its participation in competitions until 1959.

Due to a bleak performance of "Avanhard" in 1957 in the city of Voroshilovhrad, it was revived as another club "Trudovi Rezervy" which this time comprised students from the Leningrad Technicum of Physical Culture and Sports (today College of Physical Culture and Sports of the Saint Petersburg State University).

After the liquidation of Avanhard in 1959, in 1960 in Luhansk the October Revolution (OR) Factory team. was established.

Modern period

During the already ongoing 1964 season and playing several rounds, on 10 April 1964 the Soviet Football Federation issued its decision about merger of two clubs "Trudovi Rezervy" and OR Factory team (SC Zorya) into FC Zorya Voroshilovhrad.

In 1972 Zorya did not only win its only Soviet championship, but also represented, re-enforced with only three players from other clubs, the USSR at the Brazilian Independence Cup (Taça Independência) mid-year. However, only Volodymyr Onyshchenko represented the club at the Final of the European Football Championship few weeks earlier.

In 1992 the club was acquired by a Moscow Science-Production Association "MALS" and participated in the competition of the Ukrainian Top League.

In the season 2005–06 the team won first place in the Persha Liha, and had been promoted to the Vyscha Liha. Zorya was one of the original twenty teams to debut for the first season of the Ukrainian Premier League. The team played for five seasons until the 1995–96 season in which they finished eighteenth and were sent down to the Persha Liha. Zorya relegated to Druha Liha in 1996–97 season but she returned to Persha Liha in 2003–04 season.

The War in Donbas which started in 2014 made the team relocate to Zaporizhzhia, as Luhansk was seized by the Russian-backed Luhansk People's Republic forces. In 2016 the team had advanced sufficiently in the standings that they were involved in the European wide play-offs in the UEFA Europa League. In the 2016-17 Europa League season, Zorya Luhansk played group matches against Feyenoord, Fenerbahçe, and Manchester United.

Names

Predecessors

• 1923–35: FC Metallist Lugansk (city was renamed to Voroshilovgrad in 1935)
• 1936–40: FC Dzerzhinets Voroshilovgrad (dissolved due to the war; named after Felix Dzerzhinsky)
• 1948–53: FC Dzerzhinets Voroshilovgrad (team transferred under Avanhard sports society)
• 1953–59: FC Avangard Voroshilovgrad (reorganized, city was renamed to Lugansk in 1958)

Trudovi Rezervy

• 1949–51: Trudovye Rezervy Voroshilovgrad (team liquidated, criminal proceedings)
• 1957–64: Trudovye Rezervy Lugansk (new team; team merged into SC Zorya)

Zorya

• 1960–64: SC Zaria Lugansk (revived as the OR Factory sports club and reorganized)
• 1964–70: FC Zaria Lugansk (merged with Trudovi Rezervy to united football club)
• 1970–90: FC Zaria Voroshilovgrad (city was renamed to Voroshilovgrad in 1970)
• 1990–91: FC Zaria Lugansk (city was renamed back to Lugansk in 1990)
• 1992–96: FC Zorya-MALS Luhansk (renamed with adding of the sponsor name)
• 1996–present: FC Zorya Luhansk (Ukrainian period, modern team)

Colours and badge

The clubs colours are black and white. In 2010 the club adopted own mascot, a black-white cat which after the club's relocation also moved to Zaporizhia.

The club's current badge was adopted after 2010 and was completely redesigned. In early 1990s the club's badge also carried the brand of local company "MALS". Earlier badges had a silhouette of an oncoming locomotive.

Stadium(s)

The oldest stadium in Luhansk is Lenin Stadium, built in 1922, and for long time was the main city stadium.

In March 1951, the Voroshilov Stadium was opened in Luhansk, with a capacity of 7,447 seats. The stadium belonged to the Lokomotiv production association Luhanskteplovoz. In 1961 it was renamed "Avanhard". Since 1962 it became the home for Trudovi Rezervy and later Zorya. In 2000–2002, the stadium was sold and became the property of the city. In 2003, Avanhard was fully renovated.

Following the Russian aggression against Ukraine, in 2014 Zorya relocated to Zaporizhia where it plays at Slavutych Arena.

• Stadion "Avanhard" in Luhansk (2009)
• Slavutych Arena in Zaporizhia (2011)
• Announcement about the 1984 season's game Zoria – Rotor

Reserve team

The reserve team of Zorya, Zorya Luhansk Reserves (Ukrainian: ФК «Зоря» Луганськ дубль) are playing in the Ukrainian Premier Reserve League.

Sponsors

MediaMix Concept, D & M, Lir, and also Steel Symphony.

Football kits and sponsors

Honours

Since 1960 the football championship of the Ukrainian SSR among "teams of masters" was conducted as part of the Class B competitions which at first were second tier and later third tier until completely phased away. Afterwards, Ukrainian football competitions were adopted into one of zones of the Soviet Second League.

Another all-Ukrainian football competitions among "collectives of physical culture" (KFK) were conducted since 1964 that were ongoing until 1991 and sometimes are confused for the actually championship mentioned before. Neither Trudovi rezervy or Zorya played in competitions among collectives of physical culture", but did play in football championship of Ukrainian SSR which until 1959 was not considered as a competition among teams of masters.

Domestic competitions

Soviet Union

• Soviet Top League
  • Winners (1): 1972
• Soviet Cup
  • Runners-up (2): 1974, 1975
• Soviet First League (Class A, Second Group)
  • Winners (2): 1962, 1966
• Soviet Second League
  • Winners (1): 1986
  • Runners-up (1): 1991 (West)
• Ukrainian SSR (parallel competition since 1960, please, refrain from placing it as the Soviet Second League as it not always had the same status)
  • Winners (3): 1938, 1962, 1986
  • Runners-up (1): 1950,

Ukraine

• Ukrainian Cup
  • Runners-up (2): 2015–16, 2020–21
• Ukrainian First League
  • Winners (1): 2005–06
• Ukrainian Second League
  • Winners (1): 2002–03
  • Runners-up (1): 1998–99 (Group C)

Current squad

As of 4 September 2024

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player 1 GK  UKR Oleksandr Saputin 4 DF  AUT Gabriel Eskinja 5 MF  UKR Oleksandr Yatsyk (on loan from Dynamo Kyiv) 7 FW  UKR Denys Antyukh 8 MF  UKR Oleksiy Khakhlyov 9 FW  UKR Artem Slesar (on loan from Dynamo Kyiv) 10 DF  BRA Juninho 11 FW  SEN Alioune Ndour (on loan from Estrela Amadora) 15 MF  UKR Kyrylo Dryshlyuk 16 MF  UKR Vikentiy Voloshyn (on loan from Dynamo Kyiv) 17 FW  UKR Ihor Horbach (on loan from Dynamo Kyiv) 20 DF  UKR Oleksiy Husyev (on loan from Dynamo Kyiv) 21 MF  CRO Jakov Bašić

No. Pos. Nation Player 22 MF  SRB Petar Mićin 23 FW  UKR Vladyslav Supryaha (on loan from Dynamo Kyiv) 25 DF  NGA Christopher Nwaeze 28 FW  UKR Pylyp Budkivskyi 30 GK  UKR Mykyta Turbayevskyi 32 DF  SVN Žan Trontelj 47 DF  UKR Roman Vantukh 53 GK  UKR Dmytro Matsapura 55 DF  BRA Jordan 70 DF  UKR Ihor Kyryukhantsev 77 FW  NGA Benito (on loan from Dynamo Kyiv) 97 MF  UKR Tymur Korablin 99 MF  UKR Vladyslav Vakula

Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player — MF  UKR Ivan Holovkin (at Mynai until 30 June 2025) — MF  UKR Illya Hulko (at Mynai until 30 June 2025)

No. Pos. Nation Player — FW  UKR Vladyslav Buhay (at Metalist 1925 Kharkiv until 30 June 2025) — FW  IRN Shahab Zahedi (at Avispa Fukuoka until 31 December 2024)

Coaches and administration

Presidents and owners

Source:

• 1989–90: Administration Chairman Oleksiy Vintun
• 1990: Club Chairman I. Shyrokyi
• 1990: Club Chairman O. Lyakhov
• 1990–92: President Yuriy Koniayev
• 1992–96: President Volodymyr Tarasenko
• 1996–01: President Dmytro Makarenko
• 2001–02: President Volodymyr Makarov
• 2002–05: President Yuriy Sevastianov
• 2005–07: President Valeriy Shpichka
• 2007–09: President and owner Valeriy Bukayev
• 2009: Owner Marina Bukayeva
  • 2009: President Oleksandr Yehorov
  • 2009: President Manolis Pilavov
• 2009–present: President and owner Yevhen Heller

General directors

• 2009–2020 Serhiy Rafailov
• 2020–2023 Stanislav Ohanov
• Ihor Huz (interim, nachalnik komandy)

Most capped players

Top scoring players

Managers

First team

Reserve team

• Volodymyr Mykytyn (2008 – 2021)

Longest serving coaches

Last Updated after 2020/21 season

No.	Name	Nation	Time period	G	W	D	L	GS	GA	Achievement
1	Vadym Dobizha	Soviet Union  Ukraine	1980–1981 and 1985-1988	259	114	55	90	358	331	10/24 (1987 Second Division)
2	German Zonin	Soviet Union  Russia	1962–1964 and 1969-1972	178	77	62	39	241	149	Champion (1972 First Division)
3	Yuriy Vernydub	Ukraine	2011–2019	141	62	37	42	211	169	3/12 (2016–17 First Division)
4	Anatoliy Kuksov	Ukraine	1990–1993 and 1996	105	52	18	35	154	117	12/20 (1992 First Division)
5	Yuriy Zakharov	Soviet Union  Russia	1975 and 1978–1979	94	25	30	39	111	143	9/16 (1975 and 1978 First Division)
6	Yuriy Rashchupkin	Soviet Union  Ukraine	1982–1983	84	33	20	31	131	119	6/22 (1982 Second Division)
7	Yuriy Koval	Ukraine	2004–2006 and 2009	81	48	18	15	137	55	3/18 (2004–05 Second Division)
8	Anatoly Baidachny	Soviet Union  Russia	1988–1989	78	34	20	24	119	93	20/22 (1988 Second Division)
9	Yevgeny Goryansky	Soviet Union  Russia	1966–1967	74	26	27	21	64	58	16/19 (1967 First Division)
10	Alexey Vodyagin	Soviet Union  Russia	1957–1959	65	29	17	19	95	68	4/14 (1959 Second Division)

League and Cup history

FC Zorya Luhansk spent 14 seasons in the Soviet top tier including the Class A Group One and the Top League (1967–1979). The club managed to become champions of the Soviet Union in 1972. Following dissolution of the Soviet Union, as Ukrainian club Zorya spent 20 seasons in the Ukrainian top tier including the Top League and the Premier League (1992–1996 and 2006–present).

The statistics is based on information from the club's official website.

Metalist, Dzerzhinets, Avanhard, Zorya

Soviet Union

Ukraine

Trudovi Rezervy

European record

Season	Competition	Round	Opponent	Home	Away	Aggregate	Qual.
1973–74	European Cup	1R	APOEL	2–0	1–0	3–0
		2R	Spartak Trnava	0–1	0–0	0–1
2014–15	UEFA Europa League	2Q	Laçi	2–1	3–0	5–1
		3Q	Molde	1–1	2–1	3–2
		PO	Feyenoord	1–1	3–4	4–5
2015–16	UEFA Europa League	3Q	Charleroi	3–0	2–0	5–0
		PO	Legia Warsaw	0–1	2–3	2–4
2016–17	UEFA Europa League	Group A	Manchester United	0–2	0–1	4th
			Fenerbahçe	1–1	0–2
			Feyenoord	1–1	0–1
2017–18	UEFA Europa League	Group J	Athletic Bilbao	0–2	1–0	3rd
			Hertha	2–1	0–2
			Östersund	0–2	0–2
2018–19	UEFA Europa League	3Q	Braga	1–1	2–2	3–3
		PO	Leipzig	0–0	2–3	2–3
2019–20	UEFA Europa League	2Q	Budućnost Podgorica	1–0	3–1	4–1
		3Q	CSKA Sofia	1–0	1–1	2–1
		PO	Espanyol	2–2	1–3	3–5
2020–21	UEFA Europa League	Group G	Braga	1–2	0–2	3rd
			Leicester City	1–0	0–3
			AEK Athens	1–4	3–0
2021–22	UEFA Europa League	PO	Rapid Wien	2–3	0–3	2–6
	UEFA Europa Conference League	Group C	Roma	0–3	0–4	3rd
			CSKA Sofia	2–0	1–0
			Bodø/Glimt	1–1	1–3
2022–23	UEFA Europa Conference League	3Q	Universitatea Craiova	1–0	0–3	1–3
2023–24	UEFA Europa League	PO	Slavia Prague	2–1	0–2	2–3
	UEFA Europa Conference League	Group B	Gent	1–1	1–4|	3rd
			Maccabi Tel Aviv	1–3	2–3
			Breiðablik	4–0	1–0

Notes

• 1R: First round
• 2R: Second round
• 2Q: Second qualifying round
• 3Q: Third qualifying round
• PO: Play-off round

UEFA club coefficient ranking

As of 18 September 2023

Rank	Team	Points
102	Köln	6.000
103	Hoffenheim	12.000
104	Zorya Luhansk	13.500
105	Wolfsberg	13.500
106	Maccabi Haifa	13.000

Football Club Elo ranking

As of 14 June 2023

Rank	Team	Points
189	Charleroi	1501
190	Vitesse	1501
191	Zorya Luhansk	1501
192	Hull City	1498
193	Bari	1498

Notes

1. Both wins came when the tier was called as Class A, Second Group.
2. ^ as Trudovi Rezervy
3. ^ as the Champion of Ukraine

References

1. ^ The UPL collective congratulates "Zorya" with its Day of Establishment (Колектив УПЛ вітає «Зорю» з Днем заснування!). Ukrainian Premier League. 5 May 2021
2. ^ Оганов в Грузии, но все еще при деле: кто на самом деле генеральный директор Зари Archived September 2, 2023, at the Wayback Machine. fanday.net. 17 January 2023
3. ^ Luhansk football Archived June 17, 2012, at the Wayback Machine at the Our Luhansk football portal.
4. Протокол матча: май - Пятница, 12. Мая 1939 - 00:00. www.football.lg.ua
5. The first Trudovi Rezervy. Luhansk Our Football.
6. ^ 1944-1950. Zarya Lugansk fansite.
7. ^ 1951-1960. Zarya Lugansk fansite.
8. Avanhard Voroshilovhrad. Luhansk Our Football.
9. 1958-1960. Zarya Lugansk fansite
10. 1963-1964. Zarya Lugansk fansite.
11. Slyvka, K. "What Geller is still doing for Akhmetov (Що досі робить Геллер для Ахметова)". Depo. 23 September 2015
12. «Зоря» (Луганськ): представляємо суперника Archived January 21, 2023, at the Wayback Machine. fcdynamo.com. Accessed 21 January 2023
13. Сьогодні кропивницька “Зірка” приймає вдома луганську “Зорю”. Представляємо суперника Archived January 21, 2023, at the Wayback Machine. persha.kr.ua. Accessed 21 January 2023
14. The Lenin's Stadium (СТАДИОН им. В.И. ЛЕНИНА г. ЛУГАНСК) Archived April 9, 2022, at the Wayback Machine. football.lg.ua
15. The Avanhard Stadium (СТАДИОН "АВАНГАРД" г. ЛУГАНСК) Archived April 9, 2022, at the Wayback Machine. football.lg.ua
16. Jerseys of Ukrainian clubs Archived September 25, 2013, at the Wayback Machine
17. "Äèàïàçîí-Ìàêñèìóì Áàíê – Òîï-8 áàíêîâ ñ ðàçäóòûìè àêòèâàìè – Áèçíåñ – Forbes Óêðàèíà". Forbes.ua. Archived from the original on February 15, 2015. Retrieved February 15, 2015.
18. "Официальный сайт ФК "Заря" Луганск". Archived from the original on August 8, 2017. Retrieved September 25, 2017.
19. "Zorya". Archived from the original on July 12, 2019. Retrieved August 12, 2022.
20. "Официальный сайт ФК "Заря" - Луганск". Archived from the original on June 14, 2016. Retrieved June 19, 2016.
21. ^ "Менеджмент". Archived from the original on June 19, 2016.
22. "Официальный сайт ФК "Заря" - Луганск". Archived from the original on February 28, 2020. Retrieved March 15, 2020.
23. "Официальный сайт ФК "Заря" - Луганск". Archived from the original on November 17, 2020. Retrieved December 11, 2020.
24. Экс-гендиректора Зари Рафаилова подозревают в неуплате налогов на колоссальную сумму: он скрывается в россии Archived September 2, 2023, at the Wayback Machine. fanday.net. 4 July 2023
25. Рафаилов: Однажды сложились с Вернидубом деньгами и оплатили сборы Зари в Турции Archived September 2, 2023, at the Wayback Machine. football.ua. 5 January 2021
26. Кому официально принадлежат украинские клубы Archived September 2, 2023, at the Wayback Machine. ukrrudprom.com. 12 November 2021
27. Head coaches (Главные тренеры) Archived September 27, 2020, at the Wayback Machine. www.zarya.lg.ua
28. Club's history. Zorya website.
29. UEFA.com. "Member associations – UEFA Coefficients – Club coefficients". UEFA. Archived from the original on June 12, 2023. Retrieved September 19, 2023.
30. clubelo.com. "Football Club Elo Ratings". ClubElo. Archived from the original on September 27, 2023. Retrieved September 23, 2023.

External links

• Official website
• Fan website
• (in Russian) zarya.lg.ua – Information site of fans of FC Zarya Lugansk
• (in Russian) Unofficial website
• (in Ukrainian) "Zorya" (Dawn) of the football Luhansk-land Archived October 14, 2012, at the Wayback Machine – Information about football in Luhansk Oblast on Football Federation of Ukraine website
• (in Russian) Luhansk Our Football. Statistics, historical trivia, regional competitions overview

• FC Zorya Luhansk
• Association football clubs established in 1923
• 1923 establishments in Ukraine
• Soviet Top League clubs
• Ukrainian Premier League clubs
• Football clubs in Luhansk
• Football clubs in the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic
• Avanhard (sports society)
• Manufacturing association football clubs in Ukraine
• Sports team and club relocations