Donbas Mariupol secured a narrow victory away to Avia Grade Constanta, winning 35-34 in the Superliga on 3 October 2026. The result means the visitors remain in sixth place on five points from three games, while the hosts slip further down to seventh with just one point from their opening fixtures. And here's the thing — such margins decide whether a side builds momentum or simply survives.
Avia Grade had been unbeaten in their first three matches, drawing them all, but this was their first defeat. Donbas, meanwhile, extended their unbeaten run to eight across all competitions, with two wins and a draw in the league so far. To be fair, they never got out of second gear, but consistency is what separates contenders from the rest.
Recent form tells a story of tight contests on both sides. Avia Grade's previous outings included two draws against Motor Zaporozhye and comfortable wins over Khmelnytskyi earlier in the season. Donbas Mariupol have been involved in high-scoring affairs, beating Spartak Kyiv on both occasions last month and trading blows with Odesa in May. By then, they had already shown they could finish stronger than their opponents.
Our prediction called for an away victory with 67 per cent confidence, and it came good. The margin was razor-thin, but Donbas managed to hold their nerve when it mattered. Cup football has its own rules, and league matches are often decided by moments rather than sustained dominance.
The standings now show Donbas sitting four points clear of Avia Grade, though both teams have played the same number of games. With only three matches completed, the table goes out of the window in these games — results can shift quickly when every fixture carries equal weight.
