Metal Kherson secured a 1-0 win against Polesia II in the Third Round of the First League's Regular Season on Sunday afternoon. The result moves the visitors up to sixth place with ten points from six matches, while the hosts remain rooted to the bottom with just three points.
And here's the thing — the match was decided in the second half, though the turning point came earlier than most expected. M. Bagachanskyi picked up his second yellow card in the 66th minute, leaving Polesia II to finish the game with ten men after a substitution for M. Orikhovskyi in the 61st.
By then, the visitors had already taken the lead. D. Kaydalov's goal in the 72nd minute proved decisive, giving Metal Kherson something to hold onto despite the numerical disadvantage they would later face. The hosts had seen their defender sent off just six minutes before, a shift that changed the complexion of the contest.
To be fair, the game was never particularly open. Yellow cards for Bagachanskyi in the 28th minute and for D. Prykhodko in the 38th set an early tone of caution. A third booking for Y. Karaman in the 53rd minute kept both sides disciplined, with neither team willing to commit too many men forward.
What mattered most was that moment in the 72nd minute. Polesia II had already been reduced to ten men, and the goal came as the visitors were still at full strength. The hosts spent the remainder of the match chasing the game, but could find no way through.
The result leaves Polesia II winless after six games, sitting 14th with three points from three draws and three defeats. Metal Kherson, meanwhile, bounce back from their 1-2 loss to Kulikov on July 26th with a solid away performance that keeps them in the upper half of the table.