On May 23-24, the 2025/2026 Ukrainian Handball Cup finals were held in Lviv. Competing for the trophy were “Motor” (Zaporizhzhia), “Odesa”, “Spartak-SHVSM” (Kyiv) and “Donbas”, whose players represent the School of higher sportsmanship in Donetsk oblast.
In the semifinals, the Donetsk region’s athletes faced “Odessa” – the match turned out to be extremely tense and exciting. Regular time ended in a tie – 32:32 – and the winner was decided by a penalty shootout. In the seven-meter throws, the “Donbas” handball players proved to be stronger, winning 3:2.
In the final, “Donbas” faced “Motor.” The Zaporizhzhia team, the undisputed favorite of the national handball competition, confirmed its status and secured a 48:27 victory.
The silver medalists of the 2025/2026 Ukrainian Cup season on the Donbas handball club roster were goalkeepers Oleksandr Sles and Eduard Boyko, as well as field players Vitaliy Psol, Oleksiy Zayets, Oleksandr Misyailo, Oleksandr Zvierkov, Yaroslav Ruban, Volodymyr Kara, Bohdan Kurmaz, Vadym Polishchuk, Vasyl Snigur, Ivan Shylo, Kyrylo Korielov, and coaches Ivan Fuchedzhy, Mykola Sharko and Serhiy Gordiyenko.
Special awards for the best “Donbas” players in the Ukrainian Cup went to the team’s goalkeepers: Oleksandr Sles for the semifinals and Eduard Boyko for the final.
It is worth noting that this Ukrainian Cup “silver” marks the third such achievement in the history of the Donetsk region’s handball team – the previous ones came in 2021 and 2024. In the 2025/2026 season, HC “Donbas” added the silver medals of the national Cup to the bronze medals from the Ukrainian Super League men’s championship.
Photos – Ukrainian Handball Federation