(ANSA-AFP) - KYIV, AUG 23 - Ukraine on Tuesday launched its
new football season despite Russia's ongoing invasion, in an
apparent attempt to give a morale boost to the war-ravaged
nation. In the first match of the Ukrainian Premier League,
Shakhtar Donetsk drew 0-0 with Metalist 1925 from Kharkiv at the
Olympiysky stadium in Kyiv. In an emotional pre-match ceremony,
the players of both teams and the referees entered the pitch
wrapped in Ukrainian flags and unfurled a banner that read "We
are of the same courage." The Shakhtar players wore T-shirts
with the inscription "Donetsk. Ukraine will win" over their
playing jerseys, while the players of the Kharkiv club wore
similar T-shirts with the inscription "Kharkiv. Ukraine will
win." In addition, Metalist 1925 played the match wearing
T-shirts with the emblem of the Ukraine's Armed Forces instead
of the traditional sponsor logo. After a minute of silence in
memory of the Ukrainians who died as a result of the Russian
invasion, the first symbolic kick of the ball was made by a
Ukrainian soldier. (ANSA-AFP).
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