 | |||
| Full name | Футбольний клуб «Зоря» Луганськ Football Club Zorya Luhansk | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname | Muzhyky (The Men) | ||
| Founded | 5 May 1923; 102 years ago (5 May 1923)[1] | ||
| Ground | Slavutych-Arena,Zaporizhzhia (Avanhard Stadium,Luhansk) | ||
| Capacity | 12,000 | ||
| Owner | Yevhen Heller | ||
| General Director | Ihor Huz (interim)[2] | ||
| Head Coach | Viktor Skrypnyk | ||
| League | Ukrainian Premier League | ||
| 2024–25 | Ukrainian Premier League, 7th of 16 | ||
| Website | fczorya | ||
 Current season | |||
FC Zorya Luhansk (Ukrainian:ФК «Зоря» Луганськ[zoˈrʲɑlʊˈɦɑnʲsʲk]) is aUkrainianfootball team. Zorya Luhansk was based in the city ofLuhansk, Ukraine. However, due to theRusso-Ukrainian War, the team currently plays its games atSlavutych-Arena inZaporizhzhia.
The modern club as a team of masters was established on 10 April 1964 by theFootball 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 theSoviet Top League title. Today, the modern club considers its predecessor the football team of the Luhansk Steam Locomotive Plant[1] (October Revolution Steam Locomotive Plant, todayLuhanskteplovoz) 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 inLuhansk Oblast and one of three Ukrainian football "teams of masters" that won theSoviet Top League. The nameZorya roughly means "dawn" in Ukrainian or more precisely thered skies phenomenon.
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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 theUkrainian 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 theRussischen 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 fromPrague, 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 inKostyantynivka the first regional football league ofDonets 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 ofLuhansk was built a new stadium, possibly "on the personal order" ofVladimir Lenin and later named after him. In 1923 the workers of the Luhansksteam train factory of theOctober 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 createdLuhansk okruha (district) was created. In the final game the collective city team of Luhansk was victorious against their rivals from the city ofSnizhne, 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 fromKadiivka, 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 fromAustria. 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 namedDzerzhynets.[3] The name"Dzerzhynets" derives from the steam locomotive that was produced at thesteam train factoryFD –"Felix Dzerzhinsky".[3] 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 theSoviet 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 inDnipro againstStal Dnipropetrovsk which Dzerzhynets lost 0:1. The goal was scored by Vasyl Hotselyuk.[4] 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).
AfterWorld War II, the club was not revived right away. The city of Luhansk was represented byDynamo Luhansk, while in 1949–1951 there was as well a team of the Luhansk regional party administration "Trudovi Rezervy".[5][6] In 1950Dynamo 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.[7]
In 1948 "Dzerzhynets" was re-established in the lower leagues of the Ukrainian championship.[6] Due to the liquidation of Trudovi Rezervy, Dzerzhynets was allowed to compete among the "mater teams" (Soviet terminology for their professional level).[7] Few players from Trudovi Rezervy joined the factory team.[7] In 1954, Dzerzhynets was transferred under the administration of the Republican Volunteer Society of "Avanhard" which continued its participation in competitions until 1959.[8]
Due to a bleak performance of "Avanhard" in 1957 in the city of Voroshilovhrad, it was revived as another club "Trudovi Rezervy"[7] which this time comprised students from the LeningradTechnicum of Physical Culture and Sports (today College of Physical Culture and Sports of theSaint Petersburg State University).
After the liquidation of Avanhard in 1959, in 1960 in Luhansk the October Revolution (OR) Factory team.[9] was established.
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.[10]
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 theBrazilian Independence Cup (Taça Independência) mid-year. However, onlyVolodymyr Onyshchenko represented the club at theFinal 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 theUkrainian Top League.[11][12][13]
In the season 2005–06 the team won first place in thePersha Liha, and had been promoted to theVyscha Liha. Zorya was one of the original twenty teams to debut forthe first season of theUkrainian Premier League. The team played for five seasons until the1995–96 season in which they finished eighteenth and were sent down to the Persha Liha. Zorya relegated toDruha Liha in 1996–97 season but she returned toPersha Liha in 2003–04 season.
TheWar in Donbas which started in 2014 made the team relocate toZaporizhzhia, as Luhansk was seized by the Russian-backedLuhansk 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 theUEFA Europa League. In the 2016-17Europa League season, Zorya Luhansk played group matches againstFeyenoord,Fenerbahçe, andManchester United.
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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 toZaporizhia.
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.
The oldest stadium in Luhansk is Lenin Stadium, built in 1922, and for long time was the main city stadium.[14]
In March 1951, theVoroshilov Stadium was opened in Luhansk, with a capacity of 7,447 seats.[15] The stadium belonged to the Lokomotiv production associationLuhanskteplovoz. 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 theRussian aggression against Ukraine, in 2014 Zorya relocated toZaporizhia where it plays atSlavutych Arena.
The reserve team of Zorya,Zorya Luhansk Reserves (Ukrainian: ФК «Зоря» Луганськ дубль) are playing in theUkrainian Premier Reserve League.
MediaMix Concept, D & M, Lir, and also Steel Symphony.
| Years[16] | Kit manufacturer | Shirt sponsor |
|---|---|---|
| 2006–07 | Umbro | – |
| 2007–09 | Puma | |
| 2009–10 | dm bank[17] | |
| 2010–11 | Nike | – |
| 2011–15 | Holsten | |
| 2015–17 | – | |
| 2017–21 | Favorite Sport | |
| 2021–22 | Marsbet | |
| 2022–23 | – | |
| 2023– | Puma | – |
Since 1960 thefootball 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 theSoviet 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.
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Note: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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| Administration[20][21] | Coaching[22](senior team) | Coaching[23](U-19 team) |
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Source:[21]
| No. | Name | Playing period | League | Cup | Europe | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Anatoliy Kuksov | 1969–85 | 424 | 89 | 4 | 517 |
| 2 | Yuriy Kolesnikov | 1977–92(w/breaks) | 382 | 81 | 0 | 461 |
| 3 | Oleksandr Tkachenko | 1967–87(w/breaks) | 370 | 33 | 4 | 407 |
| 4 | Oleksandr Zhuravlyov | 1965–79 | 316 | 34 | 2 | 352 |
| 5 | Oleksandr Malyshenko | 1978–96 | 318 | 18 | 0 | 336 |
| 6 | Vitaliy Tarasenko | 1982–90 | 323 | 10 | 0 | 333 |
| 7 | Valeriy Galustov | 1959–68 | 326 | 4 | 0 | 330 |
| 8 | Viktor Kuznetsov | 1968–79 | 272 | 42 | 4 | 318 |
| 9 | Yuriy Yaroshenko | 1982–90 | 304 | 11 | 0 | 315 |
| 10 | Serhiy Yarmolych | 1984–96(w/breaks) | 306 | 5 | 0 | 311 |
| No. | Name | Playing period | League | Cup | Europe | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oleksandr Malyshenko | 1978–96 | 121 | 3 | 0 | 124 |
| 2 | Anatoliy Kuksov | 1969–85 | 89 | 7 | 1 | 97 |
| 3 | Yuriy Kolesnikov | 1977–92(w/breaks) | 81 | 7 | 0 | 88 |
| 4 | Timerlan Guseinov | 1985–93(w/breaks) | 66 | 2 | 0 | 68 |
| 5 | Aleksandr Gulevsky | 1957–61 | 61 | 0 | 0 | 61 |
| 6 | Viktor Kuznetsov | 1968–79 | 40 | 10 | 1 | 51 |
| 7 | Yuriy Yaroshenko | 1982–90 | 47 | 1 | 0 | 48 |
| 8 | Ihor Balaba | 1960–68 | 42 | 2 | 0 | 44 |
| 9 | Yuriy Yeliseyev | 1970–77 | 36 | 7 | 0 | 43 |
| 10 | Yevgeniy Volchenkov | 1961–64 | 40 | 1 | 0 | 41 |
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Volodymyr Mykytyn (2008 – 2021)Last Updated after 2020/21 season[27]
| No. | Name | Nation | Time period | G | W | D | L | GS | GA | Achievement |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vadym Dobizha |  Soviet UnionUkraine | 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 UnionRussia | 1975 and 1978–1979 | 94 | 25 | 30 | 39 | 111 | 143 | 9/16 (1975 and1978 First Division) |
| 6 | Yuriy Rashchupkin | Soviet UnionUkraine | 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 UnionRussia | 1988–1989 | 78 | 34 | 20 | 24 | 119 | 93 | 20/22 (1988 Second Division) |
| 9 | Yevgeny Goryansky | Soviet UnionRussia | 1966–1967 | 74 | 26 | 27 | 21 | 64 | 58 | 16/19 (1967 First Division) |
| 10 | Alexey Vodyagin | Soviet UnionRussia | 1957–1959 | 65 | 29 | 17 | 19 | 95 | 68 | 4/14 (1959 Second Division) |
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.[28]
| Season | Div. | Pos. | Pl. | W | D | L | GS | GA | P | Domestic Cup | Europe | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trudovi Rezervy / Trudovye Rezervy | |||||||||||||
| 1949 | 2nd (Gruppa II. Ukrainskaya Zona) | 15 | 34 | 9 | 6 | 19 | 44 | 59 | 24 | ||||
| 1950 | 3rd (Ukraine) | 1 | 18 | 11 | 4 | 3 | 35 | 18 | 26 | ||||
| 2 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 4 | Final group | |||||
| 1951 | 1 | 18 | 13 | 4 | 1 | 46 | 10 | 30 | |||||
| 6 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 14 | 3 | Final group | |||||
| Original club disbanded in 1951 and revived in 1957 | |||||||||||||
| 1957 | 2nd (Klass B) | 16 | 34 | 6 | 10 | 18 | 18 | 55 | 22 | 1⁄2 finals (Zone) | |||
| 1958 | 6 | 30 | 12 | 10 | 8 | 35 | 26 | 34 | 1⁄4 finals (Zone) | ||||
| 1959 | 4 | 26 | 15 | 3 | 8 | 55 | 31 | 33 | 1⁄2 finals (Zone) | ||||
| 1960 | 3 | 36 | 19 | 9 | 8 | 69 | 40 | 47 | Ukrainian Championship | ||||
| 1961 | 2 | 36 | 22 | 7 | 7 | 56 | 23 | 51 | Ukrainian Championship | ||||
| 4 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | Playoff | |||||
| 1962 | 1 | 24 | 14 | 5 | 5 | 52 | 22 | 33 | 1⁄4 finals (Ukraine) | ||||
| 1 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 22 | 11 | 16 | Champions of Ukraine | |||||
| 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 4 | Promotional playoff; Reorganization | |||||
| 1963 | 2nd (Klass A. Vtoraya gruppa) | 5 | 34 | 15 | 11 | 8 | 41 | 26 | 41 | 1⁄32 finals | |||
| FC Trudovi Rezervy Luhansk merged with amateur SC Zorya Luhansk under name FC Zorya Luhansk | |||||||||||||
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Rank | Team | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 189 | Charleroi | 1501 |
| 190 | Vitesse | 1501 |
| 191 | Zorya Luhansk | 1501 |
| 192 | Hull City | 1498 |
| 193 | Bari | 1498 |
