The 1997 Ukrainian Cup final was a football match contested by FC Shakhtar Donetsk and FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk. It was played on 25 May 1997 at the NSC Olimpiyskyi (Olimpiyskyi National Sports Complex) in Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine. The match was the sixth final of the Ukrainian Cup, concluding the 1996‑97 Ukrainian Cup competition.
Match details
| Date | 25 May 1997 |
| Venue | NSC Olimpiyskyi, Kyiv |
| Referee | Serhiy Tatulian (Kyiv) |
| Attendance | 26,000 |
| Weather | 12 °C |
| Final score | Shakhtar Donetsk 1 – 0 Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk |
| Goal scorer | Serhiy Atelkin (Shakhtar) – 36th minute |
| Yellow cards | Two to Shakhtar players (Potskhveria and Hennadiy Orbu) |
Shakhtar secured victory with a solitary goal scored by forward Serhiy Atelkin in the 36th minute. The win marked Shakhtar Donetsk’s first Ukrainian Cup triumph.
Road to the final
Shakhtar Donetsk entered the competition in the round of 16, defeating Metalurh Mariupol (1–3), Zirka‑NIBAS (0–1), and advancing past Vorskla Poltava (0–0, 2–1 on aggregate). In the semi‑finals they overcame CSKA Kyiv (2–1, 3–0) for a 5–1 aggregate win.
FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk also began in the round of 16, beating FC Lviv (2–3), Torpedo Zaporizhia (2–0), and eliminating Chornomorets Odesa (1–0, 3–0 on aggregate). Their semi‑final victory came against Metalurh Zaporizhia (3–0, 2–0), securing a 3–2 aggregate result.
Significance
The 1997 final was the fifth Ukrainian Cup final held in Kyiv. Shakhtar’s triumph added a major domestic trophy to the club’s honors and qualified them for the subsequent season’s European competition. The match is noted for its low attendance relative to the venue’s capacity and the decisive early goal that determined the outcome.
