Liam Duckstein
Shakhtar Donetsk arrive in Lviv as the clear quality advantage in this International Club Friendly, ranked 76th in the world compared to Croatian side Gorica sitting at a considerably lower level. The two sides met just over a year ago in this same competition, with Shakhtar edging a narrow 1-0 win. That result tells a story: even when the Ukrainian giants are not at their sharpest, they find a way to grind out results against lower-ranked opposition.
Gorica coach Mario Carevic will be desperate to show improvement after a turbulent recent run, but Shakhtar under Arda Turan carry genuine attacking quality. Keep an eye on the midfield battle — Shakhtar’s ability to control possession through the centre of the pitch is the platform from which most of their attacks are built, and Gorica will need to work extremely hard to disrupt that rhythm. On the other side, Gorica’s most dangerous moments tend to come from transitions, so any lapse in Shakhtar’s defensive concentration could be punished.
Hot stat: Shakhtar Donetsk put five goals past Rudes without reply in their most recent match, underlining the kind of attacking firepower Gorica’s backline will need to contain on Thursday evening.
| 🏆 Tournament: | International Club Friendly 2026 — July Phase |
| 🏟 Venue: | Arena Lviv, Lviv |
| 🗓️ Date: | 23.07.2026 |
| ⏰ Time: | 18:00 CEST |
Gorica vs Shakhtar Donetsk Prediction
Shakhtar Donetsk winning this match is the most logical outcome. Their world ranking advantage is enormous, their year-to-date win rate of 68% dwarfs Gorica’s 41%, and the head-to-head record already favours the Ukrainian side. A Shakhtar win to nil is a market worth exploring given how comfortably they have dispatched weaker opponents this preseason.
Gorica have shown they can compete against modest opposition — their win over Zorya proves that — but they conceded twice to St. Pauli and twice to Rijeka in their most recent outings. Shakhtar’s attacking output this July has been prolific, scoring seven goals across their last two matches combined. Goals from both ends feel unlikely; Gorica’s attack has looked muted against quality sides.
Shakhtar tend to dominate possession, which naturally reduces the number of corners their opponents earn while generating plenty of their own. Gorica commit fouls when pressed high, which hands Shakhtar set-piece opportunities in dangerous areas. That pattern should produce a corner count favouring the Ukrainian side heavily.
| 🔥Hot Tip: | Shakhtar Donetsk to win to nil |
| ⚽Total Goals: | Over 1.5 |
| 💥Both Teams To Score: | No |
| 🎯Total Corners: | Over 7.5 |
Team Analysis
Gorica’s last 30 days tell a mixed story. They picked up two wins but also suffered two defeats, finishing with a 50% win rate across four matches. Their most recent outing ended in a 1-2 loss to St. Pauli, a German second-division side that has been flying in pre-season. Before that, they beat Epitsentr 1-0 and lost 0-2 to Goztepe. The pattern is clear: against sides ranked significantly above them, Gorica struggle to score and concede regularly. Their win over Zorya — a team going through their own turbulent spell — remains their most encouraging recent result, but that came nearly two weeks ago. Over the full season, their 41% win rate across 27 matches reflects a side that competes in the Croatian top flight without threatening the upper echelons. Mario Carevic will set his team up to be organised and compact, but breaking down Shakhtar’s midfield press is a different challenge entirely.
Shakhtar Donetsk have been building momentum throughout this pre-season window. Their most recent result was a dominant 5-0 win over Rudes, a match that showed their attacking depth and clinical edge in front of goal. Before that, they drew 2-2 with Slaven Belupo — a result that came after a period where they had strung together four consecutive wins. Earlier in July they did suffer a 0-1 defeat to Kolos Kovalivka, which remains their only blemish in this pre-season block, but they bounced back decisively. Their 68% annual win rate across 28 matches is the foundation of their confidence. Arda Turan’s side appear to be hitting form at the right moment, and the 5-0 result against Rudes will only sharpen the attacking players’ confidence heading into this fixture.
🚨Check out our dedicated Gorica vs Shakhtar Donetsk stats page for more info.
Gorica. Source: Official Website
TipsGG Match Prediction: Shakhtar Donetsk the Favourite
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Shakhtar Donetsk. Source: Official Website
TipsGG Match Prediction
We predict a Shakhtar Donetsk win, most likely by a margin of two or more goals. The gap in quality between these two clubs is significant, and Shakhtar’s pre-season form — particularly that 5-0 demolition of Rudes — points to a side that is sharp, organised, and hungry for goals. Gorica have not shown the defensive solidity needed to keep a team of Shakhtar’s calibre at bay, and their attacking output against higher-ranked sides has been poor.
The head-to-head record, however slim, also supports Shakhtar. They kept a clean sheet in their only previous meeting, and to be honest, there is little reason to expect a different story here. Gorica’s best hope would be a scrappy set-piece goal early in the match that forces Shakhtar to open up, but even then, the Ukrainian side have the quality to respond. Back Shakhtar to win and keep a clean sheet as your headline bet, with over 1.5 total goals as a safer accompaniment.
