Results of the third round matches of the National League U-19
Results of the third round of the updated tournament.
The third round gifted us with a plethora of interesting matchups, 26 goals scored, and a fierce lion's derby.
To view the tournament table click here.
Match records and reviews can be found on the official YouTube channel of the competition.
What has changed in the U-19 tournament?
At the end of July, UAF approved the updated format for national and regional U-19 leagues. The reform's vector is to increase the competitiveness of youth competitions so that the composition of participants is formed based on a sports principle and team strength rather than geographical or administrative decisions. Under these conditions, young football players can fully grow. Similar changes have already been implemented in children's and girls' competitions.
National U-19 League. The tournament features 14 teams. The championship is held in two rounds over an "autumn-spring" system.
Regional U-19 League. Clubs and DYSH are distributed into four groups of 8-10 teams based on a territorial principle. In the first stage, teams play two rounds within their own groups. Afterward, the winners of the groups advance to the playoffs: semi-final pairs are determined by a draw, each match consists of two games, and teams that lost in the semi-finals play for third place.
Exchange between leagues. The key idea of the reform is an open sports rotation. A team that finishes 14th in the National League drops down to the Regional League. The winner of the Regional League advances to a higher class — provided they meet the requirements of the regulations and have a professional or semi-professional certificate. Three additional teams get a chance through tie-breaker matches: the second team from RL plays against the 13th team from NL, the third against the 12th, and the fourth against the 11th. Each pair plays two games, with the winner determined by their aggregate score. Thus, every participant in the Regional League has a real sporting path to an elite level.
Semi-professional status. Parallel to the new format, a semi-professional status is introduced for clubs after certification. It allows for labor contracts with players on part-time terms, legally binding relations between the club and player, and protection of investments in young talent development by the club.