The Big Kick Off

Due to the length of the winter break and the national team's failure to make the other important tournament that's happening right now, the Ukrainian football season gets back underway tomorrow night with league winners Shakhtar Donetsk versus cup holders Tavriya Simferopol in the Charity Shield Super Cup, the just about traditional curtain raiser to Shakhtar and Dynamo Kyiv's annual two-horse race for the title.

The Premier League itself kicks off on Friday, with Dynamo away at Obolon if you happen to be in Kiev. Fans of the Persha Liga, now home to Chornomorets Odessa, the country's third biggest club (though Dnipropetrovsk might beg to differ), will have to hang on until the 17th - a full six days after Spain (or Argentina) win the World Cup Final.

UPDATE: Shakhtar are "newly-baked Super Cup of Ukraine Winner", thrashing Tavriya 7-1.