FC Zorya Luhansk

FC Zorya Luhansk, formerly known as FC Zorya Voroshilovgrad and Zorya-MALS [zoˈrʲɑ lʊˈɦɑnʲsʲk]) is a Ukrainian soccer team. Zarya Luhansk is based in the city of Luhansk, Luhansk Region, Ukraine. Due to the war in eastern Ukraine, they play their matches at the Slovutich Arena in Zaporizhzhia.

During its history, the club was named "Metalist", "Dzerzhinets", "Labor reserves" and "Zorya-MALLS". The highest achievement of the team in history was the achievement of the title of the USSR champion in 1972. Twice in 1974 and 1975 "Zorya" played in the finals of the USSR Cup, besides the club three times won the title of the Ukrainian SSR champion. After the collapse of the Soviet Union "Zorya" was in the elite division of Ukrainian football, but because of financial difficulties it was first in the first and then in the second league of the championship of Ukraine. In the season 2006–2007, the team returned to the top league of 2008 - the Premier League, where it is now playing. The highest achievement of the club in the Premier League is 3 place in the season 2016–2017. The home arena of the club is the stadium "Avangard" in Lugansk, but as a result of the war in the east of Ukraine since the season 2014 - 2015 "Zorya" was forced to play at the stadium "Slavutich-Arena" in Zaporozhye . In the season 2016–2017 the team played their games of the League of Europe at the Odessa stadium "Chernomorets". In different years, famous Soviet and Ukrainian players such as Jozef Szabo, Igor Gamula, Alexander Zavarov, Timerlan Huseynov, Anatoliy Kuksiov, played for the team. Oleg Kononov, Gennadiy Zubov, Volodymyr Onishchenko, Oleg Shelayev, Igor Shukhovtsev, Volodymyr Yezersky, Serhiy Andreev, Serhiy Yuran.