Soccer-Ukraine cancels match after some test positive for coronavirus

Ukraine's top professional soccer league said on Saturday it had cancelled one of its first post-lockdown matches after several players and staff at Karpaty in the western city of Lviv tested positive for the novel coronavirus. The match between Karpaty and Mariupol from the Azov Sea port of Mariupol was supposed to be played on Sunday behind closed doors.

The football authorities did not specify how many players had been affected by the virus and when a rescheduled match may be played. "Those infected were immediately transferred to self-isolation. They had no symptoms," the league said in a statement.

Ukraine's government has started easing restrictions imposed in March to prevent the spread of the virus and allowed sports events to continue if all participants are tested and comply with other safety requirements. The soccer authorities decided to resume competitions in the Premier League and the Cup with no spectators. Two of Ukraine's most famous clubs, Dynamo Kiev and Shakhtar Donetsk, are scheduled to meet on Sunday.

Ukraine has reported 23,304 cases, including 696 deaths from the coronavirus as of May 30.