Champions League Play-off: X-ray of the Dinamo Kiev-Benfica

Benfica will face Dynamo Kyiv in Poland, Lodz, this Wednesday, August 17, at 8 pm, in the 1st leg of the Champions League play-off.

Without domestic competition since December 12, 2021, first due to the winter break and then due to the Ukrainian League suspension, decreed because of the Russian invasion on February 24, Dynamo Kyiv reached the qualification for the UCL qualifying stages being second in the League by the time of the interruption, two points behind the leader Shakhtar Donetsk.

Since then, the team led by Mircea Lucescu lost a couple of athletes, the foreigners predominantly: Sidcley, Eric Ramírez, Shkurin, Carlos Peña, Gerson Rodrigues and Vitinho. While the Polish right-back Kedziora stayed on the team, the Slovenian winger Verbic, also left the club after the clash against Fenerbahçe in the 2^nd qualifying round, joining Panathinaikos.

Nevertheless, Dynamo Kyiv kept the team’s core, composed by group of players coming from the academy and whose knowledge is an added value, many of them are Ukrainian internationals, just like Karavayev, Zabarny, Sydorchuk, Shaparenko or Tsygankov.

In Lodz, to face Dynamo, there will be a Benfica with four victories in the first four official matches so far, against Midtjylland (4-1 and 1-3), Arouca (4-0) and Casa Pia (0-1).

WHAT WE HAVE SEEN IN 2022/23

Dynamo Kyiv started the season in the UCL 2^nd qualifying round against Fenerbahçe. In the 1^st leg, in Lodz, with 4x4x2 formation (Bushchan, Kedziora, Popov, Zabarnyi, Dubinchak, Sydorchuk, Shaparenko, Tsygankov, Verbic, Buyalski and Biesedin), a 0-0 draw.

In the 2^nd leg, in Istanbul, with the same line-up, the Ukrainians were more dangerous, and managed to lead the game until minute 89 (goal by Buyalsky), when the Turkish scored the equalizer. In the extra time, Karavaev scored the 1-2 and scheduled encounter with Sturm Graz in the 3^rd round.

In Lodz, in the 1^st leg, with only one change in the starting XI, Shepelev replaced Verbic, the men led by Mircea Lucescu beat the Austrians by 1-0. Karavaev scored the only goal.

In Austria, in Graz, Rasmus Höjlund scored the only goal for Sturm Graz to force the extra time. Vivcharenko and Tsygankov would reach the comeback in the game for Dynamo (1-2) and the qualification.

BENFICA AND DYNAMO KYIV: SIX MATCHES TO REMEMBER