FC Dynamo Kyiv have confidently defeated FC Metalurh Donetsk in the last Ukrainian Premier League match of the expiring year – 3:0.

Kyivans had to win to go on vacation with their opponents lacking five points behind them. Comparing with the previous game against FC Vorskla Poltava Serhiy Rebrov made only one substitution in the starting lineup – Domagoj Vida featured as left back instead of Mykyta Burda.

Dynamo totally controlled the game (possession – 64% - 36%). Olexandr Shovkovskyi made the first save only 54 minutes into the game.

Meanwhile his colleague Bandura worked throughout 90 minutes. Metalurh started demonstrating defensive football right after the starting whistle. Still the White-Blues had a lot of chances to hit the target more than three times.

Kyivans opened the score 16 minutes into the match. Dieumerci Mbokani headed the ball in after great cross from Jeremain Lens! Congolese striker could have been one of the UPL top strikers but for injury with such play. Still at the moment another Kyivans is among leaders – Andriy Yarmolenko. This time he missed some chances, but scored a fabulous goal! Andriy eluded three defenders and goalkeeper and hit the target!

Nothing changed after the break. Dynamo kept creating opportunities. Eventually Danilo Silva put a low cross into the box and Artem Kravets, who made a substitute appearance, netted the ball.

Thus Kyivans have finished the first part of the season as UPL leaders. The White-Blues conceded one goal in two matches and scored more than two in every game on average.

After the final whistle Dynamo players came up to fans and thanked them for support.

UPL. Matchday 10

05.12.2014. Kyiv. NSC Olimpiyskyi

FC Dynamo Kyiv – FC Metalurh Donetsk – 3:0 (2:0)

Dynamo: Shovkovskyi (C), Vida, Dragović, Khacheridi, Danilo Silva, Rybalka, Miguel, Sydorchuk (Belhanda, 79), Lens (Husiev, 82), Yarmolenko, Mbokani (Kravets, 69).

Metalurh: Bandura (C), Noyok, Checher, Putivtsev, Sobol, Pryima (Ovsepian, 65), Alexandre (Postupalenko, 77), Lazić, Nelson, Moroziuk (Carvalho, 70), Moraes.

Goals: Mbokani (16), Yarmolenko (40), Kravets (82).

Booked: Dragović (8) – Sobol (87).

On December 5 at 19:00 FC Dynamo Kyiv will start the last match of the year 2014 at the NSC Olimpiyskyi.

Our team will face FC Metalurh Donetsk.

Metalurh: far from home, far from Europa League zone

This season Metalurh and other clubs from Donbas have to struggle against non-football problems. The team lives in Irpin, which is not far from Kyiv. They play their home matches at Obolon Arena.

Metalurh have won only two games at this stadium so far – against FC Illichivets Mariupol and against FC Shakhtar Donetsk. Victory against Mircea Lucescu’s men was really sensational. It was the first time Metalurh defeated Shakhtar within the UPL.

In general Volodymyr Piatenko’s men have three victories to their name this season. Still in the previous matchday they achieved another surprising result as they drew against FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk away.

Despite all difficulties Metalurh have ambitious goals this season. Sporting director of the club Vardan Israelian has told about it:

“Atmosphere in the team is good, players are holding on. Of course it’s not easy to go to the training camp, but not home after matches. Still we try not to lose self-confidence even though being far from home is depressing. Anyway our aim is to reach euro cups zone”.

In summer Volodymyr Piatenko (pictured) took charge of the team. He also worked for Metalurh from 2008 till 2012.

One of Donetsk side leaders is Serbian halfback Đorđe Lazić. This season he is the best striker of the team, besides he’s one of four performers, who haven’t missed a single match so far.

Three others are goalkeeper Olexandr Bandura, midfielder Gregory Nelson and defender Viacheslav Checher.

Face-to-face matches statistics

Dynamo have already faced Metalurh 34 times in the UPL. Kyivans won 22 of those matches and lost five. Seven more games ended in a draw. Goal difference is 60:18 for the White-Blues.

In Kyiv Dynamo won 14 games out of 17 and lost one. Goal difference – 35:8.

Last season Kyivans flattened Donetsk side at the NSC Olimpiyskyi 9:1.

Still last time these two sides faced each other Serhiy Rebrov’s men lost.

Last match

2013/2014 UPL. Matchday 27

27.04.2014. Donetsk. Metalurh Stadium. 3,600 spectators

FC Metalurh Donetsk – FC Dynamo Kyiv – 2:1 (0:0)

Goals: Moraes (46, 84) – Kalytvyntsev (74)

Last match at the NSC Olimpiyskyi

2013/2014 UPL. Matchday 12

06.10.2013. Kyiv. NSC Olimpiyskyi. 14,935 spectators

FC Dynamo Kyiv – FC Metalurh Donetsk – 9:1 (2:1)

Goals: Yarmolenko (21, 64), Lens (27, 62), Belhanda (48, 71, 73), Haruna (67), Mbokani (89) – Lazić (40).