On September 15 FC Dynamo Kyiv hosted the Dutch side AZ Alkmaar within the Champions League third qualifying round.
As far as this stage consisted of only one game, only victory was a satisfactory outcome for our team.
It should be mentioned that Mircea Lucescu let 18-year-old defender Illia Zabarnyi be among first eleven although he made his debut for Dynamo only four days before that. Meanwhile Viktor Tsyhankov missed the game due to health issues.
At first the tempo wasn’t high as both sides tried not to make any mistakes. There were no scoring chances for about half an hour, but there were a lot of fouls and two Kyivans were booked – Buialskyi and Rodrigues.
Finally Dynamo earned a free kick on the right side, but de Pena’s attempt wasn’t much of a success. AZ had a decent attack when Gudmundsson found Boadu in a dangerous position, but Bushchan was there for his team.
Buialskyi had a good opportunity after low cross by Kedziora from the right wing, but Vlaar blocked Vitaliy’s shot.
Anyway, shortly after the break the White-Blues opened the score. Buialskyi won the ball in front of AZ penalty area and passed to Rodrigues, who made it 1:0.
After that the game got more intense. Dutch side rushed forward and Kyivans got space. Supriaha didn’t use his chance in one-on-one situation. Later he failed to turn the cross by de Pena into goal. Alkmaar side responded with header by Druijf, but the ball went over the bar. Idrissi missed too. Buialskyi and de Pena also had chances. Long story short, the game got more dynamic and spectacular.
Late in the second half Shaparenko increased Dynamo lead. Rodrigues found Kedziora in the right wing, Tomasz put a cross into the box, AZ keeper barely reached it and Shaparenko headed it in. Right after that visitors could pull one back, but Bushchan performed incredible save after de Wit’s strike point blank.
So, it’s 2:0 and Dynamo reach the Champions League qualification play-off round. They’ll face Belgian side KAA Gent at this stage.
UEFA Champions League, 3rd qualifying round
FC Dynamo Kyiv – AZ Alkmaar – 2:0 (0:0)
Dynamo: Bushchan, Kedziora, Zabarnyi, Mykolenko, Sydorchuk (c), Buialskyi (Andriyevskyi, 79), Shaparenko (Liedniev, 90+1), de Pena, Karavayev, Supriaha (Verbic, 74), Rodrigues.
AZ: Bizot, Svensson, Vlaar (Sugawara, 79), Koopmeiners, Wijndal, de Wit, Clasie, Midtsjo (Druijf, 66), Stengs, Gudmundsson (Idrissi, 58), Boadu.
Goals: Rodrigues (48), Shaparenko (86).
Booked: Buialskyi (15), Rodrigues (19) Kedziora (85) – Stengs (33), Clasie (83), Idrissi (85).
On September 15 FC Dynamo Kyiv will play the first game of their 2020/2021 euro cups campaign. They’ll face Dutch side AZ Alkmaar in the UEFA Champions League third qualifying round.
TEAMS’ PATH
- Dynamo start with the third qualifying round as the Ukrainian Premier League runners-up;
- AZ had a chance to qualify for the group stage at once, but Dutch league season wasn’t finished. When it was cancelled, Alkmaar side has the same number of points as Ajax, but lost on goal difference;
- In the second qualifying round AZ faced Czech side Viktoria and won 3:1.
LINEUP CHANGES
Dynamo
- Following loanees have rejoined the team: Bohdan Liedniev (attacking midfielder), Olexandr Tymchyk (right back), Roman Vantukh (left back), Akhmed Alibekov (midfielder), Gerson Rodrigues (forward), Vladyslav Supriaha (centre forward), Denys Harmash (midfielder, not on Champions League players’ list). Besides free agent Artem Kravets has returned to Dynamo (centre forward).
Following players have left the team: Josip Pivaric (left back), Ibrahim Kargbo (centre forward, loan move), Benito (forward, loan move).
AZ
Following players have left the team: centre back Stijn Wuytens, left back Thomas Ouwejan, centre back Leon Bergsma, goalkeeper Jasper Schendelaar, goalkeeper Rody de Boer, centre forward Ondrej Mihalik.
The club has also signed several newcomers including centre forward Jesper Karlsson (won’t play against Dynamo), defender Timo Letschert.
LINEUP ISSUES
Dynamo
- Our team has problems with defensive line. Mykyta Burda and Olexandr Tymchyk are injured, Denys Popov is sick, Artem Shabanov wasn’t on players’ list in the previous game.
Besides winger Benjamin Verbic hasn’t totally reconditioned yet.
AZ
- Greek defender Pantelis Chatzidiakos hasn’t played since November due to serious injury. It’s unlikely that he’ll oppose Dynamo.
Dutch media inform that two wingers have health issues – Calvin Stengs and Oussama Idrissi. Still both have come to Kyiv.
TECHNICAL DATA
FC Dynamo Kyiv – AZ Alkmaar
September 15, 20:00, NSC Olimpiyskyi (behind closed doors)
Broadcasting – 2+2 TV channel
Officials
Referee – Orel Grinfeld
Assistant referees – Roy Hassan, Idan Yarkoni
Fourth official – Gal Leibovitz
Opposition history (Europa League group stage)
21.10.2010. AZ – Dynamo – 1:2
04.11.2010. Dynamo – AZ – 2:0
