Dynamo Kyiv progressed to the next stage of the UEFA Cup on the away-goals rule following a 3-3 aggregate draw at domestic rivals FC Metalist Kharkiv in the Round of 16 tie.
Dynamo, who are 14 points clear of Metalist at the top of the Ukrainian Premier League table, went into the second leg with a one-goal advantage from the first leg in Kyiv. However, the host team managed to restore parity on 29 minutes, when Metalist midfielder Valentyn Slyusar opened the scoring, converting Acevedo’s cross. The tension heightened even more when Brazilian-born forward Jajá added a second in the 56th minute with a superb free-kick from 30 metres. Later on, the Kyivers pulled one back through Goran Sablić but their joy proved short-lived as Slyusar restored his side’s advantage within two minutes with a strike from a close range.
The host team looked to have booked their place in the last eight but Metalist defender Berezovchuk accidentally guided the ball past his own goalkeeper following Miloš Ninković’s shot into the area making it 3-2. Thus, Dynamo became the first ever Ukrainian side to reach the UEFA Cup quarter-finals. Half an hour later, compatriots FC Shakhtar Donetsk became the second.
The draw for the quarter-finals and semi-finals of the UEFA Cup will be held in Nyon on Friday 20 March at 14.00 (Kyiv time).
UEFA Cup 2008/09. Round of 16. Return leg.
METALIST – DYNAMO – 3:2 (1:0)
Kharkiv, Metalist stadium.
Kick off: 19:00
Referee: Laurent Duhamel; Assistant referees: Stéphane Duhamel, Christian Thoison (all from France).
Metalist: 29.Horyainov – cap, 7.Valyayev (26.Zeze, 83), 8.Edmar, 9.Slyusar, 22.Obradović, 27.Maidana, 30.Papa Gueye, 32.Acevedo, 33.Dević (11.Oliynyk, 58), 37.Bordiyan (18.Berezovchuk, 73), 50.Jajá.
Dynamo: 31.Bogush, 3.Betão, 6.Sablić, 7.Corrêa (36.Ninković, 60), 8.Aliyev, 11.Eremenko, 17.Mykhalyk, 22.Kravets (37.Yussuf, 85), 25.Milevskyy, 26.Nesmachnyy – cap (20.Husyev, 68), 30.El Kaddouri.
Goals: Slyusar (29, 70), Jajá (56) – Sablić (68), Berezovchuk (79, own goal).
Booked: Papa Gueye (14) – Mykhalyk (40).
www.fcdynamo.kiev.ua
