On Wednesday, November 27, Kyiv’s "Dynamo" played their first match of the 3rd round of the "Champions Path" of the UEFA Youth League 2024/2025 season. At this stage, the team under Igor Kostiuk faced the team "2 Korriku" from Kosovo. It is worth noting that in the previous round, the Dynamo players won against the Slovene "Maribor" on aggregate (1:1 at home and 3:1 away).
Photo: fcdynamo.com
UEFA Youth League, 3rd round. First match
"Dynamo" — "2 Korriku" — 5:0 (2:0)
Goals: Osypenko (27), Ponomarenko (32, 58, 74, pen), Andreiko (90+4)
Bookings: Osypenko (55), Ishchenko (77), Korobov (90) — Zhubi (90).
"Dynamo": 71. Surkis (K), 13. Korobov, 5. Syzyonyuk, 4. Zakarchenko, 15. Dykovyi, 22. Osypenko (8. Bilyi, 76), 18. Selenko (6. Peikrishvili, 70), 14. Ishchenko (23. Ozymay, 80), 7. Kremchanyn (16. Shevchenko, 76), 30. Andreiko, 11. Ponomarenko (9. Lobko, 80).
"2 Korriku": 1. Buguevchyi, 2. Yashanytsia (21. Shala, 64), 4. Abdullahu, 5. Khavolli (6. Aliyai, 83), 13. Sila, 8. Berisha (18. Isufi, 64), 24. Khayrullahu (20. Mehmeti, 46), 10. Zhubi, 17. Akhmeti, 11. Makendoni, 9. Tachi (7. Miftari, 46).
In the first minutes of the match, the teams observed each other, with Ponomarenko being particularly active in the Dynamo line-up, frequently finding himself at the center of events, but his shots missed the target. Eventually, the Dynamo players gained the advantage and started to regularly create threats near the opponent’s goal. In particular, Korobov came close to scoring with a powerful strike from a free kick awarded about 23 meters from the goal, hitting towards the center, but the ball flew just over the crossbar.
Finally, Osypenko managed to put his team ahead by making a great run in the penalty area, capitalizing on a teammate’s pass and pushing the ball into the net — the goalkeeper tried to save it but couldn’t reach the ball — 1:0. Just a few minutes later, Dynamo scored a second time. This time Osypenko turned assistant, making a low cross into the penalty area from the left, where Ponomarenko touched it in from a few meters out, doubling his team's lead — 2:0.
Further, Andreiko demonstrated initiative with actions, firstly hitting the ball past the far post from a favorable position, and later the goalkeeper saved a dangerous shot from him. At the end of the first half, the Kosovo goalkeeper saved his team twice during one attack after a shot from Kremchanyn following a pass from Andreiko and a subsequent follow-up.
In the second half, our team continued to dictate play to the Kosovars. The opponent threatened Kyivans mostly from set pieces, but the corner deliveries did not yield any advantage for them. Surkis had to intervene several times, and our goalkeeper confidently neutralized the danger. Near the opposite goal, the tireless Andreiko had good chances, but it was his teammate Ponomarenko who managed to score. Matviy capitalized on a pass from the left flank and netted the ball with a header from inside the penalty area, completing a double and increasing the score to a convincing — 3:0.
And soon after, the ball miraculously did not end up in the net after a shot from Kremchanyn, whom Andreiko tried to assist. Midway through the half, Dynamo earned a penalty after the Kosovars committed a foul in their own penalty area against Ponomarenko. The penalty kick was confidently converted by the victim himself — 4:0, thus marking his hat-trick.
Finally, the score was established by Andreiko with a beautiful shot into the far corner of the goal from about the edge of the penalty area — 5:0.
It should be noted that the return match of the 3rd round of the UEFA Youth League "Champions Path" against "2 Korriku U-19" will be played by "Dynamo U-19" away in two weeks, on Wednesday, December 11.
