This week, the matches of the 5th round of the group stage of the Europa League 2024/25 season are taking place. In one of them, on Thursday, November 28, Kyiv “Dynamo” faced Czech “Victoria”. The match was nominally home for the Ukrainian team, but due to the war it took place in Hamburg at the “Volksparkstadion”.
Europa League. Group Stage. Matchday 5
“DYNAMO” (Kyiv, Ukraine) — “VICTORIA” (Plzeň, Czech Republic) — 1:2 (0:1)
Goals: Kabayev (90+5) — Vydra (55), Schultz (90)
Warnings: Brazhko (68) — Markovic (45), Havel (79)
“Dynamo”: 1.Bushchan — 40.Bilovar, 4.Popov, 32.Mikhavko — 20.Karavaev (24.Tymchyk, 65), 6.Brazhko, 10.Shaparenko, 2.Vyvcharenko (39.Herrero, 73) — 29.Buyalsky (C), 15.Rubchinsky (22.Kabayev, 65) — 11.Vanat.
Substitutes: 35.Neshcheret, 51.Morgun, 3.Dyachuk, 9.Voloshin, 23.Malysh, 45.Bragaru, 91.Mykhailenko.
“Victoria”: 16.Yedlichka, 40.Dvets, 3.Markovic, 21.Emelka, 22.Kodud, 6.Cherv (51.Vashulin, 85), 23.Kalvakh (C), 31.Shultz, 19.Suarez (24.Havel, 71), 11.Vydra (29.Slonchik, 85), 33.Yirka (12.Soyka, 76).
Substitutes: 13.Tvrdon, 30.Bayer, 2.Geyda, 5.Palusika, 9.Rikardinho, 10.Kopits, 18.Moskera, 20.Panosh.
Match statistics >>>
Post-match press conference >>>
The start of the match was difficult for “Dynamo”: “Victoria” applied total high pressing from the whistle, and Kyiv were forced to play close to their penalty area. However, the first decent chance was created by the players under Shovkovsky: in the 9th minute, the Dynamo attack ended with a shot from Buyalsky from about 8 meters, but it was blocked by Kadu.
Overall, by the 10th minute, “Dynamo” managed to significantly improve their ball control, pushed the opponent away from their possessions, and began to combine frequently in the half of “Victoria”. But Kyiv did not create any threats; the Czechs skillfully deprived their opponents of space.
In the middle of the first half, the teams exchanged dangerous moments. First, “Dynamo” finished their effective and rapid counterattack with a prepared and accurate shot from Buyalsky from around 14 meters, but Yedlichka handled it well. A minute later, Bushchan managed to catch the ball after a dangerous shot by Tsyrka from about six meters.
In the concluding part of the first half, neither “Dynamo” nor “Victoria” managed anything special in attack. Only two shots can be noted. The long-range shot by Emelka was slightly off target. And from the penalty area, Shaparenko's shot was handled reliably by the goalkeeper. As a result, the teams went to halftime with zeros on the scoreboard.
The second half began with a dangerous moment at “Dynamo”’s goal. After a knockdown from Schultz in the goalkeeper's area, Yirka shot right away, but Bushchan managed to parry this dangerous shot.
In the 51st minute, Vyvcharenko sent the ball into the net of “Victoria” after a diagonal cross from Karavaev, but after using VAR, the goal was disallowed due to offside.
Just a few minutes later, the Czech team succeeded: Vydra fired a powerful shot from the edge of the penalty area, sending the ball straight into the bottom corner of “Dynamo”’s goal — 0:1.
After conceding the goal, the Kyiv team rushed into the attack with even greater eagerness, but from the next segment of the match, only a shot from Brazhko from about 25 meters can be noted, after which the ball flew just under the crossbar of “Victoria”’s goal, but Yedlichka saved his team with a jump.
The remainder of the match passed almost uninterruptedly on the half of “Victoria”, but eventually, the second goal got past Bushchan: in the 90th minute, Schultz received a pass near the 11-meter mark, took a moment to contemplate the passive defense by Shaparenko and Bilovar, and then coolly shot the ball into the net — 0:2.
But at least “Dynamo” managed to score a consolation goal: in the fifth added minute of the second half, Kabayev sent the ball into the top corner of “Victoria”’s goal from about 28 meters — 1:2, and this is the fifth consecutive defeat of the “white and blue” in the Europa League.
In the next round of the Europa League group stage, “Dynamo” will face an away match against Spanish “Real Sociedad”. This match will take place on December 12 in San Sebastián.
Alexander POPOV
