This week the matches of Round 7 of the Europa League group stage for the 2024/25 season are taking place. One of them on Tuesday, January 21, featured Turkish “Galatasaray” and Kyiv's “Dynamo”. The match took place in Istanbul at the “Rams Park” stadium.
Europa League. Round 7 of the group stage
“GALATASARAY” (Istanbul, Turkey) — “DYNAMO” (Kyiv, Ukraine) — 3:3 (2:1)
Goals: Sanchez (6), Bardakchi (21), Osimhen (53 pen.) — Vanat (45), Yarmolenko (68, 81)
Warnings: Yilmaz (33), Jacobs (40), Sanchez (80), Osimhen (84) — Shaparenko (40), Tymchik (52), Pikhalenok (72), Mykhailyenko (74), Vivcharenko (84)
“Dynamo”: 35.Neshcheret — 24.Tymchik, 40.Bilovar, 32.Mykhavko, 2.Vivcharenko — 10.Shaparenko (76.Pikhalenok, 46), 91.Mykhailyenko — 9.Voloshin (7.Yarmolenko, 46), 29.Buyalsky (C) (33.Salenko, 87), 22.Kabaev (39.Gerrero, 74) — 11.Vanat (99.Ponomarenko, 90+4).
Substitutes: 1.Bushchan, 51.Morgun, 3.Dyachuk, 15.Rubchinskiy, 20.Karavaev, 44.Dubinchak, 45.Bragu.
“Galatasaray”: 1.Muslera (C), 23.Aykhan (44.Batshuayi, 86), 6.Sanchez, 42.Bardakchi, 4.Jacobs, 18.Kutlu (8.Demirbay, 73), 34.Torreira, 11.Akgun, 53.Yilmaz (24.Yelert, 86), 10.Mertens (30.Demir, 90+1), 45.Osimhen.
Substitutes: 12.Shen, 19.Gyuvench, 25.Nelsson, 67.Lush, 68.Dilek, 83.Akmanm, 90.Baltadzhy.
Match statistics >>>
Post-match press conference >>>
“Dynamo” conceded very quickly. Already in the 6th minute of the match, Sanchez, left unmarked during a corner kick, headed the ball from the goal line, and the ball flew into the bottom corner of “Dynamo's” goal — 1:0.
After that, the game fluctuated in success for both teams, but at the 21st minute the score became 2:0 — Bardakchi shot from about 27 meters and after a deflection off Tymchik’s back, the ball found its way into “Dynamo's” net again.
After conceding the second goal, the Dynamo players lost a bit of morale, and “Galatasaray” took total control for a while, but this did not last long. Moreover, it did not lead to any significant danger at Neshcheret's goal. Soon the Kyiv team began to seek gaps in the opponent's defense and eventually managed to find one. Just before the end of the first half, Buyalsky broke through on the right flank, crossed into the penalty area of the Istanbul team, where Vanat managed to touch the ball past the oncoming Muslera — 2:1.
But “Dynamo’s” minimal lag in score did not last long. At the beginning of the second half, the referee, after using VAR, detected a foul by Tymchik on Yilmaz and awarded a penalty, which Osimhen converted clearly by hitting straight down the middle under the crossbar — 3:1.
Again, the goal did not significantly change the flow of the game. “Galatasaray” looked overall more convincing than their opponent, but “Dynamo” did not give up and persistently searched for their chances in attack. However, in the 61st minute, the home team created another scoring moment: Osimhen shot from about 10 meters without any obstruction, and Neshcheret had to work hard to handle this shot. A few minutes later, the “Dynamo” goalkeeper covered the ball on the line after Osimhen again attempted to score with a header from close range.
But “Dynamo” scored. This happened in the 68th minute of the match: Yarmolenko scored effectively at the far post after a corner kick, making it 3:2.
In the remaining time of the match, “Dynamo” played with enthusiasm, trying desperately to avoid defeat and gain their first points in this Europa League. Everyone gave their all, and it paid off! In the 81st minute, Buyalsky crossed from the right flank to the far post, where Yarmolenko, winning the aerial duel, sent the ball into the net with a header under the crossbar — 3:3. Naturally, the Dynamo players tried to achieve more, to snatch a victory, but ultimately, it ended up being a draw, and the first point earned by the “white-blues” in this Europa League.
In the next and final round of the Europa League group stage, “Dynamo” will have a nominal home match against Latvian RFŠ (Riga Football School). This match will take place on January 30 in Hamburg.
Alexander POPOV
