This week, the matches of the final, 8th round of the group stage of the Europa League 2024/25 season took place. In one of them on Thursday, January 30, Kyiv "Dynamo" faced Latvian RFSH. The match was nominally home for the Ukrainian team, but due to the war it was held in Hamburg at the Volksparkstadion.
Europa League. 8th round of the group stage
"DYNAMO" (Kyiv, Ukraine) — RFSH (Riga, Latvia) — 1:0 (0:0)
Goal: Pikhalenok (76)
Warnings: Bilovar (20), Ponomarenko (90+1) — Panich (40), Prenga (90+1)
"Dynamo": 35.Neshcheret — 24.Tymchik, 40.Bilovar, 32.Mikhavko, 2.Vyvcharenko — 15.Rubchinsky (33.Salenko, 88), 91.Mikhaylenko — 7.Yarmolenko (C) (9.Voloshin, 90), 76.Pikhalenok, 22.Kabaev (99.Ponomarenko, 86) — 11.Vanat.
Substitutes: 71.Surkis, 74.Ignatenko, 3.Diachuk, 5.Zakarchenko, 39.Gerrero, 45.Bragu.
RFSH: 40.Ondoa, 30.Nzhie (25.Maresh, 80), 23.Prenga, 43.Lipushchek (C), 26.Panich, 27.Markhiev, 11.Savalnīeks (77.Silagadze, 85), 8.Odisharia, 18.Zelenkov (22.Lemaych, 80), 9.Ikauniieks, 15.Ndjiki (17.Kuadio, 46).
Substitutes: 1.Shtainbor, 16.Vilkov, 21.Stuglis.
Match statistics >>>
Post-match press conference >>>
"Dynamo" seized the initiative with the starting whistle, taking full control of the ball. However, this did not lead to any goal-scoring opportunities. In the 21st minute, the ball found its way into the net of the Latvian team, but the goal was disallowed - offside. Almost immediately, RFSH responded: the Riga team's attack ended with a header from outside the penalty area executed by Ikauniieks - the ball flew under the crossbar of "Dynamo's" goal, but Neshcheret managed to save his team and deflected the play to a corner.
Throughout the remainder of the match, the flow of play did not change significantly. "Dynamo" unsuccessfully searched for gaps in the opponent's dense defense, while RFSH was waiting for its meager chances on counterattacks. As a result, besides the aforementioned moments, the first half did not yield anything noteworthy. The only notable moment was a shot from Vanat from the goal line during stoppage time, after which the ball flew just a few meters past the post of RFSH's goal.
"Dynamo" began the second half with extreme energy, but soon found themselves facing a goal-scoring chance at their own end - Kuadio, after a corner kick and a header to the back post, shot from close range but directed the ball wide of Neshcheret's goal.
Nevertheless, "Dynamo" continued to ramp up their attack. There were more shots on goal compared to the first half. However, they were still struggling with goal-scoring opportunities. The only notable moment during this segment of the match was a free-kick shot from Pikhalenok, which Ondoa barely managed to save.
But in the 76th minute, the score was finally opened. A penetrating attack from "Dynamo" resulted in the ball bouncing to Pikhalenok, who struck from about 11 meters, finding the net of RFSH - 1:0. The first, the only, but important victory for "Dynamo" in this Europa League!
Thus, "Dynamo" completed its performance in the group stage of the Europa League with 4 points to their name. This concludes the European campaign for the "white-blues" in the 2024/25 season.
Alexander POPOV
