This week the first matches of the 3rd round of the qualifying stage of the Champions League 2026/27 are taking place. In one of them on Tuesday, August 5, Kyiv’s Dynamo faced off against Cypriot Paphos. The match took place in Lublin at the "Arena Lublin"
Champions League. 3rd qualifying round. First match
“DYNAMO” (Kyiv, Ukraine) — “PAPHOS” (Cyprus) — 0:1 (0:0)
Goal: Anderson (84)
Warnings: Mykhailenko (16), Shaparenko (90+8) — Tankovich (29), Pepe (90+4), Kina (90+8)
“Dynamo”: 35.Neshcheret — 18.Tymchyk, 4.Popov, 32.Mykhavko, 44.Dubinchak — 6.Brazhko, 91.Mykhailenko (22.Kabaev, 66) — 7.Yarmolenko (C) (9.Voloshin, 66), 10.Shaparenko, 8.Pykhalenok (29.Buialskiy, 79) — 11.Vanat.
Substitutes: 51.Morhun, 74.Ihnatenko, 2.Vyvcharenko, 5.Yatsyk, 20.Karavaev, 39.Gerrero, 40.Bilovar, 45.Bragu, 99.Ponomarenko.
“Paphos”: 93.Neofitos, 5.Goldar, 26.Shunyich, 23.Lukassen, 2.Pileas (25.Langa, 88), 22.Tankovich (C) (33.Anderson, 68), 88.Pepe, 30.Dragomir (12.Sema, 82), 77.Joao Correia, 17.Orsic (8.Kina, 82), 11.Jazha (7.Bruno, 68).
Substitutes: 82.Petru, 99.Papadudis, 9.Bassouamina, 12.Sema, 35.Pedraus.
Post-match press conference >>>
The opening period of the match was completely dominated by “Paphos”. The Cypriot team displayed discipline, cohesion, and speed, registering shots from within the penalty area by Jazha and Tankovich. In the first case, the ball was caught by Neshcheret, while the second attempt went off target. Kyiv’s team struggled to get a hold of the ball.
However, closer to the 15th minute, the situation on the field began to change. “Dynamo” significantly improved ball control, and play increasingly took place in Paphos’ half. It was then that Brazhko attempted a long shot that flew just half a meter from the post of the Cypriots’ goal. Despite this moment and ball control, the “white-blues” produced nothing else for a long time: Paphos’ defense faced no issues.
But the end of the first half was entirely under “Dynamo’s” control. In two episodes, the Kyiv team came extremely close to scoring. First, after a throw-in, Dubinchak burst into Paphos’ penalty area from the left and shot at the near post. Then Vanat missed a super chance: unmarked, he shot a header from the goal line, but managed to send the ball over the goal. In the end, the teams went to halftime with zeros on the scoreboard.
As with the first half, the start of the second half saw “Paphos” enjoying an advantage. However, it did not result in sharp chances at “Dynamo’s” goal. Kyiv had their chance: Yarmolenko took the game into his own hands on the right flank, burst into the penalty area, and shot with his right foot towards the far corner — the ball barely missed the post. In the 62nd minute, the referee awarded a penalty for a foul on Vanat against “Paphos”, but after utilizing VAR, canceled his decision. In the 73rd minute of the match, “Dynamo” made their first shot on target — it was Brazhko firing from about 20 meters, but he directed the ball straight at the “Paphos” goalkeeper.
Ultimately, everything ended in favor of the Cypriot champions. In the 84th minute, during a counterattack by “Paphos”, Anderson received a pass, burst into “Dynamo’s” penalty area slightly off-center, outplayed Dubinchak, and sent the ball into the net with a shot — 0:1. In the remaining time of the match, “Dynamo” had no chances to equalize.
The return match between “Dynamo” and “Paphos” will take place next Tuesday, August 12, in Limassol.
Alexander POPOV
