On Thursday, November 6, the matches of the third round of the general stage of the 2026/26 Conference League season took place. One of them featured Kyiv’s «Dynamo» and Bosnia’s «Zrinjski». The match was nominally home for the Ukrainian team, but due to the war, it took place in Lublin.
Conference League, general stage. 3rd round
«DYNAMO» (Kyiv, Ukraine) — «ZRINJSKI» (Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina) — 6:0 (1:0)
Goals: Popov (21), Guerrero (56), Kabaev (59), Buyalskiy (67), Yarmolenko (78), Blanuta (83)
Cautions: Djurasek (45)
«Dynamo»: 35.Neshcheret — 18.Tymchyk, 4.Popov, 66.Tyare, 32.Mikhavko — 8.Pikhalenok (10.Shaparenko, 71), 91.Mikhelenko — 22.Kabaev (17.Torres, 80), 29.Buyalskiy (C) (7.Yarmolenko, 68), 16.Ogundana (9.Voloshyn, 46) — 39.Guerrero (77.Blanuta, 68).
Substitutes: 51.Morgun, 2.Vivcharenko, 5.Yatsyk, 14.Burtnyk, 15.Rubchinsky, 20.Karavayev, 44.Dubinchak.
«Zrinjski»: 40.Lubic — 19.Vrankovich, 5.Masic, 55.Duymovich, 12.Mamic — 22.Pranyich (42.Cavar, 78), 30.Djurasek (C) (20.Ivanchich, 58), 3.Filipovich (23.Surdanovich, 58), 14.Shakota (9.Mikich, 86) — 90.Maic, 31.Damashkan (7.Burey, 58).
Substitutes: 1.Bogdan, 6.Karachich, 17.Shushak, 24.Velkoski, 25.Chuzhe, 50.Memiya, 99.Bilbija.
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Already in the 6th minute of the game, «Dynamo» almost conceded — it was Damashkan who shot towards Neshcheret’s far post after a corner from the right flank, and the ball flew just past the bar. The Kyiv team immediately responded with a shot from Shola almost from the goalkeeper’s corner, which «Zrinjski’s» goalkeeper parried, but the «Dynamo» player was offside. Then after a corner, Mikhavko headed just over the goal.
From then on, the game was completely controlled by «Dynamo». Shola was very active, but the Kyiv team opened the score after a corner: Buyalskiy crossed to the goal, where Popov, winning the aerial duel, headed the ball into the net — 1:0. Three minutes later, Buyalskiy also had a chance, but shooting from about the penalty spot, he sent the ball over the goal.
The rest of the first half was dominated by «Dynamo», but the Kyiv team didn’t turn this into real scoring opportunities. It’s worth mentioning an episode where Mikhavko passed accurately into the penalty area of «Zrinjski» to a completely unmarked Pikhalenok, but he failed to connect with the shot. In the end, the teams went into the break with the scoreboard reading 1:0.
But right at the start of the second half, «Dynamo» increased their lead. Without waiting for the referee’s whistle, Buyalskiy took a free kick, passing into the penalty area to Pikhalenok, who extended the play to the goal area line, where Guerrero tapped the ball into the net — 2:0. Three minutes later, Kabaev increased the scoreline to 3:0 with a shot from the penalty area line.
The game was essentially decided. But in the 67th minute of the match, Buyalskiy added another: receiving a pass from Kabaev in the central zone, he burst into «Zrinjski’s» penalty area and masterfully sent the ball into the corner of the goal — 4:0. But it wasn’t the end. In the 78th minute, Yarmolenko, receiving a pass from Shaparenko, sent the ball into the net from a tight angle — 5:0. And Blanuta put the finishing touch on the match, winning an aerial battle after a corner and striking into «Zrinjski’s» near post — 6:0.
In the next round of the tournament, «Dynamo» will face a away match against Cypriot «Omonia». This game will take place on November 27 in Nicosia.
Alexander POPOV