Eurocups results: Dynamo and Polissya failed, LNZ fought against Gent
Quick summary of the performance of Ukrainian clubs in European competitions.
The second round matches of the Europa League and Conference League qualification have ended. At this stage of the competition, three representatives of Ukraine were competing.
It was clear right after the draw that Ukrainian clubs got very tough opponents. All three teams, although not European football giants, are strong mid-level teams. Unfortunately, the current level of UPL leaders does not allow them to compete even with them. But deep down in every fan's heart, there was hope for a miracle.
Another stumble for Polissya
The Zhytomyr Polissya was the first to exit the European competitions, playing the return leg against Copenhagen on Wednesday. After a 3-3 draw in the first leg, it seemed that Ruslan Rotan's team had decent chances to advance past Copenhagen.
But everything went downhill even before the starting whistle. Center-back Eduard Sarapiy felt pain during the warm-up, which led Rotan to start Giorgi Maisuradze, making forced changes in the defensive line. It was the Georgian legionnaire who conceded a penalty in the middle of the first half, fouling Robert, a Brazilian.
Towards the end of the first half, the hosts were left with ten men. It seemed like a chance for the "wolves," who had at least 45 minutes left to turn the tide in their favor. However, at the start of the second half, Bragaru failed to catch up with Madsen, who assisted Robert for a goal. Krushynskyi's consolation goal in injury time only slightly sweetened the bitter pill (1:2).
Polissya is participating in European competitions for the third time in its history but has never made it to the main stage. Huge investments by the club's owner, Hennadiy Butkevych, have not yielded results. Now the focus should be on domestic competitions to secure a place in European competitions again. But for what? To be eliminated in the first stage again?
Dynamo remains in European competitions, but with a catch
Dynamo's chances of advancing were even slimmer than Polissya's. After a defeat to PAOK in a nominally home game (2:3), they had to hope for a miracle.
Dynamo's head coach, Ihor Kostyuk, surprised with the starting lineup. Instead of Ruslan Nescheret, 20-year-old Viacheslav Surkis made his debut in European competitions as the goalkeeper. Aliou Tiare replaced Christian Bilovar in the center of defense, making his first appearance of the season. Newcomer Oleksiy Sych started on the right flank of defense, and Tomasz Kedziora partnered with the Senegalese in the center of defense.
Kyivans held on until almost the end of the first half. They conceded a goal to Yannis Konstantelias in the third minute of injury time. The leader of the "black and white" team's strike was truly skillful.
At the start of the second half, Konstantelias demonstrated a masterclass to Dynamo and settled any doubts about the outcome of the match. The introduction of Yarmolenko and Shaparenko did not change the course of the game. In the final minutes of the match, former PSG forward Pierre Mungenge made his debut for Dynamo. However, it was difficult to assess the level of the 19-year-old forward in the time given.
Dynamo lost to PAOK for the second time (0:2) but will continue in the third round of the Conference League qualification. Ahead of Kyivans is a clash with Qarabag, but with the current performance, there is little confidence in progressing to the next round.
Match highlights of PAOK - Dynamo
LNZ put up a fight against Gent
The least expectations were from LNZ. The young Cherkasy club already exceeded expectations last season, winning the "silver" and securing a place in European competitions. In their debut campaign, the "violet" team faced a tough opponent - Belgian Gent.
The first leg ended in a goalless draw. The return leg was supposed to be a real test for Vitaliy Ponomaryov's team.
In the first half, LNZ did not concede to the more experienced opponent in anything. They were only missing one thing - a scored goal. The teams went into halftime with a 0-0 score.
In the second half and extra time, the "violet" team did not take risks, hoping to reach the penalty shootout. However, the bet on a penalty shootout and Oleksiy Palamarchuk's skill did not work out. Gent converted all their attempts, while LNZ's Yegor Tverdokhlib and Denys Kuzik failed to score.
Paradoxically, the most pleasant impression among Ukrainian clubs was left by the debutant in European competitions - LNZ. Cherkasy did not advance, but they gave a good fight to the much more experienced Gent and left the feeling that they exited with their heads held high.
Finally, there is no need to beat oneself up. It is necessary to face the truth. The second round matches of the qualification showed the current level of UPL's top teams and the Ukrainian Cup winner. Unfortunately, as long as there is a war, one should not expect a major breakthrough in the results. Let's continue to support Shakhtar in the Champions League, where we will see eight matches against serious opponents.
