Fenerbahce 0 – 0 Dynamo: Recap and Highlights

After a hard fought 90 minutes against the Yellow Canaries, Dynamo got the result they deserved in Istanbul. While head coach Yuri Semin emphasized the positives in his post-match comments, it is hard to be satisfied with a nil draw against a vulnerable opponent. Fenerbahce seemed destined to self-destruct and gift the visitors a goal, but Dynamo refused to cooperate early and eventually ceded the momentum to the hosts.

The first half hour was full of promising moments for Dynamo, as they kept the ball in the attacking half. Oleksandr Aliyev was allowed to walk in unchallenged and fire high from 25 meters. Aliyev combined with Milos Ninkovic on the left flank to repeatedly break down the Fenerbahce defense. One of their moves sent the ball into the box, and a deflection fell to Roman Eremenko, who instead of shooting squared the ball behind the waiting Ismael Bangoura, spurning an excellent chance. Eremenko rebounded with a well placed cross field ball for Bangoura, forcing Volkan Demirel into a comical misplay far away from his line, but Bangoura rushed his shot wide, much to Semin’s displeasure. Bangoura was sent in on goal moments later by a clever ball from Badr El Kaddouri, but this time Demirel made no mistake with his clearance. Dynamo seemed to be slowing down late in the half, and Fenerbahce enjoyed more of the ball but were unable to create any opportunities.

In a head scratching move Bangoura was subbed off at halftime in favor of the veteran Maksim Shatskikh. Whatever faults Semin saw with the play of the Guinean, he may as well have not sent out a replacement, because Shatskikh fared miserably in the lone striker role. It is no exaggeration to say that every ball aimed in his direction was immediately lost. Shatskikh first touch let him down repeatedly, and there was no one around to pick up the loose balls. Fenerbahce had perhaps the best chance of the match early in the second half, when Daniel Guiza was twice denied from close range by Stanyslav Bohush, and Emre Belozoglu could not connect from the doorstep. The €14m Guiza was otherwise invisible, and Emre’s miss was a microcosm of his contribution. The match grew progressively more physical, and Dynamo lost El Kaddouri to a leg injury on the hour mark. The replays didn’t seem to catch what happened to the Dynamo left back, but the contact came away from the play. I would not be surprised if El Kaddouri fell victim to a retaliatory kick from Colin Kazim-Kazim, with whom he had been tangling all night. Kazim’s aggressiveness never resulted in an end product, yet he was probably the Turks’ most effective offensive player. Dynamo would not be bullied, and soon after Ognjen Vukojevic bowled over Brazilian playmaker Alex at midfield. Alex would depart soon after, grimacing as he inspected the damage to his torso. In all the teams combined for 32 fouls.

Dynamo, clearly out of gas, spent the final stages of the game defending and looking for opportunities on the counter. Given the green light to attack, Fenerbahce created little outside of some hopeful balls hoisted in the direction of the goal. But after allowing a few dangerous bounces in the box early on, Taras Mykhalyk and Pape Diakhate dominated in the air and Fenerbahce had nothing but bruises to show for their route one balls and Roberto Carlos’s long throws. Dynamo’s tactics somehow spared the Brazilian fullback from having to defend any moves down his flank, and he rewarded the visitors by going forward and ruining his own team’s attacks. Carlos kept his teammates guessing with loose passes, getting caught offside, or simply running the ball into the waiting clutches of Betao. Not satisfied with the damage he caused when the ball came to his feet, Carlos insisted on butchering several set pieces as well. His final tally was three offsides, two tantrums, and a yellow card. The last chance of the match fell to Shatskikh, who reminded everyone of his presence by sending Eremenko’s lay-off into the stands from the edge of the box.

Highlights of this spirited yet fruitless Champions League Group G encounter are below. I will be back as soon as tomorrow to discuss the post-match comments (sneak preview: Luis Aragones thinks Fenerbahce deserved the win, Earth is flat) and individual player performances.

Category: Champions League 2008/2009, Dynamo Kyiv Team News

Tags: Alex de Souza, Badr El Kaddouri, Betao, Champions League 2008/2009, Colin Kazim, Daniel Guiza, Dynamo Kyiv Dinamo Kiev, Dynamo Kyiv Team News, Emre Belozoglu, Fenerbahce, Group G, Ismael Bangoura, Luis Aragones, Maksim Shatskikh, Milos Ninkovic, Ognjen Vukojevic, Oleksandr Aliyev, Pape Diakhate, Roberto Carlos, Roman Eremenko, Stanyslav Bohush, Taras Mykhalyk, Volkan Demirel, Yuri Semin

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