Fenerbahce – Dynamo: Champions League Preview

By: Yevy | September 29th, 2008

Traveling to Istanbul Looking to build on their fine domestic form, Dynamo Kyiv packed their bags and traveled to Istanbul for Tuesday’s Champions League Group G match against Fenerbahce. After Shakhtar and Metalurh split the points in the Donetsk derby on Saturday, Dynamo remained atop the UPL table. Yuri Semin’s side now set their sights on the struggling Turks.

Dynamo faced Fenerbahce two years ago in the Champions League Third Qualifying Round. Dynamo took a 3-1 lead after the home leg behind a Diogo Rincon brace and a late goal from Ayila Yussuf. Maksim Shatskikh scored a pair in Istanbul as the teams drew 2-2 and Dynamo progressed to the group stage.

Shatskikh is the only one of the aforementioned trio with a chance to again get on the board against the Turks. However even with Artem Milevskiy still sidelined with an ankle injury, Shatskikh is unlikely to figure in Tuesday’s match. I expect Semin to revert to the 4-5-1 variant he fielded against Arsenal. Ismael Bangoura will again be the lone man up front, and he will need better support from the midfield quartet of Roman Eremenko, Oleksandr Aliyev, Milos Ninkovic, and Tiberiu Ghioane if Dynamo is to maintain attacking pressure on Fenerbahce. Ognjen Vukojević will be deployed in the holding role in front of the back four of Badr El Kaddouri, Taras Mykhalyk, Pape Diakhaté, and Betao. Stanyslav Bohush should remain between the posts.

It’s only September but already Fenerbahce fans are calling for Euro-winning head coach Luis Aragones’s head. The Turkish giants have just 6 points from 5 matches in the Süper Lig, and they are coming off a 2-1 loss to Sivasspor. Fenerbahce dropped their Champions League opener 3-1 to Porto, and a defeat on Tuesday would make even a UEFA Cup parachute a long shot. Injuries have contributed to their struggles, with talisman striker Semih Senturk yet to play this season, and 20 year old Volkan Babacan forced to deputize for Turkish national team keeper Volkan Demirel. Fenerbahce will rely on Spanish import Daniel Guiza and Colin Kâzım-Kâzım to provide the offense, as they will surely go for three points at Saracoğlu Stadium.

Key Player, Dynamo: Ismael Bangoura. The Guinean striker has done everything except put the ball in the net in recent weeks, and his finishing will be in the spotlight on Tuesday. He should get more help from the midfield than he did against Arsenal. I wonder if Aragones used Bangoura’s skin color as motivation for his players?

Key Player, Fenerbahce: Roberto Carlos. The corpse of the former Brazilian standout is stationed on Fenerbahce’s left flank, and Dynamo would be wise to turn it into the Autobahn. Carlos’s shirt is sure to be a hot item after the match, if there’s anything left of it.

Prediction: While Semin may consider a point to be an acceptable result on hostile ground, Fenerbahce are vulnerable, desperate, and ripe for the taking. An early goal would do Dynamo wonders, and they will get it courtesy of Bangoura. Fenerbahce 0-2 Dynamo.