It is now a certainty that Dynamo will have to cope the rest of the season without vice-captain Taras Mykhalyk. Mykhalyk underwent surgery to repair the damage to his knee he suffered in the UPL match against Metalurh Donetsk. The recovery time is expected to be around six months. Dynamo will have to continue relying on the central defensive pairing of Goran Sablic and Ayila Yussuf. Meanwhile PSG have received a boost as left back Sylvain Armand was deemed fit enough to travel with the squad to Kiev. It is still uncertain whether he will be ready to play.

Yuri Semin planned to rest most of his key players this weekend as Dynamo hosted Chornomorets Odessa. But after the visitors canceled out Andriy Nesmachniy’s spectacular opener, the manager brought on Milevskiy and Oleksandr Aliyev for the final half hour. Aliyev capped the match with a trademark free kick after Serhiy Kravchenko restored the lead with a long range strike of his own. Ismael Bangoura played the full 90 in another uninspired performance, and his initial attacking partner Andriy Yarmolenko did not impress in his hour long shift. With Artem Kravets officially ruled out, there is a lot of speculation about which forward Semin will turn to. Despite the rumors that newcomer Guilherme will make his long awaited debut, my gut feeling is Semin will go with his most proven player. And that means Bangoura will be the one to partner Milevskiy up front. The Guinean striker has yet to score this year, but his experience against Ligue 1 opposition, his apparent fitness, and his track record make him the logical choice. Bangoura is desperate to find the back of the net and silence his doubters, and we should expect to see his best effort today.

PSG had their share of openings at Parc des Princes, but their inability to find the final ball is the reason this tie is still scoreless. The attacking presence of Giuly was sorely missed, but boss Le Guen has yet to waiver when it comes to using the veteran winger in the UEFA Cup. It is clear that his priorities lie in Ligue 1, where goal differential is all that separates his side from a Champions League qualifying spot. As much as a shot at European silverware could mean for PSG supporters, finding a way back into the Champions League and the resulting financial windfall is far more important for the club. Which is why I think Giuly and Makelele are certain to start on the bench today.

Semin’s charges have played attacking football at home against all opponents, and the results speak for themselves. PSG will find it much harder to generate their own offense in front of the Kiev faithful. Dynamo’s edge in possession during the first leg will be even more apparent today, and they should be able to establish it in the attacking half of the pitch. I think Dynamo will be able to break the French resistance inside the first half hour, and how they will play with a goal advantage will determine the outcome of the match. If Dynamo can convert its counters better than they did against the likes of Arsenal, Porto, and Metalist, it will be a long night for PSG. But if the visitors are allowed to stay within a goal to the end, there will always be the possibility of another heartbreak. Prediction: Dynamo 2 – 0 PSG. Goals from Milevskiy and Bangoura, bring on Shakhtar!

Roman Eremenko played the entire match in the holding midfielder role for Finland alongside older brother Aleksei, as their side overcame Wales 2-0 in Cardiff. The away victory lifts the Finns into third place in their qualifying group, but their chances of catching favorites Germany and Russia remain slim. Milos Ninkovic was said to have recovered from the knock he received in the match against Arsenal Kyiv, but he did not make the team sheet for Serbia’s match at Romania. Serbia won the encounter 3-2 and lead their group. Fellow Dynamo midfielder Ognjen Vukojevic will have to wait until Wednesday when his Croatia team travel to Andorra. Croatia are level with Ukraine for the second spot in their group but have played one more match.

African nations featuring Dynamo players did not fare so well in their qualifying matches. Badr El Kaddouri’s 90 minutes of work were for naught as Morocco suffered a disappointing 1-2 home defeat to Gabon. With only one team advancing from a group that also includes Cameroon and Togo, Morocco already faces an uphill battle after just the first round. Ismael Bangoura’s Guinea fell to Burkina Faso 4-2 in an away match, with the Dynamo striker coming on for the final half hour but not getting on the score sheet.

Maksim Shatskikh played the first hour of Uzbekistan’s 4-0 rout of Qatar, but his side has almost no chance to catch runaway group leaders Australia and Japan. In U-21 action, several Dynamo players took part in Ukraine’s scoreless draw with Serbia. Andriy Yarmolenko had the unfortunate distinction of failing to convert a penalty and hitting the crossbar on the followup attempt.

Barring last minute scheduling changes, Dynamo will play six matches over the next three weeks. They will face Metalist in three of those encounters. Wednesday’s trip to Kharkiv sets up a crucial battle between the top two teams in the UPL table, while on Saturday third place Vorskla Poltava will visit Lobanovsky Stadium. The good news for Dynamo is the thinning out of the injured list. Ismael Bangoura and Milos Ninkovic have resumed training with the main group, with Ayila Yussuf expected to join them today or tomorrow. Meanwhile club president Ihor Surkis said he expects record signing Guilherme to make his first appearance for Dynamo this week. I envision the striker making a second half cameo in front of the home fans this weekend.

It has been an unpleasant week for Semin with regard to his former clubs. Semin has announced he will pursue legal action against Lokomotiv Moscow and its board for attempting to devalue his 15 percent stake in the club. Semin spent 20 years in charge of Lokomotiv, lifting the side from obscurity to win the league twice and the cup four times. The 61 year old manager seems genuinely hurt by the treatment he is receiving from Lokomotiv’s current management, stating in a press release that all he wants is “to be treated fairly” by a club to which he gave his best years.

Semin’s time at Dinamo Moscow was both unsuccessful and short lived, and Saturday’s events will do little to replace those bad memories. Perhaps the only positive to be had from the contest was Serhiy Kravchenko’s free kick from 25 meters out that gave Dynamo the lead. Aleksandr Kerzhakov evened matters for the Russian side shortly before the break. Semin fielded a first choice eleven for the match, having previously hinted he would select a lineup that would closely resemble the team that will face Valencia. As expected Betao, normally the right fullback, started in the center of defense. With Ismael Bangoura unavailable, Artem Milevskiy was alone up top until the 60th minute, when Semin brought on young striker Artem Kravetz for midfielder Tiberiu Ghioane. It remains to be seen whether Semin trusts Kravets enough to use him against the Spaniards. Another question is who will start between the posts for Dynamo. Oleksandr Shovkovskiy started the match, with regular keeper Stanyslav Bohush, still testing an abdominal injury, coming on at halftime.

Also on Saturday Valencia were held 1-1 at home in La Liga action by a surprising Málaga side. Despite the requisite goal from David Villa, Los Che cannot claim to have been the best team on the pitch and were perhaps lucky to hold on to a point. I watched this match and I have to say the defensive deficiencies of Valencia left me feeling rather optimistic about our chances on Tuesday. Stay tuned for a full preview as Dynamo gets ready to play for keeps for the first time in 2009.

Dynamo K 1 – 1 Dinamo M

However Asatiani will not be able to help Dynamo when they take on Valencia in the UEFA Cup on February 18. Contrary to earlier reports Asatiani’s name does not appear on the roster submitted by Dynamo two weeks ago. In a recent interview manager Yuri Semin suggested he will pair Betao with Taras Mykhalyk in the center of defense, with Andriy Nesmachniy moving across the pitch to fill the right back spot. The move may be necessitated by the ongoing injury struggles of Ayila Yussuf, who is unlikely to be ready for Valencia. Semin also mentioned an injury to Ismael Bangoura without revealing any details. New acquisition Guilherme has not taken part in any of the test matches and will not be an option for Semin in the near future.

With much of the squad away on national team duty, Dynamo held two friendly matches at their camp in Marbella. Artem Kravets set up Milos Ninkovic for an easy tap-in and left Diogo Rincon with just the keeper to beat as Dynamo cruised to a 2-0 triumph over Sparta Prague on Monday. The absences combined with the injuries forced Semin to play with a three man back line. Today Dynamo played to a scoreless draw with Danish Superliga team Esbjerg fB. Asatiani made his first appearance since coming back into the fold. Dynamo featured just two regulars in Stanyslav Bohush and Oleksandr Aliyev. Bohush is in a fitness race and needs match practice while Aliyev will miss the Valencia match through suspension. Dynamo will wrap up camp on Saturday with a friendly against their namesakes from Moscow.

The loss of Diakhate leaves Dynamo without an adequate replacement to pair alongside Taras Mykhalyk. Nigerian Ayila Yussuf would be a natural alternative, but he has struggled with a thigh injury suffered early in the season and is unlikely to be match fit by February 18. That would leave Dynamo with a choice between fading veteran Goran Sablic and unproven Oleh Dopilka to be thrown to the wolves, also known as David Villa and Co. Assuming Asatiani is fit, he is the best option to fill Diakhate’s boots. Asatiani is well acquainted with Dynamo players and tactics following his loan spell, and he has the confidence of Semin having played for him at Lokomotiv. The transfer seems like a no-brainer when you consider that Asatiani is already on Dynamo’s UEFA Cup roster, and he has been deemed surplus to requirements in Moscow.

Tomorrow in Marbella Dynamo will face Sparta Prague in a friendly. With much of the team absent on national team duty, Dynamo will take on the Czech club with a weakened squad. The focus will remain on players like Yussuf, Stanyslav Bohush, and Oleh Husyev to continue gaining fitness ahead of competitive fixtures on the horizon. Dynamo will reportedly squeeze in another tune-up match against Romanian top flight club Politehnica Iaşi two days before going up against Dinamo Moscow on February 14.

This was a benchmark match for Rubin as well as our squad. Both teams performed well defensively, and while there weren’t many chances the intensity of the encounter was felt throughout. This is what led to the occasional rough play. Diakhate got hurt in a situation that should not be considered intentional foul play. As to the seriousness of his injury, I would not exclude the possibility of him regained fitness and taking part in the (Valencia) match on February 18.

Former Dynamo great Serhiy Rebrov and Ghanaian captain Stephen Appiah started the match for Rubin. The pair was substituted in the second half, but not before Appiah picked up a booking for a challenge on Ognjen Vukojevic. For Dynamo, newcomer Serhiy Kravchenko put in a solid 90 minute shift. Several times the midfielder came close to scoring on shots from distance, forcing Ryzhikov to turn the ball away for corner kicks on two occasions and hitting the crossbar on another attempt.

Dynamo 1 – 0 Rubin
Marbella, Spain

Goal: Aliyev (80).

Dynamo: Bohush, Betao, Diakhate (Kravets, 67), Mykhalyk, El Kadduri (Nesmachniy, 68), Vukojevic, Ghioane (Aliyev, 58), Eremenko, Nunkovic (Husyev, 46), Kravchenko, Yarmolenko.

Rubin: Ryzhikov, Ansaldi (Khagush, 46), Sharonov(Popov, 46), Orekhov, Tomas (Sibaya, 63), Noboa, Appiah (Gorbanetz, 63), Rebrov (Gitselov, 75), Bystrov (Kukharchuk, 63), Karadeniz (Portnyagin, 63), Adamov (Bukharov, 58).

Bookings: Eremenko (21) – Appiah (55).

On Friday Dynamo will cross paths with a familiar face – Serhiy Rebrov and his new side, Russian champions Rubin Kazan. Ghanaian midfielder Stephen Appiah, who is on trial with Rubin, is expected to feature in the match. The free agent would be a potentially significant addition in the center of midfield for the Russian club. It is not every day that the 28 year old captain of a World Cup team can be signed without a transfer fee. Dynamo will hold the next tune-up match on February 10 against Sparta Prague, before wrapping up camp four days later against another familiar foe – their namesakes from Moscow.

Dynamo submitted their updated roster for the UEFA Cup, adding three new names: Serhiy Kravchenko, Guilherme, and Diogo Rincon. The latter has been cleared to resume training with the team after going through an individual fitness program. Rincon reportedly wore three sweat suits while running in a bid to reach his playing weight of 85 kg. Several younger players will not be participating in the second camp, including the two trialists, defenders Dmitry Verkhovtsov and Tomislav Pajovic, who have returned to their clubs. Forward Maksim Shatskikh will also be absent, as he is in Uzbekistan preparing to captain his national side in a World Cup qualifier. The 28 currently in Spain:

Goalkeepers: Stanyslav Bohush, Oleksandr Shovkovskiy, Oleksandr Rybka.

Defenders: Betao, Pape Diakhate, Goran Sablic, Badr El Kaddouri, Andriy Nesmachniy, Oleh Dopilka, Taras Mykhalyk.

Midfielders: Ayila Yussuf, Tiberiu Ghioane, Ognjen Vukojevic, Milos Ninkovic, Carlos Correa, Florin Cernat, Oleksandr Aliyev, Oleh Husyev, Roman Eremenko, Mykola Morozyuk, Kravchenko, Rincon.

Forwards: Ismael Bangoura, Guilherme, Artem Milevskiy, Andriy Yarmolenko, Roman Zozulya, Artem Kravets.

Guilherme started his career with Cruzeiro at the youth level in 2003. He broke into the senior team in 2007 and over the next two years scored 27 goals in 55 appearances for the Brasileirao outfit. Guilherme has also played in four matches for the Brazil U20 squad. Guilherme was on the verge of a $10 million transfer to Real Zaragosa, but the deal with the Spanish Segunda club fell apart, allowing Dynamo to swoop in. His main assets are his speed and technique. Although not blessed with exceptional height or athleticism, Guilherme is a proficient header of the ball. He should be in competition with Bangoura for the role of the fast striker in manager Yuri Semin’s system. Guilherme will wear number 77 for Dynamo and is expected to be on the team’s UEFA Cup roster.

Just as satisfying as Dynamo’s acquisition of a potential impact player is the end of the protracted Kleber saga. The “Gladiator” has demonstrated he is far more interested in the comfort of his native Brasileirao than in pursuing top level football away from home. Dynamo made a sizable investment in the forward only to see him become an expensive albatross hanging around the club’s metaphorical neck. Since making the concession of allowing Kleber to return to Sao Paulo on loan, Dynamo has had to endure conflicting statements from the player and his agents about his aversion to playing in Ukraine. This further damaged Dynamo’s position as they were trying to unload Kleber. Sao Paulo jerked Dynamo around for months as the dirt-poor Brazilian outfit tried to convince the Kiev club they were serious about buying the forward, only to concede in the end they just wanted to keep him on loan.

It remains to be seen how long it will take for Guilherme to work his way into Semin’s rotation. It would be overly optimistic to expect him to make an impact against Valencia on February 18. Semin is a manager who is not blinded by expectations, and he will not rush Guilherme into battle until he is convinced the player is capable and ready to help the team. The Brazilians who have come to Ukraine did not grow up dreaming of playing for Dynamo, and it would be foolish to expect any of them to want to spend their careers here. They are either looking to get paid and retreat back to the comforts of home, or work their way into a move to a top European league. In both cases the player will not stay long, but one will be a waste of oxygen and the other will play every match as if it was his last. There’s little doubt about Guilherme’s talent, so lets hope he has the will and desire to match.