I am short on time so no strategy discussions or predictions for now. All I am going to say is it will be war on the pitch, and I can’t wait to see what happens. Good luck Dynamo!

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!

PSG had recently gone through some lean years, including having to survive a relegation battle in 2006/2007. Despite the appointment of manager Paul Le Guen late that season, the two-time French champions found themselves even closer to the abyss next year, needing to win its final two matches to avoid the drop. However the former skipper righted the Paris ship this year, and his side are just four points from the top of the table in the first contested Ligue 1 race since the turn of the century. A Coupe de la Ligue title in 2008 earned PSG a spot in the UEFA Cup, and the Paris club has enjoyed showing off its improved form all over Europe.

The success of this year’s team can be largely attributed to several key additions brought in by Le Guen, which have helped solidify the existing core of veteran players. Top scorer Guillaume Hoarau has impressed since his summer move from Le Havre AC, whom he helped earn top flight status the previous season. The towering 24 year old will present an aerial challenge for the Dynamo defense. Midfielders Ludovic Giuly and Claude Makélélé brought with them the experience of winning the Champions League trophy for Europe’s top clubs when Le Guen acquired their services before the season. Another veteran of European finals joins them in midfield in the form of Jérôme Rothen, Giuly’s former AS Monaco teammate. Captain Makalelele has found an able partner in the center of the pitch in Beninese midfielder Stéphane Sessegnon, another newcomer from Le Mans. Jerome Clement rounds out the PSG midfield, having followed Le Guen from his previous stop at Glasgow Rangers.

PSG has had its share of defensive troubles this season, and Le Guen has fielded a rotating cast of characters in front of Mickaël Landreau. His task of keeping Dynamo off the scoreboard will be made that much tougher because of the injury to left back Sylvain Armand. Dynamo will also be missing an important defensive piece after losing standout center back Taras Mykhalyk to a damaged meniscus in its 2-0 victory at Metalurh Donetsk. He will likely be replaced by Ayila Yussuf, who made his first start since a September injury in the same match.

Without the services of the injured Artem Kravets and with Ismael Bangoura still looking to find his form after an unimpressive 45 minutes against Metalurh D, Semin is likely to play with one striker in the away leg of this quarterfinal. Here’s the eleven I anticipate will start the match:

———————-Bohush———————
Betao——Yussuf—-Sablic——-El Kaddouri
——————–Vukojevic——————–
Correa———Eremenko————-Ninkovic
———————-Aliyev———————-
———————Milevskiy——————–

Dynamo will be boosted by Ognjen Vukojevic’s return from suspension. The Croatian midfielder nodded in the second goal against Metalurh D. Oleksandr Aliyev, who opened the scoring from the spot, is a booking away from having to sit out a match himself. Artem Milevskiy appears to be no worse for wear after taking a stud to the cheek last weekend. Guilherme and Andriy Yarmolenko have both made the trip to Paris, but if another attacker has to be brought on it would likely be Bangoura, who has plenty of experience with French opposition. Oleh Husyev and Serhiy Kravchenko will probably be the other likely options off the bench.

The conditions at Metalist Stadium were never going to allow Dynamo to play the one-touch passing game that is their hallmark. The pouring rain and a pitch that resembled a swamp more than a professional playing surface played into the hands of the hosts. With their 30,000 fans loudly behind them, Metalist started the match on the front foot. Without the services of suspended Ognjen Vukojevic Dynamo manager Yuri Semin started Badr El Kaddouri and Roman Eremenko in the center of midfield. Although the duo could not be faulted for their work rate, the presence of the Croatian destroyer was clearly missed. Ukraine internationals Serhiy Valyayev and Valentyn Slyusar took full advantage of Vukojevic’s absence, controlling the middle of the pitch and granting the hosts the bulk of early possession. Marko Devic kept popping up between Dynamo’s defense and midfield looking for a seam to sneak through, but Taras Mykhalyk and the choppy turf denied him anything resembling a scoring chance.

On the half hour the hosts got a set piece opportunity and took full advantage. Walter Acevedo’s service from the left reached the head of Slyusar, and with his back to goal the midfielder redirected the ball into the far corner with a neat flick. Dynamo’s hard-earned advantage was erased, and we had a brand new tie on our hands. The visitors looked for an immediate response, and Oleksandr Aliyev’s free kick from 30 meters out tested Oleksandr Goryainov, but the Metalist captain was able to parry the ball out of the top corner. From the ensuing corner Goran Sablic saw his header deflected wide, and on the subsequent attempt the veteran defender got his head on the ball once again but could not hit the target. Five minutes later Artem Milevskiy received Aliyev’s pass inside the Metalist area with his back to goal, and elegantly spun around on his marker Papa Gueye. But with the massive defender draped all over his back, Milevskiy pushed his shot just wide of the right post.

The pitch continued to play tricks on the players from both teams, with the ball unpredictably skidding along the wet grass and sometimes stopping dead when encountering a puddle. Dynamo went unpunished when Betao could not anticiapte the movement of the ball properly in his own area with Jaja Coelho lurking, but the striker could not get to the ball in time. Metalist looked to be running out of gas near the end of the half, falling asleep on defense and allowing Artem Kravets a shot from a sharp angle. Goryainov spilled the rebound, but there were no Dynamo players close enough to capitalize. Moments later the hosts gave the ball away in their own end gifting Kravets another chance, but the keeper was up to the task once again. Metalist manager Myron Markevych looked relieved to have his troops get to the locker room before making another blunder.

Dynamo started the second half like they ended the first, and Aliyev was desperately unlucky when his shot struck the post, rolling across the mouth of the goal but never crossing the line. With ten minutes played lightning struck for Metalist. Jaja won a free kick some 30 meters out, and stepped up to the ball himself. The Brazilian’s left-footed strike bent around the Dynamo wall, skipping off the turf and into the net past a helpless Stanyslav Bohush, and just like that the hosts were in front. Both sides made changes, with Ninkovic replacing Carlos Correa and Denys Oliynyk on for Devic. With Dynamo attacks not coming close in the next ten minutes, Semin sent on Oleh Husyev for Andriy Nesmachniy, with El Kaddouri shifting to left back. The move energized the offense in more ways than one, as the Moroccan defender injected some pace on Dynamo’s left flank that Nesmachniy sorely lacks. It was there that the visitors won a free kick, and Aliyev sent a telling cross into the box. Milevskiy looked certain to get on the end of it but managed just a slight touch, which was enough to freeze Goryainov and send the ball trickling across the face of the goal. Waiting at the back post Sablic did with his foot what he was unable to do with his head, and Dynamo was on the board. But their celebration was short lived. Literally on their next trip up field, Metalist won a throw, and Jonathan Maidana headed on the long toss towards the penalty spot. Valyaev was able to control it for the hosts and touch the ball on to Slyusar, who made no mistake from point blank range and put his side back in the driver seat with twenty minutes to go.

Markevych looked to bolster his tiring defense with some fresh legs, and Berezovchuk came on for Vitaliy Bordiyan. It was not long before he would be wearing the goat horns. After Dynamo foiled a Metalist counterattack, El Kaddouri played the ball into Milevskiy, who held off three defenders before finding the overlapping run of Ninkovic with a clever back heel pass. The Serbian midfielder burst to the touchline and cut the ball back across the six yard box, and in an effort to keep it from reaching the feet of Husyev Berezovchuk instead managed to deflect it into his own goal. As the Metalist defender collapsed in disbelief, Dynamo players mobbed Ninkovic and celebrated their good fortune.

Aliyev did not make any friends in Kharkiv on this day as he gloated over the fallen Berezovchuk, and later spent a lot of time down on the turf receiving treatment as Dynamo proceeded to kill off the final ten minutes. After the match Aliyev said that it is “too early for Metalist to have this much success in Europe,” and that they needed to be “knocked down a peg,” words that are unlikely to be forgotten. Metalist certainly don’t have the depth or the experience of a club like Dynamo, but they fought valiantly and put a scare into the Ukrainian giants, even if they will never admit it. In the end the match was decided by fitness, and the Dynamo staff deserve full credit for the way the squad was prepared. Metalist players emptied their tanks as they took the game to Dynamo for 80 minutes, but when they needed another push their legs just weren’t there. Even if Kiev’s second goal did not go in when it did, I doubt the hosts would have had enough to keep Dynamo out until the final whistle. Even so, Metalist have a right be proud of their performance in Europe this season, and they will no doubt be motivated to get back on track in the league so they can return for another go next season.

With Shakhtar Donetsk’s convincing win over CSKA Moscow the UPL still has two clubs vying for a trophy in the competition. Ligue 1 can claim the same distinction, and it will be French clubs Paris Saint-Germain and Olympique de Marseille that will face Dynamo and Shakhtar, respectively. I will hold off my thoughts about the next round for another post, except to say that I am fairly pleased with the draw and the task in front of Dynamo is no bigger than ones they already handled.

After consecutive wins over Sampdoria to start the second half of the season, Myron Markevych’s side have been in a free fall, with three losses and a draw from their next four matches. The standings in the Ukrainian championship have regained a familiar look after Shakhtar Donetsk came away with a 3-0 victory in Kharkiv over the weekend, lifting the Miners into second place. It is indeed a battle for second in the UPL, as Dynamo widened their advantage at the top to a comfortable twelve points. The Kiev club fell behind in the opening minutes to Metalurh Zaporizhya when the host’s Olexiy Hodin beat his former teammate Stanyslav Bohush with an unstoppable strike from some 30 yards out. After Dynamo failed to find a rhythm in the first half, Semin made the necessary adjustments, including the introductions of Milos Ninkovic and Artem Kravets immediately after the break. It was Ninkovic who was sent clear by Artem Milevskiy’s brilliant run and pass, and the Serbian midfielder rounded the keeper and leveled the score on the hour mark. The momentum was firmly with Dynamo after that, and it was not long before Kravets set up Milevskiy for a neat close range finish to put the visitors in front. Semin’s third substitute, Carlos Correa, made it 3-1 just minutes later as Dynamo coasted to their fourth straight victory. They are unbeaten in the new year, something Metalist will have to change if they hope to continue their own European quest.

Dynamo will be without suspended midfield linchpin Ognjen Vukojevic today, but if there is one thing the Kiev side has proven this season it is that they have the depth to overcome the loss of key players. Andriy Nesmachniy and Badr El Kaddouri will be back from their own yellow card troubles to bolster the Dynamo defense. And with Ismael Bangoura and Ayila Yussuf returning to fitness, Semin has more weapons at his disposal than at any time in the past year. If Yussuf is ready the Nigerian would be the natural replacement for Vukojevic, but if not then Correa, El Kaddouri, Roman Eremenko or even the lost in the shuffle Serhiy Kravchenko or Tiberiu Ghioane could fill the role in a pinch. Personally I would like to see Yussuf at center back which should require less of a work load, with Correa and Eremenko patrolling the middle of the park. Up front Kravets’s recent run of form, which has lead to his inclusion in Oleksiy Mykhaylichenko’s national team, should earn him the start alongside Milevskiy. Bangoura’s availability gives Dynamo Ukraine’s leading goalscorer as its ace up the sleeve.

Dynamo’s strength is their opponent’s weakness, as having to battle on multiple fronts has clearly taken a toll on Metalist. With no obvious replacement for suspended left back Seweryn Gancarczyk, and without injured midfielder Oleksandr Rykun, this Kharkiv team will need nothing short of miracle to overcome the runaway train that is Dynamo. A goal by the visitors would end the match for all intents and purposes, and Markevych will somehow have to keep his defense organized as his side tries to level the aggregate scoreline. If the hosts manage to score first they will still be in danger of being sunk by an away goal, and I just don’t see Metalist being able to keep Dynamo off the scoreboard. Prediction: Metalist 1-2 Dynamo (1-3 agg).

Dynamo manager Yuri Semin fielded the same eleven that beat Vorskla Poltava 4-1 over the weekend. In the absence of left-sided defenders Andriy Nesmachniy and Badr El Kaddouri, Roman Eremenko took over left back duties and performed admirably in an unfamiliar position. The versatile Russian-born Finn, on a year long loan from Udinese, has featured in just about every spot on the pitch during his young career. Eremenko plays in the center of midfield for his national side, saw time at forward in Italy, and had been used primarily as an attacking midfielder or out on either flank by Dynamo. Semin, like Valeriy Lobanovsky before him, firmly believes professional footballers must be able to adapt to any role required by the team, and in Eremenko he has a player able to do just that. Against Metalist Eremenko had to resist his natural urge to push forward, and instead contributed by helping Dynamo keep its shape at the back while using his speed and confidence on the ball to provide an outlet for his defensive partners.

As expected Dynamo started the match full of attacking intent, while Metalist were clearly not in the mood to give up an early goal and came with their axes sharpened. The early action was frequently interrupted by referee Mike Riley’s whistle, as he called foul after foul on the visitors. Set piece maestro Oleksandr Aliyev was going to have his chances in this match, but his early attempts were far beneath the quality he is capable of. The first clear chance fell to Metalist on the quarter hour. Denys Oliynyk, facing his former club for the first time, got loose on the left flank, turning Betao the wrong way and cutting to the byline. His cross found Serhiy Valyayev lurking in the area, but under pressure from Taras Mykhalyk the Ukraine international put his volley over the bar from eight yards out. Dynamo continued to threaten and Artem Milevskiy earned a free kick in an ideal position on the edge of the area, but Aliyev once again wasted the opportunity by blasting into the wall. On the half hour Metalist went unpunished when they gave the ball away in their own area, with both Aliyev and Milevskiy having possession tantalizingly close to the target but never getting a true sight at goal. The next Dynamo attack ended with Carlos Correa advancing from his right midfield spot to the corner of the area and firing a dangerous shot that had Metalist keeper Oleksandr Goryainov beat but skipped just wide of the far post. Shortly thereafter Milevskiy’s looping reverse ball found strike partner Artem Kravets on the edge of the area, but with defenders scrambling to interfere the young forward pulled his shot off target.

After a stoppage to treat a knock to a Metalist player Aliyev and Riley shared a laugh prior to the drop ball. I can’t help but think that the Dynamo playmaker reminded the English referee of the botched restart that doomed Dynamo in their Champions League match at Arsenal. As the half drew to a close Metalist continued to pile up fouls, and Riley finally ran out of patience with the visitors, Oliynyk and Walter Acevedo going into his book in quick succession. The latter infraction presented Aliyev with an opportunity from some 30 yards out, and Sasha finally produced a quality strike, with only the fingertips of Goryainov preventing the ball from smashing into the top corner. Aliyev was also finding the range on his dead ball delivery, with the ensuing corner kick lofted onto the head of Goran Sablic at the far post. But the veteran defender’s powerful effort sailed over the bar.

Myron Markevych must have been aware his team’s resistance was on the verge of breaking, as he replaced Acevedo and his yellow card with the defensive presence of Andriy Berezovchuk. The visitors once again had a golden chance to turn the match on its head as Jaja Coelho got the better of Eremenko for the one and only time. The Brazilian forward broke loose on the right flank, played a one-two with Oliynyk and raced in on Stanyslav Bohush. As Jaja’s low strike, aimed for the far corner, left his foot, my web feed froze, leaving me holding my breath in terror. But a few agonizing seconds later I was able to let out a sigh of relief as the bar rolled harmlessly wide of the post. Dynamo responded with more sustained pressure, and Kravets had several chances to pad his European account. But twice he was unable to get a shot away from promising positions, and when Aliyev’s service presented him with an open header he sliced the ball just off target.

With the stadium roaring Dynamo’s attacks were building to a climax, and the inevitable breakthrough finally arrived. Yet another corner kick was sent into the area by Aliyev, and with Goryainov stranded in no man’s land Milevskiy got his head on the ball, which would have gone wide if not for the decisive intervention by the alert Vukojevic. The midfielder had just a split second to react to the deflection by his teammate but he made solid contact with his forehead and the Metalist defenders could only watch as the ball nestled in the back of the net. Vukojevic celebrated his goal in a manner befitting his “destroyer” image – by earning a yellow card minutes later that will rule him out of the return leg. Asked afterward if he regretted picking up the booking and the resulting suspension, Oggi replied in his typically confident manner, “It’s OK, I will play in the quartefinal.” Passing nearby, his manager smiled and tossed the word “superstar” in the direction of his midfielder. Semin’s comment was made in jest, but there is no doubt in my mind that the addition of Vukojevic is the biggest reason behind Dynamo’s assent this season. When Ayila Yussuf was lost to injury in September the young Croat was left as the team’s lone true holding midfielder, and he has played every minute of every meaningful match since then. Dinamo Zagreb fans called him their Gattuso, but in Kiev he has grown to be our Michael Essien, a tireless beast who roams throughout the pitch striking fear into the hearts of his enemies.

To Metalist’s credit, they did not go into damage limitation mode after conceding. Right on the hour Marko Devic came on for Oliynyk, and the visitors began to control possession for the first time in the match. But while Metalist saw more of the ball, it was Dynamo who continued to create the chances. With the visitors pushing forward, Dynamo attackers were left with more space to operate. His set piece attempts improving with every new opportunity, Aliyev brazenly bent the ball under the crossbar directly from a corner kick, and Goryainov had to reach back to tip it to safety. Minutes later Aliyev once again tested the Metalist keeper with a vicious free kick from 40 yards out, but Goryainov managed to pull the ball out of the top corner.

The most controversial moment in the match came next. While in the area Jaja pushed the ball between Betao and Sablic, and in the ensuing attempt to split the defenders the Metalist forward went to ground. In my eyes it should have been a no call, and I have certainly seen penalties given for less, but the referee raced over to show Coelho a yellow card for simulation. Jaja was probably hard done by the decision, but the classy Brazilian calmly pleaded his case to Riley while being given his medicine, and did not drag out the process like many others would have. When the final whistle blew Coelho was the first player to shake Riley’s hand.

Riley’s next booking was much more straight forward, as beaten Seweryn Gancarczyk had to dive head first after Correa, grabbing the Dynamo midfielder by the shorts and holding on for dear life. It was the sixth caution shown to the visitors. With Dynamo’s flank play waning, Semin made his first substitution five minutes from time, replacing Kravets with Oleh Husyev. The veteran winger made good use of his brief time on the pitch, creating a wonderful scoring chance when he cut into the area with defenders on his back before laying the ball on for Milevskiy. But Artem could not get any power on his shot, and Dynamo had to settle for the minimal victory. The numbers tell the story of this match, as the sides combined for a whopping 58 fouls, 35 of them by the visitors. Dynamo got off 21 shots, 6 on target, while Metalist managed just 5 attempts, none of them requiring action from Bohush. Perhaps most telling was the 13 to 1 edge in corner kicks for the hosts, and it is fitting that their goal came from one of those set piece opportunities. The good news for Dynamo is they earned the win without giving up an away goal. But Semin and his players know their job is far from finished, as Metalist are sure to put up a fight for their European lives next Thursday in Kharkiv.

Metalist attacking midfielder Denys Oliynyk spent four years in the Dynamo system, making four appearances for the first team and scoring two goals before transferring to Kharkiv this winter. He found immediate success at his new home, scoring a crucial away goal against Sampdoria to help set up this meeting with his former club. Oliynyk understands what Metalist are up against as well as anyone:

We know Dynamo very well, but that works both ways. They know all our strengths and weaknesses. The foreign clubs Metalist faced in earlier stages of the UEFA Cup did not know much about us or our style of play. We could rely on the element of surprise, and that won’t work on Thursday. We are preparing for a very tough match. Perhaps we would have been better off against Valencia.

Dynamo’s Ognjen Vukojevic never shies away from a challenge on the pitch, and apparently is just as straight forward when it comes to speaking to the press. Unlike his manager and teammates the young Croat did not take the politically correct approach when asked about facing Metalist:

The only difference between the UEFA Cup and the league is we play two matches in succession. We will try to show that we are much stronger than our opponent, just like we did in the league. Dynamo is stronger than Metalist, the players are stronger, the manager is stronger. We will maximize all of these advantages to reach our goal of advancing to the next round.

Vukojevic is a card away from a one match suspension, but the midfield warrior said he will not compromise his style of play in an effort to avoid another booking. On the subject of yellow card trouble, Dynamo will be without the services of a true left back, with both Andriy Nesmachniy and Badr El Kaddouri reaching the limit in the second leg 2-2 draw that sent them past Valencia. Dynamo faced third place Vorskla Poltava in UPL action this weekend, and while manager Yuri Semin insisted he would not use the match as a test run for the clash with Metalist, he proceeded to do just that. Semin employed three central defenders, sending his side out in a 3-5-2 formation that brought back memories of Valeriy Lobanovsky. And the Kiev players would have made their late legendary manager proud, running away with a convincing 4-1 victory.

Metalist, on other hand, stumbled again with a 1-1 draw against third from bottom FC Lviv. Manager Myron Markevych put much of the blame on the awful condition of the Lviv pitch, but whatever the reason it is a poor result leading up to the biggest match in the history of the Kharkiv club. As if Metalist needed more bad omens, as the team left for Kiev their plane experienced mechanical problems and had to turn around, needing two landing attempts before thankfully touching down safely at Kharkiv International. There’s nothing like a near death experience to help you focus on football…

A convincing result for Dynamo can put this tie beyond doubt and make the return leg in Kharkiv a mere formality, and I have a feeling the UPL leaders will go for the jugular from the opening whistle. The strike partnership of Artem Milevskiy and Artem Kravets is starting to click, and the excellent form of playmaker Oleksandr Aliyev is a big reason why. An early goal like the one last week would be ideal, but even if Dynamo doesn’t find the net right away their pressure is bound to break Metalist. The midfield is healthy again and with five player expected to line up in the second level Dynamo should have the lion’s share of possession, wearing out the visitors in the process. Metalist’s main threat will come on the counterattack, but Taras Mykhalyk and Betao have the pace needed to contain Jaja Coelho, and there is no one else on the visitors who should worry Dynamo. Prediction: Dynamo 3 – 0 Metalist.