Oleksandr Shovkovskyi prepares his "Dynamo" Kyiv team for the second leg of the Champions League second qualifying round against Maltese side "Hamrun Spartans" with a comfortable 3-0 advantage from the first match. The game will take place at Motor Lublin Arena in Poland on Tuesday, July 29th, at 21:00 local time.
"We have a good result from the first leg, but this is no reason to relax. We must maintain our focus and complete the job professionally," Shovkovskyi likely told his players during preparation.
Dynamo Kyiv showed their superiority in the first meeting, but their performance wasn't flawless. Problems in transition phases, poor chance conversion, and some uncontrolled chaos during set pieces remain issues carried over from last season. The absence of midfield leader Buialskyi, who won't play in Lublin due to injury, further highlights the squad's lack of depth.
Fortunately, motivated Shaparenko is available off the bench. He made an immediate impact in the first match by providing an assist after coming on as a substitute. Let's be honest though - Mykola has often lacked consistency throughout his career, alternating between truly successful performances and clear disappointments.
Voloshyn is expected to replace Yarmolenko in the starting lineup, while fresh options may appear on the defensive flanks.
For Hamrun Spartans, reaching the second qualifying round of the Champions League is already historic - no Maltese club had ever advanced this far before. By the way, this achievement gives some weight to the somewhat sarcastic phrase from Ukrainian supporters about "Maltese football on the rise."
Giacomo Modica's team previously eliminated Lithuanian side Žalgiris in an incredible penalty shootout and competed fearlessly against Dynamo in the first match. However, the class difference became evident over the longer duration of the first meeting. Their attempts to press, physical play in midfield, and even several dangerous moments didn't yield results.
The Maltese side has nothing to lose in the return leg - exactly the situation where football sensations sometimes occur. But realistically, Hamrun has limited squad resources, lack of experience, and a weak bench. Modica promised "more courage" and new tactics, but even he seems to realize that the European dream in this prestigious tournament is practically over for his team at this stage.
According to bookmakers, Dynamo are heavy favorites with odds of 1.16 for a win, while Hamrun's potential success is valued at 26.0. The probability of a draw is represented by odds of 9.00.
Will we see another confident performance from the Ukrainian champions, or can the Maltese underdogs produce one of those European night miracles?
