Vladyslav Vanat found the net early as "Dynamo Kyiv" secured a commanding 3-0 away victory against "Hamrun Spartans" in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 second qualifying round.
"We approached this match with complete focus and executed our game plan perfectly," – the coaching staff might have noted after such a convincing performance.
The visitors didn't waste time establishing control, with Vanat breaking the deadlock in the 13th minute to give "Dynamo" an early advantage. The Maltese side struggled to create meaningful chances against the organized Ukrainian defense led by Popov and Mykhavko.
After the break, "Dynamo" continued their dominance. Vitalii Buialskyi doubled the lead in the 76th minute, effectively putting one foot in the next round. By the way, substitute Nazar Voloshyn put the final nail in the coffin, adding a third goal in stoppage time to complete the rout.
The return leg is scheduled for Tuesday, July 29, though "Hamrun Spartans" face a mountain to climb after this result. Clean sheet away from home? That's exactly what coach wanted.
Interestingly, the winner of this tie will face either "Paphos" or "Maccabi Tel Aviv" in the next qualification round, while the losers will drop down to compete in the Europa League.
With three away goals and a solid defensive display, can anyone stop "Dynamo" from advancing? The second leg now looks like a formality, but football has taught us never to count our chickens before they hatch.
