On Thursday, October 3, FC Dynamo Kyiv will face TSG 1899 Hoffenheim away in the Europa League main stage matchday 2 game (kick-off – 19:45).
MATCHDAY 1 GAMES
On the first matchday neither side managed to win. Dynamo suffered 0:3 defeat against Lazio in Hamburg while Hoffenheim drew against Midtjylland 1:1.
2023/2024 SEASON
Hoffenheim finished seventh in the Bundesliga last season with 44 points behind champions Bayer Leverkusen (W-13, D-7, L-14, goal difference – 66:66).
As for the national Cup, Hoffenheim were outplayed by Borussia Dortmund in the round of 32 (0:1).
DYNAMO
Dynamo finished second in the domestic league last season with two points behind Shakhtar (W-22, D-3, L-5, goal difference – 72:28).
As for the Ukrainian Cup, Dynamo tumbled out in the round of 16 by losing against Obolon (0:1).
LINEUP CHANGES
HOFFENHEIM
In: Adam Hlozek, Alexander Prass, Valentin Gendrey, Robin Hranac, Haris Tabakovic, Christopher Lenz, Jacob Bruun Larsen, Attila Szalai, Diadie Samassekou.
Out: Maximilian Beier, Julian Justvan, Fisnik Asllani, Muhammed Damar, Bambase Conte, John Brooks, Kasim Adams, Erencan Yardimci, Nahuel Noll, Robert Skov, Wout Weghorst.
DYNAMO
This summer only two players who were close to the first team left Dynamo – center back Oleksandr Syrota, who joined Maccabi Haifa, and winger Benito, who was loaned out to Zoria. The rest who left the club weren’t with Dynamo last season – winger Kaheem Parris, right back Mykyta Kravchenko, attacking midfielder Mikkel Duelund, winger Gerson Rodrigues, attacking midfielder Serhii Buletsa, winger Heorhii Tsytaishvili, forward Eric Ramirez, midfielder Oleksandr Yatsyk and forward Ihor Horbach. Vladyslav Supriaha has been loaned out to Luhansk side as well.
Meanwhile Dynamo signed halfbacks Oleksandr Pikhalionok and Valentyn Rubchynskyi, left back/winger Maksym Braharu, center back Brayan Ceballos (loan move), promising Georgian midfielder Aleksandre Peikrishvili, returned from loan move halfback Mykola Mykhailenko. On the last day of the transfer window Panamanian forward Eduardo Guerrero joined Dynamo from Zoria.
2024/2025 SEASON START
HOFFENHEIM
Hoffenheim are really unstable early in the Bundesliga season. After barely outplaying the fourth league side Würzburger Kickers on penalties in the national Cup and succeeding against Holstein Kiel in the Bundesliga matchday 1 game, they suffered four defeats in a row.
Hoffenheim are currently 16th in the league table with three points.
DYNAMO
Dynamo started current season with the Champions League qualification where they beat Serbian side Partizan (6:2 and 3:0), Rangers (1:1 and 2:0) after which lost against Salzburg in the play-off round (0:2 and 1:1).
As for domestic league, Oleksandr Shovkovskyi’s men started with five victories in a row after which drew against FC Rukh Lviv (0:0), but then succeeded again – against Livyi Bereh (3:0). They’re first in the UPL table alongside Oleksandria.
TECHNICAL DATA
Hoffenheim – Dynamo
October 3, 19:45, Hoffenheim, Rhein-Neckar-Arena
Broadcasting – MEGOGO
Officials
Referee – Aleksandar Stavrev (MKD)
Assistant referees – Dejan Kostadinov (MKD), Goce Petreski (MKD)
Fourth official – Igor Stojchevski (MKD)
Video Assistant Referee – Nejc Kajtazovic (SVN)
Assistant Video Assistant Referee – Jerome Brisard (FRA)
Face to face
These two sides haven’t faced each other on the grownup level, but have in the UEFA Youth League (2018/2019). German side succeeded on penalties.
A number of acting Dynamo players performed for the youth team back then – Ruslan Neshcheret, Kostiantyn Vivcharenko, Kristian Bilovar, Denys Popov, Vladyslav Vanat (didn’t take the field).
