On Thursday, January 30, FC Dynamo Kyiv played their last Europa League game of the season. The White-Blues faced the Latvian side FK RFS in Hamburg.
Neither of the teams had a chance to qualify for the next stage, so this game didn’t have any tournament significance.
Yet the speed wasn’t high early in the match. Gradually Dynamo took the ball under control, but didn’t really approach the goal. Finally Kyivans netted the ball, but Vanat was flagged offside, so referee disallowed the goal.
RFS responded dangerously. Ikaunieks attempted from inside the box and Neshcheret parried spectacularly. Later Vanat had a chance after pass from Rubchynskyi, but missed from a promising position.
Dynamo got more active early in the second half, but RFS created another opportunity. Kouadio was let unmarked in the far post after corner, but missed the target.
Eventually Kyivans arranged another attack, Vanat found Tymchyk, Oleksandr crossed into the center, Pikhalionok obtained the ball after rebound and sent it into the net – 1:0.
Thus Dynamo win their first Europa League game this season.
Europa League, matchday 8
Dynamo – RFS – 1:0
30.01.2025. Hamburg, Volksparkstadion, 3698 spectators
Dynamo: Neshcheret, Tymchyk, Bilovar, Mykhavko, Vivcharenko, Rubchynskyi (Salenko, 88), Mykhailenko, Yarmolenko (c) (Voloshyn, 90), Pikhalionok, Kabayev (Ponomarenko, 86), Vanat.
RFS: Ondoa, Njie (Mares, 80), Prenga, Lipuscek (c), Odisharia, Panic, Markhiyev, Savalnieks (Silagadze, 85), Zelenkovs (Lemajic, 80), Ikaunieks, Ndjiki (Kouadio, 46).
Goal: Pikhalionok (76).
Booked: Bilovar (20), (Ponomarenko, 90+1) – Panic (39), Prenga (90+1).
