In Round 30 of the Ukrainian Premier League, Dynamo Kyiv hosted Kudrivka at the Valeriy Lobanovskyi Stadium.
On the night before the match, Dynamo’s stadium was damaged as a result of a combined enemy attack on Kyiv. The glass façade of the arena was affected, windows were shattered, and office rooms were also damaged, but despite this, the match went ahead as scheduled.
From the opening minutes, the game featured more physical battles and fouls from both sides than constructive attacking football. However, Dynamo still looked the more dangerous team. Voloshyn delivered a threatening cross from the right flank, but the goalkeeper blocked it, while Yatsyk also sent in a good ball from the left, only for the Kudrivka keeper to react reliably once again.
Dynamo’s pressure paid off in the 22nd minute. Pikhalonok curled in a corner from the right, and Taras Mykhavko rose inside the six-yard box to head the ball into the net and make it 1:0.
It seemed that the opening goal would give the White-Blues confidence, but the opposite happened. Kudrivka, who had entered the final round in the relegation playoff zone and had nothing to lose, pushed forward bravely. Their top scorer Storchous became especially active. In the 30th minute, he tested Neshcheret from a tight angle, and in the 36th minute he got his reward. After a corner from the right, Neshcheret punched the ball into the center of the penalty area, Storchous fired, and the ball deflected off Korobov and Mykhavko before finding the net for 1:1.
The visitors did not stop there. In the 45th minute, Kozak crossed from the left, Owusu laid the ball off to Storchous, who struck a superb curling first-time shot into the corner to put Kudrivka ahead 2:1.
Deep into stoppage time before halftime, Kudrivka nearly extended their lead when Owusu set up Kozak on the edge of the box, but his effort flew over the bar. The visitors went into the break with a narrow advantage.
During halftime and at the start of the second half, Dynamo’s coaching staff made several substitutions. Kudrivka defended well for much of the half, but in the 61st minute Dynamo found the equalizer. Karavaiev sent a cross into the box, Buialskii went down in a challenge, and the loose ball fell to Matvii Ponomarenko, who controlled it and blasted a powerful shot under the crossbar for 2:2.
It was Ponomarenko’s 13th goal of the season, enough to put the Dynamo striker at the top of the UPL scoring charts.
Andriy Yarmolenko was also desperate to score. In one moment, Ponomarenko delivered a brilliant ball across the six-yard box, but Yarmolenko could not quite stretch enough to convert. Kudrivka also remained dangerous, with Farina trying his luck from distance before later heading narrowly wide from a cross.
In the 81st minute, Eduardo Guerrero replaced Ponomarenko — and just one minute later he put Dynamo in front. Yarmolenko’s first-touch pass sent Guerrero through on the right side of the box, and the Panamanian striker smashed a powerful shot into the near corner to make it 3:2.
The closing minutes were full of battles and emotions, but the score did not change again. Dynamo finished the season with a victory, though they could not climb higher than fourth place in the league standings.
Premier League, Round 30
Dynamo – Kudrivka – 3:2 (1:2).
24.05.2026. Kyiv, Valeriy Lobanovskyi Dynamo Stadium
Dynamo: 35. Neshcheret – 13. Korobov (20. Karavaiev, 54), 4. Popov (34. Zakharchenko, 75), 32. Mykhavko, 44. Dubinchak – 6. Brazhko, 5. Yatsyk (10. Shaparenko, 46), 8. Pikhalonok (29. Buialskii, 46), 7. Yarmolenko, 9. Voloshyn – 11. Ponomarenko (39. Guerrero, 81).
Kudrivka: 37. Yashkov – 39. Macheliuk, 22. Vekliak, 69. Potimkov, 74. Farina – 14. Kaia (29. Nahnoinyi, 23), 19. Dumaniuk, 8. Storchous (21. Hlushchenko, 71), 20. Svitiukha (7. Bieliaiev, 62), 10. Kozak – 24. Owusu (77. Liehostaiev, 71).
Goals: Mykhavko (22), Ponomarenko (61), Guerrero (82) – Storchous (36, 45).
Booked: Ponomarenko (10), Buyalskyi (87) – Potimkov (10).
