On Wednesday, June 24, Kyiv Dynamo played their second friendly match as part of the training camp in Austria, where the team is preparing for the new 2026/2027 season. The White-Blues’ opponent was one of Slovakia’s most decorated clubs, Žilina.
As a reminder, a few days earlier Ihor Kostiuk’s side had already played one friendly match against Slavia Prague, which ended in a 1:1 draw. During their summer preparations, Žilina had also played one friendly match at home against Czech second-division side Opava and likewise drew 1:1. On June 22, the team arrived at their training camp in Austria, where the match against Dynamo became the first for Pavol Staňo’s men.
As in the previous game, Ihor Kostiuk’s team played this match using two different lineups. In the starting lineup for the first half, the presence of defender Tomasz Kędziora, who recently returned to our team, attracted particular attention. Dynamo and Žilina played in an unusual format, consisting of two full halves and one additional 20-minute extra period.
Both teams started the match actively. For the Kyiv side, Voloshyn’s low cross into the penalty area could not be converted by Guerrero, while Dubinchak found the back of the net but was ruled offside. In addition, Žilina’s goalkeeper dealt with Herich’s close-range effort.
In the second half of the first period, the pace of the game slowed somewhat. Guerrero failed to direct the ball into the goal from a promising position, although the Dynamo forward was in an offside position. At the other end, Bari had a chance to score but failed to hit the target. Towards the end of the half, Voloshyn’s shot was blocked, but Dynamo still went into the break with a narrow lead. In first-half stoppage time, following another Ukrainian attack and a cross into the penalty area, Narimanidze turned the ball into his own net - 1:0.
The second half began with Dynamo attacks. A powerful long-range effort from Shaparenko narrowly missed the target. Overall, our team combined well and regularly created danger in front of the opposition goal. After the entire lineup was changed, Dynamo scored again, but Ogundana’s goal was disallowed for offside.
The game then mostly took place in midfield, without any truly dangerous chances at either end. Eventually, one of Dynamo’s attacks produced a result: following a lofted pass from Bilovar, Ogundana expertly lifted the ball over the goalkeeper - 2:0.
At the beginning of the extra period, Dynamo extended their lead to a commanding margin. Ponomarenko beat his opponents and from the centre of the penalty area fired an unstoppable shot into the net - 3:0. Redushko also had an opportunity to score, but the goalkeeper made the save. Closer to the end of the match, Koša managed to score a consolation goal, intercepting the ball and finding the net with a strike from outside the penalty area - 3:1.
Shortly afterwards, Ponomarenko completed his brace. After receiving a pass from Redushko on the left, he found himself one-on-one with the goalkeeper and calmly finished - 4:1. The final score was set by Pikhalyonok, who confidently converted a penalty awarded for a foul by the opposition in their own penalty area - 5:1.
A convincing victory for the White-Blues in their second friendly match of the training camp! Dynamo’s next sparring match will take place on Sunday, June 28, against Polish side Wieczysta Kraków.
Friendly match
Dynamo – Žilina (Slovakia) – 5:1 (1:0)
24.06.2026. Austria, Guntamatic Arena
Dynamo (first half): 35. Neshcheret, 34. Husiev, 94. Kędziora, 66. Thiare, 44. Dubinchak, 21. Lonwijk, 9. Voloshyn, 29. Buialskii, 10. Shaparenko, 5. Herych, 39. Guerrero.
Dynamo (from the 58th minute): 71. Surkis, 13. Korobov (23. Malysh, 88), 40. Bilovar, 32. Mykhavko, 2. Vivcharenko, 6. Brazhko, 8. Pikhalonok, 15. Rubchynskyi, 16. Ogundana, 70. Redushko, 11. Ponomarenko.
Žilina (starting lineup): 31. Šipoš, 20. Bari, 17. Minárik, 21. Granič, 28. Narimanidze, 33. Pališčák, 6. Adang, 11. Bzdyl, 24. Datko, 23. Faško, 34. Prokop.
Goals: Narimanidze (45+1, own goal), Ogundana (75), Ponomarenko (95, 108), Pikhalonok (110, penalty) – Koša (105).
Booked: Korobov (76).
