In the 5th round of the Ukrainian Premier League, Dynamo Kyiv hosted last year’s silver medalists, LNZ Cherkasy, at the Valerii Lobanovskyi Dynamo Stadium.
The coaching staff of the “white-and-blues” made several changes to the starting lineup compared to the previous match against Bukovyna. In particular, team captain Vitaliy Buyalskyi was not even included in the squad, while experienced goalkeeper Heorhii Bushchan started between the posts, having returned to Dynamo on loan just a few days ago.
The opponents started the match rather cautiously. In the opening minutes, the hosts could only be credited with an inaccurate long-range effort from Brazhko, while Tverdokhlib found himself in a shooting position twice for the visitors: in one case, his header went wide, while in the other, LNZ defenders blocked the player’s attempt to shoot from virtually the edge of the six-yard box.
The moderate tempo continued. Dynamo became more active toward the end of the half. After a cross from Kabaii from the left flank, Lonwijk failed to connect with the ball despite being in close proximity to goal. In the 39th minute, the “white-and-blues” wasted a clear-cut chance: Ponomarenko delivered a powerful low cross from the left side of the penalty area toward the far post, where Yarmolenko failed to make proper contact with the ball, while Lonwijk, falling, fired from close range straight at the goalkeeper. The teams therefore went into the break with the score still goalless.
The second half began with a huge chance for the hosts. In the 50th minute, after a series of deflections in front of the penalty area, Rubchynskyi fired a shot, and the goalkeeper stretched to tip the ball around the bottom corner for a corner. The set piece almost resulted in a goal as well, but Kędziora was unable to produce an accurate header while falling. In response, the visitors created a chance of their own when Kuzyk met a cross from the right flank with a first-time effort, but Bushchan tipped the ball over the crossbar.
In the 55th minute, Yarmolenko again came close to opening the scoring. Rubchynskyi found Ponomarenko with a pass inside the penalty area, and Matvii, with a first-time touch, put the veteran through on goal. Unfortunately for Andriy and his teammates, the goalkeeper saved his difficult effort. In the 59th minute, the ball finally ended up in LNZ’s net: after Dubinchak’s cross from the left flank, Yarmolenko controlled the ball and laid it off to Ponomarenko, who beat his marker and fired into the corner. Unfortunately, after a VAR review, the officials disallowed the goal, ruling that Matvii had been marginally offside...
Despite this, Dynamo continued to apply pressure. In the 66th minute, Kabaii aimed for the top corner from distance, but the goalkeeper made the save. A little later, following a free-kick routine and Mykhavko’s lofted ball over the six-yard box, Ponomarenko was penalized for a foul on Ledvii. The “white-and-blues” spent the final minutes on the attack, but they were unable to produce the decisive accurate finish.
Thus, Dynamo drew, dropping points for the second consecutive match. The “white-and-blues” will play their next game this Thursday, September 10, in the Ukrainian Cup against Vinnytsia’s Nyva away from home.
UPL, 5th round
Dynamo – LNZ – 0:0
06.09.2026. Kyiv, Valerii Lobanovskyi Dynamo Stadium.
Dynamo: 1. Bushchan – 5. Sych (23. Malysh, 77), 94. Kędziora, 32. Mykhavko, 44. Dubinchak – 6. Brazhko, 15. Rubchynskyi (8. Pikhalonok, 89), 21. Lonwijk, 7. Yarmolenko (9. Voloshyn, 84), 22. Kabaiev (39. Guerrero, 77) – 11. Ponomarenko.
LNZ: 1. Ledvii – 11. Pasich, 4. Daiko, 34. Muravskyi, 14. Drambaiev – 16. Riabov, 29. Didyk, 8. Yakubu (7. Mykytyshyn, 90+1), 17. Kuzyk, 9. Tverdokhlib (19. Pastukh, 46) – 90. Assinor (37. Ndiaga, 67).
Booked: Kędziora (15) – Daiko (45+1), Ndiaga (78).
