As part of the 6th round of the Ukrainian Premier League Dynamo Kyiv hosted Olexandriya at the Valeriy Lobanovskyi Stadium.
Last season the Kirovohrad region side were direct rivals of the white-blues in the title race but this campaign Kirilo Nesterenko’s team had started poorly, winning only once in the opening rounds.
Dynamo were clear favorites but just 12 seconds into the match they found themselves trailing. Bilovar failed to clear the ball and Buletsa decided to shoot from long range, finding the target - 0:1.
The early goal was certainly not in Dynamo’s plans and left them shocked. For a long time Oleksandr Shovkovskyi’s men couldn’t break through the visitors’ defense. Buletsa even had a chance to double his tally with a dangerous free-kick from 25 meters but he struck the wall.
Gradually Dynamo pushed the play closer to Olexandriya’s goal, creating chances. Voloshyn made a solo run and fired a powerful shot but the goalkeeper saved. Shortly after Brazhko struck on the turn from a promising position, only to see the ball fly just wide.
The pressure kept growing. From a corner scramble Shaparenko failed to convert from close range. Later Mykola tried his luck from 25 meters, narrowly missing, and Guerrero somehow failed to tap in Voloshyn’s low cross into an almost empty net from a few meters out.
Still Dynamo equalized before the break. On the 40th minute, after a throw-in on the left flank, Brazhko sent the ball into the box and without touching anyone it curled straight into the far corner - 1:1.
On the stroke of half-time Dynamo almost went ahead when Ogundana latched onto Karavaev’s cross but his shot from 12 meters whistled inches past the post. The sides went to the dressing rooms level.
After the restart Dynamo took full control. Pikhalonok and Brazhko both missed the target from good positions, Blănuță squandered a sitter from inside the six-yard box and Pikhalonok later tested the goalkeeper with a strike from distance.
Persistence finally paid off in the 63rd minute. Pikhalonok was fouled inside the box after Blănuță narrowly missed a dangerous cross from Ogundana. The referee pointed to the spot and the midfielder converted the penalty himself — 2:1.
