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Futmetrix Verdict
26
FT
Thu, Aug 28
Dynamo Kyiv
1-0
Maccabi Tel Aviv
⚡ Intensity 14
⚖️ Balance 24
🏆 Stakes 33
🎲 Upset 0
Early strike fails to save Kyiv.

Maccabi Tel Aviv Survive Kyiv's Early Scare to Advance

Skip It Futmetrix Score: 26/100. A lightning-fast start promised a historic Ukrainian comeback, but the ensuing ninety minutes dissolved into a gritty set-piece slugfest that ultimately saw the first-leg victors survive.

The Opening Act

Arena Lublin served as the temporary stage for a high-stakes European shootout. Trailing 3-1 from the first leg in this crucial play-off tie, Dynamo Kyiv knew exactly what was required to salvage their continental campaign. They flew out of the traps, elevating the Stakes immediately with a blistering pace that unsettled the visitors. Just five minutes into the contest, the stadium erupted when E. Guerrero found the back of the net, capitalising on a sharp, incisive delivery from O. Pikhalyonok. That crucial early opener completely shifted the aggregate complexion, slashing the daunting deficit to a single goal. The frenetic tempo suggested a relentless siege was imminent. For a fleeting moment, the Ukrainian side looked destined to overwhelm their opponents, dominating the early physical exchanges and keeping the ball firmly pinned in the attacking third as they hunted an equaliser.

The Pivot

Yet, the anticipated attacking onslaught never fully materialised on Polish soil. Instead of continuous, free-flowing football, the game rapidly deteriorated into a fractured, stop-start midfield battle. Maccabi Tel Aviv, acutely aware of their precarious 3-2 aggregate lead, wisely sacrificed possession for a rigid defensive shape. A remarkably modest Intensity rating tells the story of what followed over the next hour. The ball spent agonizing stretches out of play, resulting in a staggering 15 total corners between the two sides as the match became a disjointed affair. Dynamo Kyiv edged possession with 52 percent, but their massive set-piece pressure rarely translated into clear-cut shooting opportunities. D. Peretz, who orchestrated Maccabi's brilliant first-leg triumph with two goals, shifted his focus entirely, helping his side manage the clock, draw fouls, and weather the frustrating storm of repetitive, looping crosses.

The Resolution

As the clock mercilessly ticked down, the overarching Balance of the entire tie rested entirely on a knife-edge, even though the actual quality on the pitch significantly waned. Maccabi's disciplined defensive block absorbed the desperate aerial bombardment without panicking, impressively limiting the frantic hosts to just two shots on target all evening. The final whistle ultimately brought heavily contrasting emotions to the Arena Lublin turf. Dynamo Kyiv technically secured a hard-fought victory on the night, but it proved to be a completely hollow triumph. Maccabi Tel Aviv's resilient, cynical game management perfectly protected their slender aggregate advantage, officially sealing their lucrative qualification for the main competition. This grinding encounter certainly wasn't a classic for the neutral observer, but the pragmatic visitors did exactly what ruthless knockout football demands to survive and advance.

Key Questions

Who advanced to the main competition?

Maccabi Tel Aviv progressed to the main tournament, surviving this second leg to secure a 3-2 aggregate victory over Dynamo Kyiv.

Who scored the only goal of the match?

E. Guerrero scored for Dynamo Kyiv in the 5th minute, finishing off a sharp assist provided by O. Pikhalyonok.

What is the Futmetrix Score?

The Futmetrix Score is our 0-100 verdict on how entertaining a match is. We look at intensity, balance, stakes, and star quality to tell you if it's worth your time.

Match Statistics

Possession
52%
48%
Dynamo Kyiv 52%
Maccabi Tel Aviv 48%
Shots
6
4
Dynamo Kyiv 6
Maccabi Tel Aviv 4
Shots on Target
2
2
Dynamo Kyiv 2
Maccabi Tel Aviv 2
Corners
8
7
Dynamo Kyiv 8
Maccabi Tel Aviv 7
Fouls
14
14
Dynamo Kyiv 14
Maccabi Tel Aviv 14
Yellow Cards
1
2
Dynamo Kyiv 1
Maccabi Tel Aviv 2
Red Cards
0
0
Dynamo Kyiv 0
Maccabi Tel Aviv 0

Match Events

5' E. Guerrero (O. Pikhalyonok)
Issouf Sissokho 🟨 25'
33' 🟨 Andriy Yarmolenko
HT
46' 🔄 I. Sissokho I. Noy
Kristijan Belić 🟨 58'
K. Bilovar D. Popov 🔄 62'
A. Yarmolenko V. Kabaev 🔄 62'
68' 🔄 E. Madmon I. Nicolaescu
E. Guerrero M. Ponomarenko 🔄 73'
75' 🔄 Heitor R. Shlomo
O. Pikhalyonok M. Shaparenko 🔄 84'
Maccabi Tel Aviv V. Brazhko 🔄 84'
86' 🔄 K. Belic B. Lederman
FT

Player Cards

Our take on every player in this match

Dynamo Kyiv

Midfielders
Roi Mishpati
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Sagiv Yehezkel
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Tyrese Asante
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Mohamed Ali Camara
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Heitor
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Roy Revivo
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Issouf Sissokho
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Dor Peretz
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Kristijan Belić
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Osher Davida
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Elad Madmon
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
BENCH
Ofek Melika
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Shalev Saadia
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Raz Shlomo
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Denny Gropper
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Yonas Malede
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Noam Ben Harush
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Benjamin Lederman
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Itamar Noy
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Saied Abu Farchi
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Ido Shahar
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Itay Ben Hamo
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Ion Nicolăescu
👻 Invisible Nothing to note

Maccabi Tel Aviv

Midfielders
Ruslan Neshcheret
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Oleksandr Karavaev
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
K. Bilovar
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
T. Mykhavko
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
V. Dubinchak
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
O. Pikhalyonok
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
M. Mykhaylenko
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Vitaliy Buyalskyi
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
A. Yarmolenko
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
E. Guerrero
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Nazar Voloshyn
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
BENCH
V. Morgun
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
D. Ignatenko
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
D. Popov
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
O. Yatsyk
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
V. Brazhko
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
M. Shaparenko
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Vladyslav Kabaiev
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
V. Zakharchenko
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
M. Bragaru
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
M. Ponomarenko
👻 Invisible Nothing to note

Head to Head

Date Home Score Away Competition Venue
08/21/2025 Maccabi Tel Aviv 3 - 1 Dynamo Kyiv UEFA Europa League Gradski Stadion
12/09/2015 Dynamo Kyiv 1 - 0 Maccabi Tel Aviv UEFA Champions League NSK Olimpijs'kyj
09/29/2015 Maccabi Tel Aviv 0 - 2 Dynamo Kyiv UEFA Champions League Sammy Ofer Stadium
08/21/2025
UEFA Europa League Gradski Stadion
12/09/2015
UEFA Champions League NSK Olimpijs'kyj
09/29/2015
UEFA Champions League Sammy Ofer Stadium
Dynamo Kyiv Win
Maccabi Tel Aviv Win
Draw

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