UEFA Europa League Qualifying Round 1
Universitatea Cluj 0 - 0 PEN 2-4 Dynamo Kyiv
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Futmetrix Verdict
62
Ratchaburi
vs
Kashiwa Reysol
Tue, Oct 27 • 12:15 UTC
⚡ Form
61
⚖️ Balance
64
🏆 Stakes
50
⭐ Stars
55
Points are urgent; goals already flow
Match Statistics
Shots
Shots on Target
Corners
Fouls
Yellow Cards
Red Cards
Match Events
4' Mouhamadou Drammeh
Bogdan Redushko 18'
45'+2 Alexandru Chipciu
HT
46' ↓ M. Stefanescu ↑A. Aliev
Bogdan Redushko 59'
↓ O. Pikhalyonok ↑V. Buyalskyy 63'
70' Pedro Pinho
↓ B. Redushko ↑A. Yarmolenko 76'
↓ T. Kedziora ↑K. Vivcharenko 76'
77' ↓ O. Mendy ↑A. Friday
Taras Mykhavko 86'
↓ M. Shaparenko ↑J. Lonwijk 87'
↓ N. Voloshyn ↑S. Ogundana 87'
92' ↓ I. Macalou ↑D. Nistor
92' ↓ M. Drammeh ↑A. Chintes
↓ V. Dubinchak ↑N. Malysh 99'
Justin Lonwijk 105'+1
112' ↓ J. Stanojev ↑I. Chukwu
113' ↓ P. Pinho ↑G. Simion
FT
Player Cards
Our take on every player in this match
Universitatea Cluj
Goalkeepers
Neofytos Michael
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Defenders
L. Cristea
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
A. Chipciu
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Midfielders
Jug Stanojev
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
D. Codrea
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
P. Pinho
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
M. Drammeh
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Marius Ștefănescu
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
O. Bic
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Forwards
O. Mendy
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
I. Macalou
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
BENCH
S. Lefter
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
T. Cosa
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
A. Chintes
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
A. Friday
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
F. Poulolo
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
A. Techeres
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
D. Nistor
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
G. Simion
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
A. Trica
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
I. Chukwu
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
A. Aliev
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Dynamo Kyiv
Goalkeepers
Ruslan Neshcheret
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Defenders
Tomasz Kędziora
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
K. Bilovar
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Taras Mykhavko
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
V. Dubinchak
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Midfielders
O. Pikhalyonok
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Volodymyr Brazhko
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
M. Shaparenko
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Nazar Voloshyn
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
B. Redushko
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Forwards
Matvii Ponomarenko
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
BENCH
Illia Olkhovyi
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Viacheslav Surkis
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Kostiantyn Vivcharenko
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Navin Malysh
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Aliou Thiare
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Andrii Yarmolenko
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
V. Rubchynskyi
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
S. Ogundana
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
J. Lonwijk
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Vitaliy Buyalskyi
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
E. Guerrero
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
M. Korobov
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Match previews and recaps to help you decide which games are worth watching
Universitatea Cluj
Dynamo Kyiv
Universitatea Cluj
Dynamo Kyiv
Win Probability
Futmetrix AI estimate
Kyiv Survive Penalty Shootout Drama in Romania
Worth Watching Futmetrix Score: 57/100. A heroic defensive rearguard ultimately fell short from twelve yards as the visitors scraped through a tense European qualifier.
Early Warnings & VAR Drama
The opening minutes at Cluj Arena immediately revealed the high Stakes of this UEFA Europa League qualifier. Both teams understood that a single mistake could shatter their continental dreams in an instant. The visitors wasted no time asserting their offensive intent, pushing the home side deep into their own half with rapid passing sequences. The pivotal early moment arrived just 18 minutes in, when Bogdan Redushko thought he had broken the deadlock to silence the home crowd. His celebration was cut painfully short as VAR intervened, ruling the goal out and handing a crucial lifeline to Universitatea Cluj. This early warning shot forced the Romanian outfit to tighten their defensive lines, effectively turning the rest of the half into a gritty tactical battle where open space was practically nonexistent.
A Siege of Attrition
Following the disallowed goal, the match developed a frantic Intensity, even if the scoreboard stubbornly refused to budge. Dynamo Kyiv effectively set up a permanent camp in the attacking third, unleashing a relentless barrage of attempts. The visitors racked up 22 shots, testing the home defense from every conceivable angle. However, the true story of this grinding phase was the spectacular goalkeeper heroics on display. The home shot-stopper produced seven vital saves, single-handedly preserving the delicate Balance of the tie under immense pressure. Despite a combined 33 shots attempted throughout the contest, neither side could find the clinical edge required to score legally in open play. It was a classic display of defensive resilience holding out against an overwhelming attacking volume.
The Shootout Decider
After 120 grueling minutes of scoreless attrition, the tie descended into the ultimate lottery of a penalty shootout. The partisan home crowd roared, hoping their team could complete a massive Upset after surviving the Ukrainian onslaught for over two hours. However, the visitors maintained their composure when it mattered most, ignoring the hostile atmosphere. Dynamo Kyiv dispatched their spot-kicks with clinical precision, ultimately winning the shootout 4-2. The result perfectly encapsulates a night where offensive dominance failed in regular time but eventually prevailed from twelve yards. For the Ukrainian giants, surviving this massive scare keeps their main competition hopes alive. The harsh reality of knockout football means only one can advance, leaving the hosts to ponder what might have been after a valiant defensive masterclass.
Key Questions
How did VAR change this match?
VAR denied Bogdan Redushko an 18th-minute goal for Dynamo Kyiv, keeping the match scoreless and eventually forcing the grueling tie into a decisive penalty shootout.
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.
Archive note: this preview was written after the match was played.
An Early European Mismatch in Romania
Skip It Futmetrix Score: 18/100. This first qualifying round tie offers little drama, as the visitors hold a massive advantage in quality over their Romanian hosts.
The Setup
The Europa League journey begins on July 16, 2026, at Cluj Arena. We do not expect much of a contest here. Dynamo Kyiv arrive with a squad built for deeper European runs. Their Form dictates they should dispatch Universitatea Cluj without breaking a sweat. A meager Stakes rating reflects the early nature of this tie, where true jeopardy feels a long way off. A glaring lack of Stars means neutrals have little reason to tune in, and the Balance is heavily skewed toward the visitors. The lack of top-tier intrigue justifies our verdict to skip this one altogether. While the away side's goalkeeper, R. Neshcheret, will likely enjoy a quiet evening, his teammates upfront will be tasked with ruthless execution against an overmatched opponent.
Key Battle
With a significant gulf in class, the defining clash is simply the home defense trying to withstand wave after wave of Ukrainian attacks. Universitatea Cluj will naturally drop deep to close space. Dynamo Kyiv will rely on the pace and precision of V. Vanat and N. Voloshyn to break them down. If the hosts lose concentration early, things will get ugly fast.
Our Prediction
Dynamo Kyiv will cruise to a comfortable 3-0 victory. The visitors will control possession, force inevitable defensive errors, and kill the tie before the second leg even matters.