FC Dynamo Kyiv was the first Ukrainian club to begin preparations for the new 2026/27 European season. As part of the first qualifying round of the Europa League, Igor Kostyuk's team played a nominally home match against Romanian club Universitatea Cluj. The match, held at a stadium in Lublin, Poland, ended in a 0:0 draw.
Tactical reconnaissance and missed chances
The first half was played in the style of classic reconnaissance. The "White-Blues" traditionally tried to impose their style of play on the opponent and control the ball, while the Romanians preferred a tight defense. Gradually, the pressure from the Ukrainians intensified, leading to the creation of the first real threats.
One of the key episodes was a cross by Redushko, after which Pikhalenko headed the ball from the center of the penalty area, but the shot lacked precision. A little later, the same combination created a dangerous situation: Redushko crossed the ball, Shaparenko elegantly flicked it with his heel, but Pikhalenko missed by a minimal margin.
The Romanians responded only once, but very sharply. In the 36th minute, Mendi took advantage of a rare lapse in the center of the Kyiv defense and went one-on-one with Neshcheret. The Dynamo goalkeeper played at the highest level and saved the team from conceding a goal. By the end of the half, the Dynamo players had the opponent under pressure again: Shaparenko took a dangerous shot from the air after a mistake by the visitors' goalkeeper, and in the final minutes, he sent the ball straight into the hands of the Universitatea keeper.
Second half: pressure and the crossbar
The second half of the match began with total dominance by the Kyiv team. Already in the 47th minute, Brazhko tested the opponent's alertness with a long-range shot. To strengthen the attack, the coaching staff made a substitution in the 61st minute: experienced Yevhen Buyalskyi came on for Pikhalenko.
The newcomer immediately got involved in the game. After a well-thought-out pass by Mykhavko, Buyalskyi struck powerfully from the central zone, but the Universitatea goalkeeper once again saved his goal. Dynamo's pressure increased, and the visitors' defense began to falter. In the 68th minute, Ponomarenko took a spectacular shot with a run-up, but this shot was also saved.
The most dramatic moment occurred in the 79th minute. Shaparenko dribbled past his opponent near the left corner of the penalty area and took his signature curling shot. The ball hit the crossbar, and the stadium in Lublin, which was already preparing to celebrate a goal, froze in anticipation.
Technical glitch and the final whistle
The end of the match took an unexpected turn. In the 85th minute, serious lighting problems arose at the arena, forcing the referee to take a long pause. After the malfunction was fixed, the Estonian referee Joonas Janovits compensated for the lost time by adding a solid 8 minutes to the regular time.
Despite the fierce pressure from the "White-Blues" and attempts to snatch victory in stoppage time, the score remained unchanged. The final whistle confirmed a goalless draw. The fate of the ticket to the next round will be decided in the return match, which will take place on July 16.
