On August 6, 2026, Kyiv's Dynamo secured a crucial victory in the third qualifying round of the UEFA Conference League. In a match against Azerbaijan's Karabakh, played in Lublin, Poland, the Kyiv team managed to win with a minimal score of 1:0. This result proved to be a significant step for the Ukrainian team on their path to the group stage of European competitions.
Match progression and key moments
The match began with active play from the visitors. Karabakh controlled the ball and created dangerous moments near Vyacheslav Surkis's goal. However, Dynamo's first serious chance ended in a goal. In the 10th minute, Karabakh defender Benzo Varkonyi made a blunder, clumsily dropping the ball to his goalkeeper. Matvey Ponomarenko took advantage of this and pushed the ball into the net, opening the scoring.
After the goal, Dynamo continued to play confidently, but the initiative largely remained with the visitors. Karabakh frequently attacked through the flanks, won a large number of corners, and forced the Kyiv players to work hard in defense. The most dangerous moment for the Azerbaijani club came after another set piece, when Alexey Kashchuk almost headed the cross onto the far post.
Second half and final results
The second half began with high intensity, with both teams having chances to change the score. The Kyiv players actively sought luck near the opponent's goal: Eduardo Guerrero missed several times, particularly after a mistake by the visitors near their own penalty area in the 57th minute. Karabakh responded with sharp counter-attacks - in the 69th minute, Surkis clumsily dropped the ball to Muadhib after a cross, but the latter forgave the Ukrainian club and missed from a favorable position.
Reinforcement from Igor Kostyuk in the middle of the half added freshness to the Kyiv attack. In the 71st minute, Nikolai Shaparenko found himself face-to-face with the goalkeeper but shot wide. A few minutes later, Nazar Voloshin, following a through pass by Bohdan Redushko, struck a powerful shot from the edge of the box – the ball hit Kohalski right in the head. Despite the visitors' final attempts to equalize, the Kyiv players defended reliably and secured a minimal victory. Moreover, in stoppage time, the Azerbaijanis were reduced to ten men after a rough foul by Makrecki against Vladislav Kabaev.
Contradictory data
Some sources mention that the president of Kyiv Dynamo had a conversation with Serhiy Rebrov. However, this information is not corroborated by other sources and may be related to other events or contexts. In this case, we adhere to the official information regarding the course of the match and its results.
Return match and prospects
Now the fate of the confrontation will be decided in the return leg, which will take place on August 13 in Baku. Dynamo holds an advantage, but Karabakh also has chances for success, especially considering their experience in European competitions. The teams must demonstrate their strength and will to win in the decisive match.
