[NoSkillz]

Tue. September 19, 2023

UEFA Champions League - Group C
Dynamo Kyiv (Ukraine Premier League) vs. Dover
Valeriy Lobanovsky Stadium Dinamo, Kyiv, Ukraine

Betting Odds: Dynamo Kyiv: 6-4 (Favourites) Draw: 2-1 Dover: 13-8
Past Meetings: 0W 0D 0L

Dynamo Kyiv won the Ukrainian Premier League last year for the first time since 2012. This is a small club, with an estimated value of around £20 million and their most dangerous player is a loanee from Manchester United named Antonio Santos, a 21 year old striker. Their lone transfer this year was to bring in 23 year old Zurich midfielder Wilfried Simo for £5.75 million.

I think we should defeat this team but we’re in their stadium so I won’t be complacent. That said, I want to give a few of our backups a game so coming in are Graham Allan, Jose, Saber Nasri (his first Dover start) and Manuel Perez. Paul Moses starts up front. Control mentality on the road despite being slight underdogs - I think we’re better than these guys.

Dover: 4-4-2 Control
GK - M. Perez
D - R. Gaucho, C. Contreras, S. Nasri, S. Loucif
M - A. Bamba, N. Cairney, Jose, G. Allan
S - P. Moses, Chiquinho
Bench - Rafinha, M. Yilmaz, E. Harvey, G. Fanfoni, H. Cruz, G. Bolis, Z. Bardi

Kiev are in a flat 4-4-2 as well with Santos and Goran Brajkovic up front and Jose in goal. I tell the team they can win this game tonight.

2’ - Chiquinho dives again for the second time in three games and is called on it, getting an early yellow card. I hate guys who flop around.

13’ - A bit of a sluggish start, as Moses shoots wide after breaking through the defence.

23’ - We head the ball over their defence and it’s Chiquinho barring down on goal but his shot is right at Jose and saved.

30’ - Jose with a glorious long ball up to Moses and he’s in on goal. His shot is stopped and Chiquinho sends the rebound to Jose and his low shot is stopped by his namesake in Kiev’s goal. Great sequence but we continue to be snakebitten today.

36’ - Moses hasn’t been great this half but he won’t be denied, as Jose finds him streaking up the middle of the field and sends a wonderful pass through the defence. Moses is in on goal and makes no mistake this time, putting it low and hard underneath the Kiev keeper and we have our lead! DOVER GOAL 1-0

HALFTIME - I’m not overly impressed with our play today. We hold a slight possession edge with 52% of the ball and an 11-3 (6-1 on target) shot advantage. Jose is looking good for us so far but I’m waiting for Chiquinho to start showing his quality. I encourage the players to keep pressing.

49’ - A crazy good long ball from Salim Loucif up to Moses and his shot is stopped by Jose, who has been great for Kiev today.

58’ - Another long ball up to Moses, this time from Contreras and Moses rounds the keeper and looks poised to score but CHIQUINHO gets in his way and Moses’ shot is off his strike partner and bounces to safety. What are you doing Chiquinho!?!?!

I immediately take him out, as he tries yet another dive in the area but it goes uncalled. Zoltan Bardi is in and Chiquinho will not be playing in our next game. I’m pretty furious with him.

65’ - There’s a scramble in front after a great run up field by Saber Nasri (of all people!) and Bardi heads the ball into the net. However, it’s called back on a foul, as the ref says Bardi pushed their keeper in the process. Harsh decision.

I take out a tired Graham Allan and bring in Gianluca Bolis.

73’ - Renato Gaucho sends the ball up to Moses but Kiev is sitting back. Our striker runs toward the byline and he’s on his left foot with no angle but somehow moves the ball to his right leg and from about two yards in front of the keeper, shoots hard right over his head and into the top corner of the net. RIDICULOUS goal from Paul Moses and we have a bit of a cushion! DOVER GOAL 2-0

75’ - Bardi streaks in on goal but shoots right at Jose and he makes the stop. Ugh!

77’ - We use our last substitution, bringing in Rafinha for the excellent Renato Gaucho.

80’ - Bardi has the ball at midfield and notices Moses all alone so he passes up to him. He is dribbling in and a Kiev defender cuts him off at the edge of the area and knocks the ball away. However, it’s right to Arsene Bamba and he has a wide open net to shoot at and makes no mistake! DOVER GOAL 3-0

84’ - Manuel Perez is called on to make a fine save to keep his shutout.

85’ - We have a free kick in our end of the field and Saber Nasri sends a long ball up field. For some reason, Kiev have stopped defending and Zoltan Bardi is able to grab the ball, take two steps into the area and he fires low and past Jose and IN! DOVER GOAL 4-0

We close it out from there. Great win!

Dynamo Kyiv 0 - 4 Dover
Goals - Paul Moses 2 (9.3), Arsene Bamba (8.4), Zoltan Bardi (7.5)
Assists - Saber Nasri (8.6), Renato Gaucho (7.1), Jose (7.9)
Man of the Match - Paul Moses
Other Dover Notables - Manuel Perez (7.0), Salim Loucif (7.9), Claudio Contreras (8.0), Neil Cairney (7.4)
Attendance - 16,643

We only edge them in possession with 51% of the ball but outshoot them 24-6 (15-2 on target). Moses was sensational, as usual and Nasri was very impressive in his first start with us. Jose continues to produce at midfield.

-- We earn £696,000 for the victory.

-- In the other Group C contest, Palermo battles to a 1-1 draw in Germany against Bayern Munich. Those teams will be tough!



Dover Reserves Team Update

-- We destroy Derby’s reserves 7-0 behind a three goal, one assist performance from striker Andy Broomes. Emmerson Harvey scored two goals of his own and added an assist. Also scoring were Steve Reed and Norberto Vazquez. Gian Marco Fanfoni added three assists in the comprehensive victory.



Transfer Clause Money IN

-- We get a cool £250,000 from Fulham due to former defender Ross McLaughlin reaching 20 league games for their club. Great stuff.



Premier League Update

-- We have the weekend off from Premier League play but many of the other clubs are in action. Middlesbrough continue to surprise early and win again to improve to a perfect 5-0-0. Man City win by shutout again and they are now 4-1-0 with zero goals against.


BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE - STANDINGS
(ALL TEAMS HAVE PLAYED 5 GAMES UNLESS NOTED)

1. Middlesbrough - 15 points
2. Manchester City - 13 points
3. Liverpool - 12 points
4. Reading - 10 points
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5. Dover - 8 points (after 4 games)
6. Sunderland - 8 points
7. Arsenal - 8 points
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Next Up

-- We begin our defense of the League Cup with a third round home matchup against Liverpool.