Punished: Late Goal Knocks Dynamo Out Of UEFA Cup

Dynamo - Shakhtar: Lets Get Ready To Rumble!

After Dynamo got by Valencia I had a feeling it was going to come down to this. The duel at the top of the Ukrainian Premier League has been going on for a decade. And even though it is a foregone conclusion that trophy is coming to Kiev this season, Shakhtar still has two more chances to derail Dynamo treble bid. The first test starts today at Lobanovsky Stadium, where the top dogs of Ukraine will try to prove who deserves to be the first Ukrainian representative in a European final. No doubt it is an honor both clubs desperately want to claim, and to have taken it from your biggest rival makes it that much more important. And it it perhaps most coveted by the supporters, because neither side wants to come out the loser in this UEFA Cup semifinal, as it will be held over their heads for a long time to come.

No Contest!

Dynamo - PSG: Leg 2 Preview

The nil draw last Thursday means the result of today's match will determine who gets the first ticket into the UEFA Cup semifinals. Assuming they score, a draw would be enough to send the French club through, but Dynamo is sure to have nothing but victory in mind when the sides clash again at Lobanovsky Stadium. Who will start up front for the hosts alongside Artem Milevskiy? Will Paul Le Guen finally use veterans Ludovic Giuly and Claude Makelele at this crucial stage of the competition? Find out after the jump.

PSG - Dynamo: First Leg Preview

Champions League matches may have been played on Tuesday and Wednesday, but the European competition that has the attention of fans in Ukraine and France takes center stage today. Shakhtar Donetsk will host Olympique Marseille, while UPL leaders Dynamo take on Paris Saint-Germain at the Parc des Princes in the quarterfinals of the UEFA Cup. The winners will meet each other in the next round, and both nations would like to send two representatives through to the penultimate stage and guarantee a spot in the finals for one of its clubs. Yuri Semin's side will hope to take a step towards holding up their end of the bargain with a positive result in Paris.

Metalurh D - Dynamo: Bangoura Returns

The leading scorer in the Ukrainian Premier League will be back in the starting eleven for Dynamo this Sunday when they travel to face Metalurh Donetsk. The injury to Artem Kravets paves the way for the Ismael Bangoura to pad his total of 12 goals which he has yet ...

International Roundup: Kravets Hurt

Artem Kravets's hopes of earning his first cap at Wembley went up in smoke as the Dynamo striker suffered an injury while training with the national team. Kravets damaged a muscle in his hip and is expected to be out for three weeks, which means he will miss Dynamo's UEFA Cup quarterfinal tie against PSG. While the striker flew back to Kiev to begin treatment, his club teammates Artem Milevskiy, Oleksandr Aliyev, Taras Mykhalyk, Oleh Husyev and Stanyslav Bohush continue to train in England for Wednesday's World Cup 2010 qualifier. Meanwhile several of Dynamo's foreign internationals were in action for their countries on Saturday. Find out how they did after the jump.

Dynamo 3 - 0 Arsenal Kyiv: Business As Usual

The outcome was an expected one as the "Kiev derby" has never been a competitive affair. In 27 meetings the Cannoneers have never beaten Dynamo, managing to steal a point on just five occasions. There would be no surprises this time around as Oleksandr Aliyev set up the opening goal for Artem Kravets and found the net on either side of the break as Dynamo cruised past their city rivals. Yuri Semin went with a first choice lineup in this the last match before the international break, with the notable exception being captain Oleksandr Shovkovskiy seeing his first action of 2009. See the goals after the jump.

Metalist 3 - 2 Dynamo: Lost The Battle, Won The War

Sometimes a loss is really a win, and a victory has the bitter aftertaste of a defeat. Metalist Kharkiv won the match, but it was Dynamo who celebrated on their pitch, having booked a spot in the quarterfinals of the UEFA Cup. Substitute Andriy Berezovchuk turned Milos Ninkovic's cross into his own net to level the aggregate score late in the second half, and Dynamo held off their UPL rivals the rest of the way to advance on away goals. It was a fitting way to decide a match that did not distinguish itself with champagne football but more than made up for it with sheer tension and the unquestioned effort put in by both sides.

Through!!!

Whew, that was a stroke-inducing 90 minutes. More to come when my heart rate returns to normal.