Dynamo Kiev vs PAOK - prediction, team news, lineups

Looking to people successful a Europa League lucifer astatine the 3rd effort this summer, Dynamo Kiev invited Greek giants PAOK to Motor Lublin Arena, Poland for a second-round qualification clash connected Thursday evening.

Bilo-Syni precocious enjoyed occurrence from the punishment spot to publication a two-legged matter with Dikefalos, who statesman their competitory docket for the 2026-27 run connected the continent this week.

Match preview

After lifting the Ukrainian Premier League for the 17th clip successful their storied past successful 2025, Dynamo Kiev endured a large slump past season, ending up successful 4th position, 15 points down league champions Shakhtar Donetsk.

As a result, Bilo-Syni find themselves successful the qualification rounds of the Europa League this summertime and required punishment kicks to advancement past Romanian broadside Universitatea Cluj earlier this period aft back-to-back goalless draws.

Scoring the 3rd of Dynamo Kiev's 4 palmy strikes from 12 yards retired astatine Cluj Arena, Matviy Ponomarenko was the main antheral successful onslaught past season, with the 20-year-old netting 13 goals crossed conscionable 15 Premier League appearances.

At the different extremity of the acquisition scale, 36-year-old Andriy Yarmolenko is 3 years into his 2nd stint astatine Bilo-Syni aft spells astatine Borussia Dortmund, West Ham United and Al-Ain, with the attacker scoring 131 goals successful 325 matches betwixt 2008 and 2017 for the club.

Following defeats to Pafos and Maccabi Tel Aviv successful Champions League and Europa League qualification respectively past season, Dynamo Kiev competed successful the League Phase of the Conference League but failed to marque the knockout stages, losing 4 of their six matches.

Since lifting their fourth-ever Greek top-flight rubric successful 2024, PAOK person secured consecutive third-placed finishes successful the Super League, with fierce rivals AEK Athens and Olympiacos enjoying home occurrence successful the meantime.

Dikefalos stay connected a ngo for their first-ever continental rubric aft a disappointing Europa League run successful 2025-26, erstwhile they squeezed retired of the League Phase earlier losing to Celta Vigo successful the playoff round.

Unbeaten crossed 16 location matches (W12 D4) successful the Greek Super League past season, PAOK's problems were much evident connected the roadworthy arsenic they managed conscionable six victories crossed 16 top-flight distant contests.

Whilst Dikefalos person mislaid a mates of cardinal players implicit the summertime - including eight-goal attacker Magomed Ozdoev to Russian broadside Krasnodar - determination has been crushed for pre-season excitement acknowledgment to the arrivals of Taha Abdi Ali and Baptiste Santamaria.

An country highlighted for betterment up of this week's Europa League clash, PAOK's defence struggled to enactment watertight during the closing months of past term, with Thursday's visitors without a cleanable expanse successful their past 7 competitory fixtures.

Dynamo Kiev Europa League form:

D D

PAOK pre-season affable form:

W W W L

Team News

After keeping back-to-back cleanable sheets, Dynamo Kiev goalkeeper Ruslan Neshcheret should clasp his spot successful the starting XI.

The Ukrainians would beryllium foolish to messiness with their backmost 4 excessively overmuch either, with centre-backs Kristian Bilovar and Taras Mykhavko preparing to execute erstwhile again.

Appearing disconnected the seat doubly successful the erstwhile round, Shola Ogundana could marque his archetypal commencement of the play connected Thursday evening.

One of 2 Englishmen successful the PAOK ranks, winger Shola Shoretire is simply a uncertainty for this contention due to the fact that of a genu problem.

Well-known to those of an Everton persuasion, defender Jonjoe Kenny is preparing for his 2nd play with the Greek club.

Dynamo Kiev imaginable starting lineup:

Neshcheret; Kedziora, Bilovar, Mykavko, Dubinchak; Pikhalyonok, Brazhko, Shaparenko; Ogundana, Voloshyn, Ponomarenko

PAOK imaginable starting lineup:

Pavlenka; Kenny, Gomez, Michailidis, Taylor; Santamaria, Zafeiris, Zivkovic, Konstantelias, Pelkas; Ali

We say: Dynamo Kiev 0-0 PAOK

Already into their competitory travel aft 2 matches against Romanian opposition, Dynamo Kiev could beryllium sharper than their visitors connected Thursday evening.

PAOK person a fig of breathtaking signings who could marque their debuts, however, we expect the archetypal limb to beryllium a cagey matter successful Lublin.

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