Reaching the third qualifying round for the Champions League guarantees a spot in at least one of UEFA's competitions, but only one side can continue its quest at the highest level. Can Pafos take out another champion en route to a historic debut?
Dynamo Kyiv met little resistance in the previous round when they faced Hamrun, securing back-to-back 3-0 wins home and away. But their humble Cypriot opponents definitely overachieved when they took out Israel's champions Maccabi Tel Aviv.
Hamrun are chasing a debut in the Champions League, after reaching the last 16 in the Conference League last season, which was their overall debut appearance in all the major competitions. And since all Ukrainian sides are currently hosting their matches at neutral locations, home advantage will not be a factor in this clash.
But for comparison, Dynamo Kyiv have been a staple in Europe, reaching the group stages of either of UEFA's competitions almost every year since 2005. Moreover, the White and Blues have displayed impressive form since the start of the new season, winning all three of their matches without conceding a single goal.
How the bookies view it: Dynamo to extend their streak
As expected, bookmakers see the hosts as a solid favourite but the odds are not as one-sided as we anticipated. You can currently pick Dynamo Kyiv at 7/10, while Pafos are priced at 33/10. The draw is also an option at 27/10.
Recent head to head: First one for the books
This will be the first H2H between Dynamo Kyiv and Pafos. The Ukrainian side has faced Cypriot opposition in the past (AEK Larnaca), and failed to win on both occasions.
Players to watch: Shaparenko to Vanat again?
Dynamo's squad is full of young talents but one player caught our attention in the last few weeks. Mykola Shaparenko is shaping to be the best pick in the squad, after securing at least one goal contribution in all three games to date (G1, A2). Alternatively, Dynamo's young star Vladyslav Vanat has also recorded three goal contributions since the start of the season (G2, A1). He has been the team's most impactful player over the last three campaigns overall.
Probable line-ups
Dynamo Kyiv: Neshcheret, Karavayev, Bilovar, Mykhavko, Vivcharenko, Pikhalonok, Brazhko, Shaparenko, Voloshyn, Vanat, Kabaiev
Pafos: Michael, Bruno, Luckassen, Goldar, Pileas, Jaja, Sunjic, Pepe, Orsic, Dragomir, Silva
Anything else catch the eye?
One fact to point out is that neither side has reported any injuries ahead of this clash, so both managers will have their best line-ups available. But while Pafos certainly impressed against Maccabi, Dynamo Kyiv are on a different level in all aspects of the game.
We expect little action in this clash, as the visitors will likely stick to defence for the most part. Their last six competitive games featured fewer than three goals, and we expect the same here. Dynamo Kyiv have been completely errorless in defence since the start of the season, so the Cypriot side will have serious problems reaching the final third. You can pick either under 2.5 goals or BTTS-No with equal confidence here.
GambleAware