Dynamo Kiev VS Skenderbeu Match Prediction
- 2017-09-14
- 17:00:00
Dynamo Kiev will win this match.
Unsurprisingly, these teams have never met each other before.
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Dynamo Kiev are heavy favourites at 1/8, a draw is 15/2 with Skenderbeu a healthy 22/1 to cause a huge upset.
Dynamo Kiev deserve to be short priced favourites at home against Skenderbeu. The Ukraine side have been regulars in Europe for many years now, while Skenderbeu begin their second ever Europa League campaign. Travelling to Ukraine to play at the Olimpijs'kyj stadium is a daunting task for the Albanian side.
Andrey Yarmolenko's sale to Borussia Dortmund leaves Dynamo Kiev without their chief playmaker, but everything points to a comfortable home victory. Striker Dieumerci Mbokani is likely to give the Skenderbeu defence a hard time and is priced at 5/2 to score the first goal.
The odds for a 3-0 home win is 5/1, with Dynamo to win by more than two goals at 5/4.
Dynamo Kiev will be too strong for Skenderbeu at home to get their campaign off to a winning start.
There are no injury or suspensions for Aleksandr Khatskevich's side but the recent sale of Andrey Yarmolenko to Borussia Dortmund severely depletes the squad. The 26-year-old winger provided 19 goals and 10 assists last season and started this campaign in great form, he will be sorely missed.
Denys Garmash has been at Dynamo Kiev since 2007 and broke through last season with 11 goals and two assists. The 27-year-old has begun this campaign in great form with two goals and four assists in nine appearances. The attacking midfielder could be a big problem for Skenderbeu.
Dynamo Kiev are unbeaten in the Ukrainian Premier League after six games, two points behind leaders Shakhtar Donetsk after an easy 3-0 win against lowly Oleksandria on Sunday. Knocked out of the Champions League qualifiers by Young Boys, Dynamo qualified for the Europa League in a playoff against Marítimo, a 0-0 draw in Portugal followed by a convincing 3-1 win in Kiev.
Goalkeeper:Koval
Defenders:Morozyuk, Vida, Khacheridi, Kadar
Defensive Midfielders:Buyalsky, Sydorchuk
Attacking Midfielders:Tsygankov, Garmash, Gonzalez
Forwards:Mbokani
Bakary Nimaga is suspended for this game after the central midfielder was sent off in the 2nd leg against Dinamo Zagreb. Manager Ilir Daja appears to have no injury concerns ahead of the trip to Ukraine.
With main striker Hamdi Salihi and prolific winger Liridon Latifi recently departing, we turn to 23-year-old Nigerian striker Ali Sowe, the 1.91m talk striker on loan from Chievo Verona. Sowe came off the bench to score two goals against Mamurrasi, following up by winning a penalty and setting up Gjergj Muzaka for Skenderbeu’s second goal against Flamurtari.
Skenderbeu progressed through four gruelling qualifying rounds to reach the Europa League group stage, edging past Dinamo Zagreb on away goals in the final round. Ilir Daja played a second string side in the first round of the Cup against minnows Mamurrasi in an easy 8-0 win, Skenderbeu getting off to a winning start in the Albanian Superliga on Saturday with a 2-0 win against Flamurtari.
Goalkeeper:Shehi
Defenders:Vangeli, Radas, Jashanica, Mici
Defensive Midfielders:Lilaj, Osmani
Attacking Midfielders:Gavazaj, Shkodra, James
Forwards:Sowe