FULL TIME: Dynamo Kyiv 0-0 Chelsea
Danilo Silva drags Oscar down by the neck, out on the left. One last chance for Willian to do something special from a free kick, but with the box loaded, he fails to beat the first man. And that’s that. A decent point for Chelsea on paper, and one that Jose Mourinho would have been happy with at the start of the evening. But his side hit the woodwork twice, and should have had a penalty, so there will be some frustration. Not too much, though, one suspects. Because Chelsea played very well tonight, and their Champions League campaign is on the right lines again. Chelsea, one senses, are on their way back.
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90 min: ... Chelsea stream up the other end, Willian cutting in from the left and very nearly planting a curler into the top right. Inches away from glory.
89 min: Kyiv have finally turned up as an attacking force! Gonzalez breaks down the left, but can’t find Yarmolenko with his low cross. Then Yarmolenko heads goalwards, only for the ball to be deflected out for a corner. From which ...
88 min: Vida goes on a strong run down the left wing, taking on Zouma for pace, and just about winning the race. Vida looks to cross low, but settles for the corner off Zouma’s outstretched leg. The corner is hit long, an awful corner, but Sydorchuk is able to attack again down the right. He whips a low ball towards the near post. Junior Moraes tries to meet it, but Cahill guides the ball back to Begovic, who smothers.
87 min: Willian and Ramires combine down the right to earn a corner off Dragovic. Chelsea aren’t so content with their point that they fail to load the box. But Willian can’t find Terry’s head with his whipped-in corner, and the ball’s cleared without too much fuss.
85 min: Chelsea are passing it around the middle of the park quite a lot. They’re in no rush to attack, perfectly happy with their point. The Kyiv fans aren’t particularly happy with what they’re seeing. Jose Mourinho has his feet up.
83 min: Willian, the maestro, wands the free kick towards the far post. Terry, breaking clear of the Kyiv back line, hooks the ball across and into the danger zone. But he’s mistimed his run. Or maybe Kyiv pushed up well. Either way, it’s offside.
82 min: Matic goes on a leggy ramble down the middle of the park, and is clipped to the floor by Yarmolenko. This will be a free kick to Chelsea, 35 yards out, just to the left. Before it can be taken, Garmash comes on for Buyalskiy.
80 min: Yarmolenko strides in from the right, eating up vast chunks of the Chelsea half at speed, then rolls the ball to Gonzalez down the inside-left channel. Gonzalez has got space and time to work with, but opts to take an early shot towards the bottom right. It’s not very good, and Begovic gathers without fuss. The Chelsea keeper has had very little to do this evening.
79 min: Yarmolenko and Buyalskiy exchange a quick one-two down the inside-right channel. Yarmolenko prepares to pick up possession and break into the box, but Terry sticks a boot in to scupper the plan. Wonderful anticipation.
78 min: Kyiv respond by swapping Kravets for Junior Moraes. A striker for a striker.
75 min: The first change of the night sees Chelsea swap Fabregas for Oscar.
72 min: Possession is over-rated. Dynamo have had 59% of the ball so far tonight. Chelsea have been the better side, though. Yarmolenko romps down the right but can’t get a meaningful ball into the box.
69 min: Kyiv recycle the ball, though, and Gonzalez is found in a bit of space down the left. He reaches the white paint, and cuts the ball back for Vida, who leans back and launches one towards the stars. He was in space on the edge of the area there. A fine chance. He has the good grace to hold his head in his hands.
68 min: Now Zouma clips Gonzalez from behind. His heart’s in his mouth, having just been booked, but it looks more accidental/clumsy than deliberate, and it’s just a free kick to the left of the Chelsea box. Kyiv load the area. Yarmolenko takes, but not very well. The ball bobbles behind everyone, straight to the opposite flank. Dear me.
67 min: Now he’s started, he can’t stop. Zouma goes in the book for a pointless slide on Vida.
65 min: Ah, the referee does have his card set with him. Buyalskiy is booked for a pretty basic slide on Fabregas. Having taken out both of his ankles from the front, he can have no complaints.
64 min: Vida hoicks a comical clearance straight at Ramires, who fails to take advantage. Not sure whether he was trying a shot or cross there. But he’s allowed Vida to make up for his mistake, and mop up.
63 min: ... Begovic makes another notable contribution, tipping away Gonzalez’s deep cross from the left. Kravets wasn’t far from meeting that one with his head. It might have even crept into the top right. Anyway, it’s another corner, which leads to nothing for the home side. It’s been a great game, this.
61 min: And having said that, Kyiv nearly score. From a Willian free kick, as well. For once, Willian’s delivery isn’t so good, a set piece from the left, Chelsea having loaded the Kyiv box. Yarmolenko leads a charge upfield on the break. Gonzalez enters the area on the left, and belts a low shot towards the near post. Begovic parries brilliantly. Corner. From which ...
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60 min: Willian is sent scampering into space down the right. He reaches the byline and pulls a lovely ball back for Hazard, who is in space just inside the area. He takes a touch and batters a shot goalwards, only to watch in horror as Khacheridi throws himself at the ball, John Terry style. It balloons off his buttocks and out for a corner, which is dealt with easily enough by Kyiv. Chelsea are asking all the questions here.
58 min: Wonderful work from Hazard, who bursts down the left wing from a deep position, cuts inside, exchanges passes with Matic, and hooks a stunning pass down the wing for Costa. The striker hesitates and can’t get a cross away. But what a glorious sweeping move up until that point. Chelsea are playing well.
55 min: Kravets and Buyalskiy nearly open Chelsea up down the right with a crisp one-two, but Azpilicueta keeps tight. Yarmolenko picks up possession and twists the full back this way and that, but his cross into a packed area doesn’t beat the first man. The home fans are getting a little testy, Begovic yet to be seriously tested.
53 min: Fabregas, with men in space, powers down the inside-right channel. Kyiv look very light at the back. Fabregas whistles a low shot straight at Shovkovskiy from the edge of the area. Not particularly brilliant given the options. “Seinfeld, Shmeinfeld!” begins Justin Kavanagh, who gets his email published despite his dirty mouth. “I was hoping we’d get a rendition of Hank Williams I’m so Lonesome I Could Die or Roy Orbison’s Only the Lonely from The Lonely One as half-time entertainment tonight. Or at least a good Leonard Cohen cover: I asked Sir Alex Ferguson how lonely does it get,Sir Alex Ferguson hasn’t answered me yet…” Satire, ladies and gentlemen.
50 min: Costa has just set about Khacheridi’s coupon in the cynical style, following it up with an apology of some chutzpah. Seconds later, Khacheridi sticks his elbow on Costa’s neep as they contest a high ball. Marvellous entertainment.
47 min: ... whips a magnificent effort up and over the wall, towards the top-left corner. Shovkovskiy is rooted to the spot, and watches in relief as the ball twangs off the underside of the crossbar. Matic can’t follow it in, and Kyiv clear. That was so close to yet another brilliant Willian free kick. He’s a magician. Chelsea deserve to be winning this match.
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46 min: With less than 15 seconds of the second half gone, Willian is making good towards the Kyiv area. He’s cynically tugged back by Rybalka. No booking. A strong suspicion that the referee has left his cards at home. But this is a free kick in a very dangerous position, dead central, 25 yards out. Willian steps up to take, and ...
Peep II
Dynamo arrange themselves in an elaborate huddle, then spread out into position. And then the second half gets underway, Chelsea setting the ball in motion once more. No changes.
Half-time entertainment: Any excuse for a bit of Seinfeld, huh?
HALF TIME: Dynamo Kyiv 0-0 Chelsea
And that’s that for the half. Chelsea have hit the post and could have had a penalty, while the home side are lucky not to be down to ten men. Even so, everyone in blue seems happy enough as they walk off. They’re halfway to the point that would constitute a decent evening’s work, and they look more cohesive than they’ve done for quite a while. It promises to be a fascinating second half. No flipping!
44 min: Sydorchuk attempts to spring Kravets clear down the inside-right channel. His pass is a tad too strong, and skids out of play on the sodden turf. Chelsea were in a spot of bother there had the pass been played correctly.
42 min: Mourinho stands on the touchline making a big show of looking satisfied with Chelsea’s performance. A rare smile playing across his lips. And fair enough, because his team have been the better side in this half.
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40 min: Zouma and Cahill think about running into each other, Hansen and Miller style, on the edge of their own area. They decide against it in the end, though only just. Gonzalez and Kravets were waiting to pounce, too, but the ball spins off into the arms of Begovic.
38 min: Gonzalez stamps on the back of Willian’s ankle. That’s an appalling challenge, but there’s no censure from the referee. A yellow card at least, and Gonzalez couldn’t have complained too much if he saw red. Chelsea aren’t getting the decisions here. But for goodness sake say nothing, Jose, it really isn’t worth it.
36 min: Danilo Silva strides with some purpose past Azpilicueta down the right. He breaks into the area, and for a second a world of possibility opens up for Kyiv. But his cutback for Kravets, waiting on the penalty spot, is hopeless. A few whistles from the home support.
34 min: Hazard twists and turns down the right, and earns Chelsea yet another corner. The ball’s met on the penalty spot by Cahill, who batters a fine header towards the top right. Shovkovskiy plucks it from the sky on his line.
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32 min: Willian embarks on a superscamper down the left. His burst of pace earns a corner. Willian whips that corner high through the six-yard box. Shovkovskiy comes off his line to flap and miss, but neither Costa nor Cahill manage to rise and get their head on the ball. Such a good delivery. Is it fair to say Willian has been Chelsea’s best player this season? I’ve not seen all their matches, but he appears to be delivering with great regularity both domestically and in Europe.
29 min: More space for the busy Vida down the left. He loops a very awkward ball to the back post, where Yarmolenko and Kravets are in attendance. Azpilicueta reads the danger well and heads behind for a corner. Again Chelsea deal with the set piece easily, though they’ll be concerned that the home team are getting back into the game again.
27 min: Vida goes powering down the left wing again. He cuts inside, sashays past Zouma, and slides the ball along the front of the Chelsea box. Buyalskiy strides in to meet it, and pearls one towards the top-left corner. He gives the ball a rare old belt, but Terry is out quickly to block in his trademark no-prisoners style. The ball deflects wide left for a corner, which Begovic claims easily.
25 min: Ramires takes a snap shot from 25 yards out, down the right. The ball sails fairly harmlessly wide of the right-hand post.
24 min: In between those two Chelsea chances, Kravets nearly latched onto a long pass down the inside-right channel, but Begovic was out quickly to claim it. Chelsea have otherwise been in control for a wee while.
21 min: Chelsea are knocking at the door here. Matic dribbles down the inside-right channel, and should be stopped at some point. But nobody bothers, and suddenly he’s bustling into the box! He draws Shovkovskiy, and looks certain to score, but his little dink towards the left-hand portion of the net floats wide of the post.
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19 min: A free kick for Chelsea down the left. Willian floats it into the mixer from deep. Diego Costa attempts to guide it into the right-hand portion of the net with an extended leg, but just misses, and the ball flies inches wide of the right post.
17 min: Fabregas cuts in from the left, and into the Kyiv box. He dodges Rybalka to the right, Rybalka clipping his leg as he does so. He’s going over as he clatters into Khacheridi’s planted leg. He claims a penalty kick, with some vigour. You’ve definitely seen them given for that. Chelsea have every right to be livid. But the referee comes down in favour of the home side.
16 min: Yarmolenko and Danilo Silva combine down the right. The latter scoops a cross into the box, where Kravets lurks. Zouma deals with an awkwardly bouncing ball very calmly indeed.
14 min: An aimless high hoof down the Kyiv right. Yarmolenko brings it down with a telescopic leg, at high speed to boot. That’s quite wonderful. He skins Azpilicueta on the outside, then spoils the whole thing with a clumpish cross. But what a player.
12 min: We’re up the other end again. Yarmolenko sprays a fine diagonal ball to Gonzalez on the left. Gonzalez, near the byline, hooks the ball back to the edge of the area for Buyalskiy, who sidefoots a first-time shot towards the top left. Begovic deals with that one easily enough.
11 min: Chelsea are enjoying the better of this. A free kick on the right, in a dangerous position, Hazard again having caused some bother with his twinkling toes. Fabregas’s delivery is awful, and easily cleared by Vida. Fabregas tries to make up for it a few seconds later, cropping up on the other wing and lashing a shot behind from a tight angle.
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9 min: This is a lovely end-to-end game already. First Yarmolenko cuts in from the right and has a pop from distance. It’s not a great effort, and easily gathered by Begovic. Then Hazard, down the other end, picks up possession on the left-hand corner of the Kyiv box. With little backlift, he pitching-wedges a delightful curler towards the bottom right. At full stretch, Shovkovskiy fingertips onto the base of the post, and away. Exquisite football from both attacker and keeper.
8 min: Willian is afforded acres of space in the middle of the Kyiv half. He’s got options either side of him, Diego Costa and Hazard, but opts to shoot instead. He’s in so much space, he’s got the right to do so, though his effort is a woeful bobble, and easily snaffled by Shovkovskiy.
6 min: A little bit of space for Hazard down the inside-left channel. He accelerates into it, before sliding a pass further down the flank for Diego Costa. The striker’s nearly sent clear into the area, but Danilo Silva nips back to clear. Chelsea are quickly coming back at Kyiv, though, allowing Fabregas to look for the bottom-left corner from distance. Shovkovskiy is behind it all the way.
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5 min: Vida goes on a power run down the left wing. He’s tight on the touchline but a nice combination of strength and finesse sees him gain a yard of space on the backtracking Willian. Fortunately for Chelsea, his cutback from near the corner flag is fairly hopeless and mopped up easily by Zouma.
3 min: Azpilicueta, playing at left back this evening, will be trailing after the dangerous Yarmolenko all night. He plants a sly elbow on the winger’s ear as the two challenge for a high ball down the Kyiv right. The referee has a quiet word with the Chelsea man, who may not get too many more chances if he plans to carry on like that.
2 min: Other than the actual sound, it’s a quiet start, as both teams take turns to ping the ball round a bit, getting a feel of the thing.
Peep! Roar! Hoof!
Coins are tossed, hands are clasped when they used to be shaken, and pennants saying “No to Racism” are swapped. And once that’s all done, we’re underway! Kyiv get the ball rolling, to a soundtrack of whistles and bellows.
The teams are out! The champions of Ukraine in their famous all-white strip, the champions of England in their equally renowned blue. It’s an aesthetic pleasure, and with both teams your actual pukka league winners, a purist’s treat. It’s also cold and wet in Kiev, but my word, what an atmosphere! We’ll be off in a minute.
In lieu of any pre-match chit-chat coming out of the Dynamo camp ... here’s a lovely picture of their manager Serhiy Rebrov doing what he did best (although admittedly rarely for Spurs) back in the day.
He’s just scored against Arsenal in December 2000. The match ended 1-1, Patrick Vieira equalising late on. Additional information: seconds after this snap was taken, Tim Sherwood started to cramp Rebrov’s style.
Mourinho speaks! Feel free to interpret the following any which way you fancy. “If it’s possible, I’d like to see Eden Hazard win the match for us, as he did so many times last season ... he’s a phenomenal player ... and if he can’t win the match for us, at least to be a team man, to keep the tactical balance we need for a game of this dimension.” Meanwhile on news desks around the land ...
The teamsheets
Dynamo Kyiv: Shovkovskiy, Danilo Silva, Khacheridi, Dragovic, Vida, Sydorchuk, Rybalka, Yarmolenko, Buyalsky, Gonzalez, Kravets.
Subs: Rybka, Veloso, Antunes, Petrovic, Junior Moraes, Garmash, Gusev.
Chelsea: Begovic, Zouma, Cahill, Terry, Azpilicueta, Matic, Fabregas, Ramires, Hazard, Willian, Costa.
Subs: Blackman, Baba, Oscar, Falcao, Mikel, Traore, Kenedy.
Referee: Damir Skomina (Slovenia)
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Eden Hazard is recalled for Chelsea, having been rested/dropped/does-it-really-matter for the Aston Villa game at the weekend. He’s a man in form, having scored for the new world number-one team Belgium in their Euro 2016 qualifiers against Andorra and Israel.
Meanwhile will Chelsea be happy to see referee Damir Skomina? It’s a moot point, seeing the Slovenian was the whistler at the 2012 Uefa Super Cup final, a match Chelsea lost 4-1. Radamel Falcao will be happy enough, I guess, having ran riot that night, scoring three of Atletico Madrid’s goals. He’s on the bench tonight. How the mighty have fallen.
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Preamble
Poor old José Mourinho can’t seem to catch a break this season. A stuttering start to their Premier League campaign. A Champions League defeat at his Porto alma mater. A common-or-garden post-match interview that accidentally turned into an epic and emotional soliloquy. A vote of confidence from the board. And now some existential despair: “I live in a different world. I’m a lonely guy in this modern world of football. I don’t have many friends in the football world.”
The poor fellow certainly needs cheering up. Hey, a victory tonight in Kiev against Dynamo Kyiv, to kick-start their stalling Champions League campaign, should do it! On the face of it, that’s a tall order: Kyiv have won seven of their last 10 home European games, they’ve only been defeated by an English side in Kiev twice in 12 matches, and they’re doing a damn sight better in the Ukrainian league than Chelsea have managed back in Blighty.
But perhaps a difficult-looking fixture has arrived at exactly the right time for Chelsea. Kyiv were undefeated this season in 14 games, until Shakhtar Donetsk visited their Olympic Stadium on Friday night. Kyiv were pumped 3-0, Donetsk leapfrogging them at the top of the table. A day later, Chelsea got back on the horse after consecutive defeats to Porto and Southampton, winning 2-0 against Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge. Yes, yes, it’s only Villa, but when your confidence is as low as Chelsea’s has been, you’ll take anything. And mighty oaks from little acorns grow.
Incidentally, a quick word on what appears to be our free-jazz approach to the spelling of Kiev, Kyiv, Киев, Київ, all that: after Ukraine saw the back of the USSR, they abandoned Russian spellings in favour of Ukrainian ones. This meant that, in English, Lvov became Lviv, Kharkov became Kharkiv and, in the official transliteration of the capital, Kiev became Kyiv (or in good old Cyrillic, Киев became Київ). However, official Guardian style has stuck with the traditional Kiev. Which means that Dynamo Kyiv – the official name of the club – play in Kiev, just as Roma play in Rome and Sevilla come from Seville. No point asking me any further questions, eg why?, but I can assure you that, otherwise, I’m here to help.
Kick off: 9.45pm in Kiev, 7.45pm in Ло̀ндо̄н.
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