Dynamo – AZ. Prediction and announcement of the Champions match

In the third qualifying round of the Champions League of the 2020-2021 season, the silver medalist of the Ukrainian championship Dynamo Kiev found a strong and authoritarian rival in the person of the Dutch club AZ of Alkmaar. Since the winner of this pair will be determined by the outcome of a single fight, the local field factor can be significant. Although the game will be played without spectators. But if it will be decisive for the charges of Mircea Lucescu, we will know only at the end of the match.

Speaking of the Dutch national team, it should be noted that in the previous season it did indeed claim the gold medals of its national championship, and at the time of the Dutch championship stoppage due to the coronavirus, AZ had the same number of points with Ajax Amsterdam, occupying the second place in standings. Also, it’s interesting that AZ won both games against Ajax. However, the national championship was never completed, so the winners were not determined. However, by decision of the national federation, Ajax immediately entered the group stage of the Champions League, and Arne Slot’s pupils were entitled to play in the new Euroseason only from the second qualifying round of the Champions League. Champions.

At this stage, the rivals of the Dutch footballers were the Czech club “Victoria” from the city of Pilsen. A single match also took place and was held in Alkmaar on August 26. In regulation time, a 1: 1 draw was recorded, and the home team managed to avoid defeat already in the fifth minute offset by the second half thanks to a goal from Ton Kopmeiners. And only in extra time did Icelandic legionnaire Albert Gudmundsson’s double allowed AZ to advance to the next round. So this match showed that it is quite possible to play with the Dutch and really hope for a positive result for them, especially since AZ has yet to play a single match in the new Dutch championship.

If we talk about the composition, then the rivals of Kiev have several players from the national teams. In addition to the aforementioned Gudmundsson, there are defender Jonas Svensson and midfielder Fredrik Midtsche from Norway, Greek defender Pantelis Hatzidiakos, other defensive player Yukinari Sugawara from Japan and Moroccan striker Ussama Idrissi. And just a few days ago it became known that AZ signed an agreement with the Swedish national team forward Jesper Karlsson (however, he did not arrive in Kiev). Of course, the local footballers are also striking, including Jordi Klassi, who at one time played for the youth, youth and national teams of the Netherlands and team captain Ton Kopmeiners.

Last summer, AZ played another Ukrainian club, Mariupol, in the Europa League fourth qualifying round. The Dutch were stronger overall: 0: 0 in Zaporozhye and 4: 0 at home. If you dig even deeper into the story, in the 2010-2011 season AZ and Dynamo have already met in the group stage of the Europa League. Kievans defeated their rivals twice 2: 0 at home and 2: 1 away. It is interesting that at that time two current Dynamo coaches, Oleg Gusev and Ognen Vukoevich, were playing for the Ukrainian team.

Now a word about Dynamo. After two victories in the Super Cup over Shakhtar 3: 1 and in the first round of the new championship over Olimpik 4: 1, Mircea Lucescu’s charges tied 0: 0 with Desna. Unfortunately, after the last match, the already packed Dynamo infirmary was supplemented by Oleksandr Tymchik, who started the season well with the Kiev team. This, of course, will add a headache to the coaching staff. But we believe and hope that our club can still come out of this difficult situation with honor.

Approximate compositions:

“Dynamo”: Buschan, Karavaev, Kendziora, Sirota, Mikolenko, Sidorchuk, Shaparenko, Verbic, Tsygankov, Buyalsky, Rodríguez

“ME”: Bizot, Svensson, Hacidiakos, Vlaar, Weindal, Midtshe, Coopmejners, De Wit, Klassi, Idrissi, Gudmünsson

September 15, Tuesday