Club Brugge KV hosts Dynamo Kyiv in the first leg of the Champions League qualification semifinals. The match will be played on Tuesday, August 6th at Jan Breydel Stadion (Brugge)
Brugge is a moderate favorite in the home match. The squad has decently changed in the offseason, and I would call Wesley's departure to China for good money the main loss. A promising Nigerian forward, Okereke, who had already scored Beveren (3-1), replaced him. The team also changed the coach, and Philippe Clement returned to his native land. He played for the hosts for quite a few seasons and triumphed with Genk last season. He immediately changed the game scheme from 3-5-2 to 4-2-3-1.
The Kyivans have already begun a new season either and, unlike their opponents, they already have a title. The blue and white managed to beat their eternal rival Shakhtar in the Super Cup (2-1), but they are far from favorites in the fight against the Miners. Nevertheless, the young and ambitious team is quite capable of fighting the Belgians on equal terms, and they will probably play defense first, using a 4-3-3 game scheme. The main goal for Dynamo is to withstand the starting assault of the opponent.
I believe that the game will be wide-open, but the advantage of the home field will force Brugge to be a little more active, and Clement's team will definitely score the Ukrainian club. However, the Belgians’ defense is not well-knit yet, so the bet “Both to score – yes” looks promising and interesting.
Prediction for the match: Both teams to score – yes
