Dynamo Kyiv take on the visitors RFSin the round 8 match of UEFA Europa League group stage. The match will be played on Thursday, January 30th at Volksparkstadion (Hamburg).
Dynamo Kyiv struggling with either readiness or motivation. The Blue and Whites have generally improved under their current manager, Oleksandr Shovkovskyi. The legendary former goalkeeper took charge after Mircea Lucescu's disappointing tenure and initially guided the club back to a familiar second-place finish. This season, with solid summer reinforcements, Dynamo managed to pull ahead of an inconsistent Shakhtar, making their long-awaited return to the top of the Ukrainian Premier League a realistic goal. Perhaps this title race has been a distraction, or maybe the players are simply fatigued from constant travel. While their Champions League qualifying campaign started strong (notably against Partizan) and remained competitive (versus Rangers and, to some extent, Salzburg), their Europa League group stage has been disastrous. They lost every match, suffering defeats against a struggling Hoffenheim, Ferencváros, and Viktoria Plzeň. Last week, however, they finally earned their first point, coming back from two goals down to draw 3-3 with Galatasaray. Despite the late comeback against Galatasaray, Dynamo's defensive issues remain a serious concern, having conceded multiple goals in almost every match.
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RFS are still a young project. In fact, their very name reflects their origins as a football academy that evolved into a multiple-time national champion. They secured the Latvian league title in 2023 and successfully defended their crown in 2024, edging out city rivals Riga FC by three points. More impressively, the Baltic side is still competing in European competitions! In the Champions League qualifiers, they convincingly eliminated Larne from Northern Ireland before falling to the more established Bodø/Glimt. In the Europa League, RFS overcame Santa Coloma (winning both legs) and APOEL (advancing on penalties after exchanging 2-1 victories). Their group-stage campaign featured home draws against Galatasaray and Anderlecht—results that, in comparison, outshine Dynamo’s struggles. However, their biggest statement came in January when they shocked Ajax with a 1-0 victory. RFS has proven they can compete with bigger clubs, and their disciplined defensive approach makes them a tricky opponent for Dynamo.
These teams met in friendly matches in 2022 and 2024, with Dynamo winning both by a narrow margin. The Latvian champions have already exceeded expectations. However, this might be Dynamo’s last chance to salvage some pride in Europe.
Prediction for the match: Dynamo Kyiv to Win.
