PARSIPPANY, N.J. – Two Ukrainian clubs – Dynamo Kyiv and Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk – advanced to the quarterfinals of the UEFA Europa League on March 19, after winning in the Round of 16.
Dynamo Kyiv routed Everton of England 5-2 in front of 70,000 fans in Kyiv at Olympic Stadium in its second-leg match. Dynamo scored first in the 21st minute with a 25-meter shot by Andriy Yarmolenko, followed by a response by Everton substitute Romelu Lukaku in the 29th minute. Lukasz Teodorczyk added another in the 35th minute for Dynamo, off a cross from Oleh Gusiev. Miguel Veloso scored for Dynamo in the 37th minute off a looping shot that deflected off Everton’s Seamus Coleman and past their diving goalkeeper, Tim Howard.
The second half was a continuation of a Dynamo clinic, with Gusiev knocking in a rebounded shot in the 56th minute and Brazilian Antunes capping off Dynamo’s scoring in the 76th minute with another long-distance shot from 25-meters. Yarmolenko had a chance shot that rattled the crossbar late in the game, but Phil Jagielka was able to head-in a conciliatory goal off a tight corner kick for Everton in the 82nd minute.
“I am happy that we managed to bring joy to the whole country and I want to congratulate our players who gave 100 percent in this game,” commented Dynamo coach, Serhiy Rebrov. “… We felt really great support from our fans, a fantastic atmosphere from a full stadium.”
Roberto Martinez, Everton’s manager said: “The difference between the two teams was that one scored some incredible goals while another hit the woodwork. That was Dynamo’s main advantage, though I must admit they scored some top-level goals that you do not see very often in football.”
Everton won the first-leg match 2-1 at Goodison Park in Liverpool.
Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk lost its second-leg match 1-2 against Dutch club Ajax in Amsterdam at Amsterdam Arena, but with a 97th-minute curling shot from the edge of the box in extra time by Yevhen Konoplyanka put Dnipro ahead on away goals 2-2 (aggregate) after the two matches. Riechedly Bazoer scored first for Ajax in the 60th minute, followed by the clincher by Konoplyanka for Dnipro in extra time and Mike van der Hoorn’s goal in the 117th minute of extra time. Dnipro won the first-leg match 1-0 at Olympic Stadium in Kyiv.
Adding to the joy of advancing to the quarterfinals, Dnipro was missing five of its first-choice players due to injury or suspension, and Dnipro coach Myron Markevych was out with a virus. Under Olexandr Ivanov, they set about stifling the Dutch club.
Dnipro is set to play against Club Brugge of Belgium on April 16 and Dynamo has drawn Italy’s Fiorentina. Other teams in the quarterfinals include Spain’s Sevilla against Russia’s Zenit, and Germany’s Wolfsburg against Italy’s Napoli. The quarterfinals are held in two matches – home and away. The second-leg matches are scheduled for April 23.