The runners-up lost 1-0 (0-1) to Dynamo Kyiv on Wednesday evening in the first leg of the third round in Lodz, Poland, due to the war in Ukraine. Oleksander Karawajew scored the only goal in the 28th minute. As a result, the situation for the Styrians in the decisive second game on Tuesday (8.30 p.m. / live ORF1) in Graz is at least not hopeless.
On the way to the group stage, the play-off, in which Benfica Lisbon is expected to be waiting, would also have to be mastered, but the first hurdle turned out to be very high, as expected. As with the attempts in 2002, 2011 and 2018, the “premier class” could remain unrivalled. For Sturm it was the first defeat of the season after four points from two games in the championship and the successful start in the ÖFB Cup in the fourth competitive game.
Sturm coach Christian Ilzer relied on the expected starting formation in front of a little more than 6,000 spectators. Compared to the 2-1 win in the league hit against Salzburg, only central defender David Affengruber, who had been suspended, returned to the team in place of Alexandar Borkovic. The Grazers were able to take the hoped-for momentum with them, they pressed early, disrupting the opponent far in the opposing half and even pushing the lead. Kyiv goalie Georgij Buschchan had to intervene for the first time (16th) when a shot was taken.
After that, it was Rasmus Höjlund, the double goal scorer from the Salzburg game, who should have scored the opening goal. At first he showed a good desire to score, but found his master in Buschtschan (20th), four minutes later the 19-year-old Dane shot over from six meters with the left after a great combination including a cross from Hierländer. The lack of efficiency took revenge quickly. Dynamo presented almost out of nowhere. After an ideal Dubinchak cross, Karawajew volleyed from eleven meters. Dante wasn’t close enough to the opponent.
The Ukrainians, coached by 77-year-old Mircea Lucescu, almost managed a double in a similar way, but this time they didn’t get the ball on target (30′). After the restart, the Styrians were no longer able to present themselves so well on the offensive. Dynamo dictated and controlled quite well and was closer to the second goal. In the end, however, the 16-time Ukrainian champion was not specific enough, like Karawajew with a shot from 17 meters that went over the bar (84th).
Nevertheless, things are looking good for the second-round conqueror of Fenerbahce Istanbul on the way to a third consecutive entry into the “premier class”. The Ukrainians can fully focus on the second leg. For Sturm, who lost for the first time in the third European Cup game against a Ukrainian representative, the league game in Ried is still on Saturday. Maybe Jakob Jantscher could make his comeback there. The midfield veteran would certainly have done the storm squad in Poland good.
Source: Nachrichten
