Partizan face a daunting task as they welcome Dynamo Kiev to Stadion Partizana on Wednesday for the second leg of their Champions League second-round qualifier. A monumental four-goal deficit from the first leg means they need a near-miraculous turnaround to reach the next round.
A Crushing Defeat in Poland
Dynamo Kiev, the dominant force in Ukrainian football, left Belgrade with a resounding 6-2 victory in the first leg, played in neutral Poland. Partizan were briefly ahead through Matheus Saldanha's penalty, but a blistering four-minute spell just before half-time saw Dynamo take control with goals from Mykola Shaparenko, Volodymyr Brazhko, and Oleksandr Karavaev.
The Serbian side struggled to find a foothold in the second half, despite Saldanha's second goal. Vladyslav Kabayev extended the lead, and late strikes from Denys Popov and Oleksandr Pikhalyonok sealed a comprehensive victory for the Ukrainian champions.
Partizan's Struggles
Partizan, who finished second in the Serbian SuperLiga last season, are struggling to make their mark on the European stage. They were eliminated in the Conference League play-off round by Nordsjaelland last season, and another early exit seems likely.
Manager Aleksandar Stanoevich admitted after the first leg that his side needs more competitive players to compete at this level. He highlighted the need for squad reinforcements, particularly ahead of their European campaign.
Dynamo's Pursuit of European Glory
Dynamo, with 16 Ukrainian Premier League titles to their name, narrowly missed out on a 17th title last season, finishing two points behind Shakhtar Donetsk.
However, they have yet to achieve sustained success in Europe. Last season, they were knocked out of the Conference League play-off round by Besiktas, and they will be aiming to go further this time around.
Team News and Potential Lineups
Stanoevich is likely to make changes to his starting lineup after the first-leg defeat. Aleksandar Scekic could replace Young-Jun Goh, who was substituted at half-time in Poland. Nemanja Trifunovic is also in contention to replace Aldo Kalulu on the left wing.
Dynamo manager Oleksandr Shovkovskyi may opt to rest some key players, including veteran midfielder Andriy Yarmolenko, given the commanding lead. Volodymyr Shepelev, who suffered an ankle injury before the first leg, remains sidelined.
Possible Starting Lineups:
Partizan: Jovanovic; De Medina, Markovic, Mujakic, Antic; Scekic, Arriaga, Zahid, Xander, Trifunovic, Saldanha.
Dynamo Kiev: Buschan; Karavaev, Dyachuk, Popov, Vivcharenko; Brazhko, Shaparenko; Voloshyn, Buyalsky, Kabaev; Vanat.
Prediction: Partizan 1-3 Dynamo Kiev
While Partizan are likely to put up a stronger fight at home, the gulf in quality was evident in the first leg. We expect Dynamo to secure their place in the next round with another comfortable victory.
Further Analysis
For a deeper dive into the potential outcomes, scorelines, and statistical analysis of this match, click here.