For the Ukrainian record champions Dynamo Kyiv, the dream of the Champions League has burst, coach Roger Schmidt, on the other hand, can look forward to big duels in the premier class with Benfica Lisbon. Kyiv clearly lost to the Portuguese record champions in the play-of second leg 0: 3 (0: 3). Dynamo lost the first leg in Lodz, Poland, 2-0.
Nicolas Otamendi (27′), Rafa (40′) and David Neres (42′) made everything clear for Schmidt’s team at the Estadio da Luz before the break. National player Julian Weigl, who has a difficult time at Benfica and is said to be about to move to Bundesliga side Borussia Mönchengladbach, came on in the 70th minute at last year’s quarter-finalists.
Kyiv played only their sixth competitive game since the start of the Russian war of aggression. Play in the Ukrainian league has only just resumed.
Viktoria Pilsen also prevailed against Qarabag Agdam (Azerbaijan) in the play-offs. After the 0-0 in the first leg, the Czechs won 2-1 (0-1).
Maccabi Haifa handed a 2-2 (0-2) win at Red Star Belgrade (first leg 3-2). The lucrative group stage of the Champions League will be drawn on Thursday. The first match day is for 6./7. scheduled for Sept.