Dynamo Kyiv Kick Off European Campaign: Preview vs Universitatea Cluj

On Thursday, July 9, Dynamo Kyiv will host Universitatea Cluj at Arena Lublin in Poland for the first leg of the UEFA Europa League first qualifying round, kicking off at 8:00 PM local time. Estonian referee Joonas Jaanovits will officiate, with live coverage on 2+2 and Kyivstar TV. Dynamo are Ukraine’s most decorated club with 17 league titles, but last season they slumped to fourth place, finishing 15 points behind champions Shakhtar Donetsk and trailing LNZ Cherkasy and Polissya Zhytomyr. However, they salvaged silverware by winning the Ukrainian Cup, beating second-tier Chernihiv in the final to secure European football. Under manager Ihor Kostyuk, Dynamo played five friendlies in pre-season: a 1-1 draw with Slavia Prague, wins over Zilina (2-0) and Večista (4-2), a 1-3 loss to Rapid Bucharest, and a 2-0 victory over LASK. They scored 13 goals across those games and conceded four. In their last friendly, Matviy Ponomarenko — the club’s top scorer last term — bagged a brace, underlining his form. New arrivals this summer include goalkeeper Illya Olkhovyi, defender Tomasz Kędziora, and forward Pierre Mungenge. Olkhovyi is seen as a future prospect, Kędziora brings proven experience, and Mungenge, a Paris Saint-Germain youth product, didn’t feature in friendlies due to individual training but is in the squad. Several players are unavailable: Oleksandr Tymchyk, Mykola Mykhaylenko, Kyrylo Osypenko, Vladyslav Zakharchenko, Denys Popov, Justin Lonwijk, and Vladyslav Kabayev. Universitatea Cluj finished second in the Romanian Liga I last season, just four points behind champions Universitatea Craiova, who also beat them in the Romanian Cup final on penalties. Cristiano Bergodi’s side failed to win any of their three pre-season friendlies: a goalless draw with Újpest and two 3-0 losses to Vojvodina and Nyíregyháza. The club’s standout player is Bosnian striker Jovo Lukic, their most valuable asset (€2.2 million per Transfermarkt) and last season’s top scorer in Romania with 18 goals. According to media reports, Lukic will miss both legs against Dynamo after the 2026 World Cup, having been granted rest. Key summer signings include defender Andrei Kubis (a Milan youth product), Russian-Swedish forward Alibek Aliyev from CFR Cluj, and winger Marius Ștefănescu. Dynamo have never faced Universitatea Cluj but have played two other Romanian sides — Steaua București and Dinamo București — across nine meetings, winning five, drawing two, and losing two (both to Steaua). Bookmakers favor Dynamo: odds for a home win are 1.48, a draw is 4.50, and an away win is 6.00. Probable lineups: Dynamo Kyiv: Neshcheret — Dubinchak, Mykhavko, Bilovar, Kędziora — Pikhalyonok, Brazhko, Shaparenko — Redushko, Voloshyn, Ponomarenko. Universitatea Cluj: Lefter — Chipciu, Kubis, Cristea, Micanovic — Bic, Nistor, Drammeh — Ștefănescu, Aliyev, Trică. Match prediction: 3-1 to Dynamo.