PAOK vs Dynamo Kyiv: Europa League Qualifying Second Leg Preview

Kyiv's Dynamo will try to overturn a one-goal deficit in the second qualifying round of the UEFA Europa League when they face PAOK at Toumba Stadium in Thessaloniki on Thursday evening. The Greek side hold the advantage after a 3-2 win in the first leg. PAOK - DYNAMO KYIV THURSDAY, JULY 30, 20:45 | TOUMBA, THESSALONIKI | REFEREE: DAMIAN SYLWESTRZAK (POLAND) | LIVE ON MEGOGO PAOK are chasing a tenth appearance in the Europa League group stage. Last season they reached the playoffs and finished third in the Greek Super League. This campaign marks a new era under Italian manager Alessio Lichi, who replaced Razvan Lucescu. Lichi's first official match was the first leg against Dynamo, where goals from Yannis Konstantelias, Christos Zafeiris and Baptista Santamaria secured the win. The Italian will be eager to build on that result, especially given PAOK's impeccable home record in the league last season: 12 wins and four draws in 16 matches. Dynamo, meanwhile, could reach the Europa League group stage for the 11th time. In the previous season they entered the UEFA Conference League but crashed out after the group phase with just two wins. Igor Kostyuk's side scraped past Universitatea Cluj on penalties in the first qualifying round without scoring a single goal over two legs. Against PAOK they lost the first leg but did score through Volodymyr Brazhko and Justin Lonwijk - meaning just one goal separates them from leveling the tie. The first leg left mixed feelings: Dynamo showed promise in attack but defensive lapses that have haunted them for years resurfaced. PAOK also looked dangerous going forward but visibly tired in the second half of the second leg and could have lost their advantage. Bookmakers favor PAOK: odds for a home win stand at 1.77, a draw at 3.80, and a Dynamo victory at 4.20. PROBABLE LINEUPS PAOK: Pavlenka - Gomez, Michailidis, Chatziakos, Kenny - Zafeiris, Santamaria - Tyson, Konstantelias, Zivkovic - Mitu. DYNAMO KYIV: Neshcheret - Dubinchak, Mykhavko, Bilovar, Kendziora - Shaparenko, Brazhko, Lonwijk - Redushko, Voloshyn, Ponomarenko.