Dynamo Kiev vs Chelsea: Europa League score, goals and updates
DYNAMO KIEV 0-1 CHELSEA | GIROUD (5)
Dynamo Kiev XI: Boyko; Kedziora, Burda, Kadar, Mykolenko; Sydorchuk, Shepeliev; Tsygankov, Shaparenko, Sidcley; Garmash
Chelsea XI: Kepa; Zappacosta, Rudiger, Christensen, Alonso; Kante, Kovacic, Loftus-Cheek; Hudson-Odoi, Giroud, Willian
- Callum Hudson-Odoi is named in Chelsea’s starting XI as Maurizio Sarri makes seven changes
- Ruben Loftus-Cheek also starts in midfield with N’Golo Kante and Mateo Kovacic
- Olivier Giroud opens the scoring for Chelsea
DYNAMO KIEV 0-1 CHELSEA
24: Tsygankov prepares to fire an ambitious free-kick from 30-yards out… straight into the wall. Not quite sure what he expected to happen there…
21: GOALLLFFFSIDEEE! Garmash has the ball in the back of the net after a splendid chipped finish but the offside flag is up against the forward.
Just a warning that Dynamo Kiev have some danger about them.
20: Napoli in total control against RB Salzburg. Arkadiusz Milik added to their 3-0 aggregate lead in the opening 15 minutes.
Dynamo Kiev vs Chelsea: Europa League score, goals and updates (Image: REUTERS)
18: Olivier Giroud is now the joint top scorer in this season’s Europa League with seven. Red Bull Salzburg’s Munas Dabbur and Sevilla’s Wissam Ben Yedder also have seven.
16: Another update, another chance for Chelsea. They aren’t half making light work of this pitch!
Olivier Giroud has another effort from a Willian corner but Dennis Boyko saves. Also, fair play to the Brazilian. His set-piece delivery has been excellent tonight – I’ve not been able to say that much recently… or ever.
13: Save! Goalkeeper Boyko drawn into action by Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who plays a neat one-two with Marcos Alonso before seeing his low effort parried wide.
10: Chelsea are in complete control here. They have a 4-0 aggregate lead and an away goal that leaves Dynamo Kiev needing FIVE goals to progress.
Shall we bother playing the rest?
8: Olivier Giroud has either scored or assisted in each of his last four starts for Chelsea in all competitions (three goals, one assist).
Dynamo Kiev vs Chelsea: Europa League score, goals and updates (Image: GETTY)
DYNAMO KIEV 0-1 CHELSEA | GIROUD
5: I’m confident in saying that Olivier Giroud is the greatest Europa League player of all time!
The Frenchman has scored yet another goal in the competition to settle any nerves and book Chelsea a place in tomorrow’s quarter-final draw.
Terrible marking from Dynamo Kiev as Willian whips a corner into the penalty area and Giroud pokes in his seventh goal of this European campaign!
4: Silly from Antonio Ruddier, who fouls Tsygankov over on the left touchline. The last thing Chelsea want is to concede early and a set-piece looks Kiev’s best hope.
It’s delivered… Rudiger makes amends.
DYNAMO KIEV 0-0 CHELSEA
2: Well Maurizio Sarri was annoyed with the pitch for good reason. I’d say it’s 70 percent sand, 20 percent dirt and 10 percent grass. Fairly flat in fairness.
Chelsea retaining possession well in the early stages. Sticking to the game plan.
1: OK, we’re underway in Kiev. This should be a formality – the only excuse I can see would be the pitch but Chelsea should acclimatise to that in the opening 20 minutes.
“Come on boys, come on,” shouted Callum Hudson-Odoi as the Chelsea players emerged from the tunnel. He looks determined to impress tonight.
Dynamo Kiev vs Chelsea: Europa League score, goals and updates (Image: REUTERS)
Five-minute warning
17:50: Just five minutes until we’re underway in Kiev. It’s a chilly four degrees. Chilly wind too. I basically wouldn’t hold it against anyone to be wearing gloves.
Prediction? I’d side with Chelsea. Having watched the first leg I don’t think Kiev have anything to hurt the Premier League side.
Top four will go to the wire
17:45: Eden Hazard anticipates the four-way fight for two Champions League qualifying places to continue until the final day of the Premier League season.
With Manchester City and Liverpool in a two-way title duel, there are four teams battling for the two remaining top-four spots.
Tottenham, who lost at Southampton on Saturday, have 61 points and Arsenal 60. United are on 58 and Chelsea 57, but with a game in hand.
“It’s a good battle. Man City and Liverpool are far away, then there are four teams who want to be in the top four,” Hazard said. “It’s going to be a good race to the end. We have nine games to play now. We have to give everything.”
A little later
17:40: Just a quick reminder that we’ll have LIVE coverage from the Emirates Stadium later as Arsenal look to turn things around after their 3-1 loss to Rennes.
A 2-0 win would see them through – but I suspect things won’t be that simple for Unai Emery’s side. It never is!
Sarri unhappy
17:35: Maurizio Sarri fears for the safety of his Chelsea players after branding Dynamo Kiev’s pitch “dangerous” and a “disaster”.
The Italian could be seen pointing at the playing surface as he spoke with members of his staff and feels it has hazardous bobbles, which are possibly caused by the freezing Ukraine winter and could result in injuries.
Asked his thoughts on the pitch, the head coach replied: “A disaster. The pitch is not good. I think that it’s dangerous, really dangerous.
“It’s really dangerous to play any football here in this moment, and I think it’s really very dangerous for injuries.”
Dynamo Kiev vs Chelsea: Europa League score, goals and updates (Image: REUTERS)
Twitter round-up
Danny: Willian is captaining my football club… I’m at a loss for words.
Adam: Gotta give it to Sarri, very good line up in terms of resting important players as well as CHO and Loftus getting game time they need and deserve, just means they ain’t starting against Everton.
Mike: No Ampadu again, we’re 3-0 up FFS, the lads shown his quality before and is deserving of a chance to play tonight. Sarri being stupid and stubborn.
Miracles do happen
17:25: Not often they don’t, Aleksandr.
Dynamo Kiev manager Aleksandr Khatskevich admits his team need a miracle to overturn their Europa League deficit to Chelsea.
But thinks his side can make history at Kiev’s Olympic Stadium.
“We hope we’ll try to score quickly, maybe,” Khatskevich said. “Miracles do occur in football and why not it occurs tomorrow? The score of the first game makes us go forward.”
Dynamo Kiev vs Chelsea: Europa League score, goals and updates (Image: REUTERS)
Eden’s focused
17:20: Don’t worry folks, Willian has reliably informed us that Eden Hazard is fully focused on Chelsea and has not spoken of a desire to join Real Madrid.
Anyone believe that?
Anyway, Blues forward Hazard, whose contract expires in the summer of 2020, has been heavily linked with a move to European champions Real following the reappointment of Zinedine Zidane as head coach.
The 28-year-old has previously described the Spanish club as his “dream” move and labelled former France midfielder Zidane his “idol”.
But Willian insists Belgium international Hazard is not allowing his mind to wander. The Brazilian said: “No doubt, he’s focused here. He’s never said something about Real Madrid or stuff like this. He just wants to continue to play for Chelsea.”
9 – Of his nine Europa League appearances this season, Chelsea forward Willian has either scored or assisted at least one goal in seven different matches (three goals, five assists). Captain. pic.twitter.com/4RifeWoJ2z
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) March 14, 2019
El Capitan
17:15: Of his nine Europa League appearances this season, Chelsea forward Willian has either scored or assisted at least one goal in seven different matches (three goals, five assists).
Young Lion
17:10: As I previously mentioned, Chelsea’s Callum Hudson-Odoi was handed his first call-up for the England Under-21s earlier today.
The forward has been included for the friendlies against Poland and Germany this month as the Young Lions countdown to Euro 2019.
Leicester midfielder Hamza Choudhury, who made his Under-21 debut at last summer’s Toulon Tournament victory, returns1
Dynamo Kiev vs Chelsea: Europa League score, goals and updates (Image: REUTERS)
Team news
17:05: Callum Hudson-Odoi is named in Chelsea’s starting XI as Maurizio Sarri makes seven changes.
The 18-year-old winger, who was called up to the England Under-21 squad for the first time today, helped the Blues build a 3-0 aggregate lead by coming off the bench to score the final goal in last week’s first leg.
Recalled winger Willian is named captain, while striker Olivier Giroud, who has scored six times in the competition this season, replaces the ill Gonzalo Higuain, who did not travel to Ukraine.
Defenders Marcos Alonso, Davide Zappacosta and Andreas Christensen were the other players brought back by Sarri, along with midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek.
Goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga, centre-back Antonio Rudiger and midfielders N’Golo Kante and Mateo Kovacic were the men retained from the weekend draw with Wolves, while Eden Hazard was named on the bench.
Breaking news
17:00: Not sure if you are interested, but I’m contractually obligated to inform you that former Manchester United and England midfielder Paul Scholes has left his role as Oldham boss after barely a month in charge.
“In the short period since I took on the role it unfortunately became clear that I would not be able to operate as I intended and was led to believe prior to taking on the role,” Scholes explained.
Better dust my CV off and apply…
Dynamo Kiev vs Chelsea: Europa League score, goals and updates (Image: GETTY)
Twitter round-up
Adam: If I was in this starting XI, I’d get on the phone to my agent and start looking for a move. You know Sarri thinks your bench fodder when RLC starts alongside you…
Arid: Ethan Ampadu has unique potential and talent. Sarri is wasting it. He played much much more minutes under Conte last season.
Chris: Thrilled Loftus-Cheek & Hudson-Odoi are starting this evening; a massive improvement from Sarri. More disappointing is Ethan Ampadu – one of our brightest prospects – not even earning a seat on the bench. He really deserves more game time.
Can’t please everyone! We’re finally seeing RLC and CHO starting together and now people want Ethan Ampadu in the mix!
Dynamo Kiev vs Chelsea: Europa League score, goals and updates (Image: PA)
The line-ups…
16:50: Rejoice everyone – Callum Hudson-Odoi and Ruben Loftus-Cheek start! Never thought I would see the day…
Dynamo Kiev XI: Boyko; Kedziora, Burda, Kadar, Mykolenko; Sydorchuk, Shepeliev; Tsygankov, Shaparenko, Sidcley; Garmash.
Subs: Bushchan, Tche Tche, Andriyevskiy, Bueno, Shabanov, Smirniy, Alibekov.
Chelsea XI: Kepa; Zappacosta, Rudiger, Christensen, Alonso; Kante, Kovacic, Loftus-Cheek; Hudson-Odoi, Giroud, Willian.
Subs: Caballero, Jorginho, Barkley, Hazard, Pedro, Azpilicueta, Luiz.
Dynamo Kiev vs Chelsea: Europa League score, goals and updates (Image: GETTY)
Evening…
16:45: Roll up, roll up – It’s time for the Europa League!
Forget that Cheltenham malarky – we all know UEFA’s second best competition is the greatest show on turf…
OK, maybe not. But It is a significantly cheaper alternative to the racing.
Anyway, Chelsea are in the Ukraine looking to complete the job they started at Stamford Bridge last week.
Maurizio Sarri’s Blues have a healthy 3-0 aggregate lead coming into tonight and should confirm their place in tomorrow’s quarter-final draw.
Time for the line-ups!
Dynamo Kiev vs Chelsea: Europa League score, goals and updates (Image: GETTY)
DYNAMO KIEV vs CHELSEA
Gonzalo Higuain will be absent for Chelsea’s Europa League last-16 second leg against Dynamo Kiev.
The Argentinian striker has not travelled to Ukraine due to illness, with Olivier Giroud, who has scored six times in the competition this season, set to take his place.
Chelsea lead the tie 3-0 on aggregate and head coach Maurizio Sarri is once again expected to rotate his squad, which could mean opportunities for youngsters Callum Hudson-Odoi and Ethan Ampadu.
Chelsea provisional squad: Kepa, Caballero, Rudiger, Christensen, Luiz, Azpilicueta, Emerson Palmieri, Alonso, Zappacosta, Ampadu, Jorginho, Kante, Barkley, Loftus-Cheek, Kovacic, Willian, Hudson-Odoi, Hazard, Pedro, Giroud.
