FC Dynamo Kyiv will contest their first European semi-final since 1998/99 after easing past an out-of-sorts Paris Saint-Germain FC side in their UEFA Cup quarter-final second leg.
Early goals
The Ukrainians fashioned little in the first encounter seven days ago, yet were two goals to the good inside 16 minutes thanks to the recalled Ismaël Bangoura and a horribly micued punch by PSG goalkeeper Mickaël Landreau. The Ligue 1 outfit threatened to make a fist of it at the start of the second half, without ever overextending Dynamo No1 Stanislav Bogush, but the game was up when another Landreau error on 61 minutes allowed Ognjen Vukojević to add a third. It sets up a semi-final against domestic rivals FC Shakhtar Donetsk, whom they lead by 15 points at the top of the Premier League.
Instant impact
Dynamo outlined their intentions by including Bangoura, a substitute last week, alongside Artem Milevskiy up front. With four minutes gone the positive change had already paid dividends as Milevskiy laid the ball off to his strike partner on the edge of the penalty area and the Guinean international steered past Landreau. The visitors were shell-shocked yet almost restored parity moments later when a long throw-in was flicked on by Jérémy Clément for Péguy Luyindula, who headed against the outside of the post.
Goalkeeping error
The opening exchanges were surprisingly open and, after Bangoura shot into the side-netting, Dynamo doubled their lead in bizarre circumstances. Olexandr Aliyev's cross was headed high into the night sky by Ceará and Landreau, seemingly taking charge of the situation, contrived to skew his punch into his own net. PSG coach Paul Le Guen had opted for a safety first approach by including Claude Makelele in front of the defence but it was not having the desired effect. The hosts were picking holes in the visitors' midfield and twice went close to adding a third, Milevskiy shooting wide and Aliyev, with time and space, having a shot turned around the upright by Landreau.
Hoarau headers
PSG had threatened sporadically although they should have reduced the arrears after 35 minutes when the unmarked Guillaume Hoarau headed Stéphane Sessegnon's cross wide. Needing goals, Le Guen introduced Jérôme Rothen at half-time and within seconds of the restart he tested Bogush, whose fumble, fortunately for Dynamo, was hacked away for a corner. The visitors were showing more in the early stages of the second half than in the entirety of the first and again Hoarau headed wide when well placed.
PSG efforts
Chances were beginning to come PSG's way, as Péguy Luyindula had an effort deflected wide after exchanging passes with Clément Chantôme, and from the ensuing corner Sessegnon flashed wide. Their failure to take any of them soon proved costly, though, as another Landreau mistake enabled Yuri Semin's side to extend their lead. He failed to gather Aliyev's long-range free-kick and following up, Vukojević gleefully tucked away the rebound as Dynamo, UEFA Champions League semi-finalists in 1998/99, became the first Ukrainian team to grace the UEFA cup semi-finals − Shakhtar would soon become the second.
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