Dynamo Kyiv — Maccabi Tel Aviv : Match Preview and Prediction for August 28,2025

Dynamo Kyiv’s European Struggles

Dynamo Kyiv continues its downward spiral in European competitions. Not long ago, they were contending for a spot in the Champions League group stage; now, they find themselves on the brink of exiting the Europa League.

Champions League Qualification Disappointment

The Kyiv team effortlessly navigated the second round of Champions League qualification, crushing the modest Hamrun Sports in both legs (3-0, 3-0). However, in the third stage, despite being widely predicted for an easy passage against Pafos, the Cypriot team, as we now know, made history by reaching the main stage for the first time. In the first leg, the Cypriots snatched a late victory with a swift counter-attack – 0-1, and on their home turf in Cyprus, the hosts left no chance for Oleksandr Shovkovskyi’s side – 0-2. Despite a deserved wave of criticism aimed at Dynamo, everyone was still confident they would surely overcome Maccabi. Yet, things unfolded quite differently. From the very first minutes, the Israelis pressed the Kyiv goal and quickly found the net. However, the Ukrainians didn’t give up, managed to equalize, and seized the initiative. Nevertheless, at the start of the second half, Kostiantyn Vivcharenko received a straight red card. Maccabi scored their second goal just ten minutes later, and a third by the final whistle. It’s difficult to ascertain what circumstances would allow Shovkovskyi’s team to recover from such a significant deficit.

Domestic Performance in the UPL

In the Ukrainian Premier League (UPL), Dynamo’s fortunes are considerably brighter, evidenced by a perfect nine points collected from their opening three matches. While their opponents were admittedly of lower quality, the results stand: “Veres” (1-0), “Rukh” (5-1), and “Epicenter” (4-1). Still, given the current standard of the championship, many remain skeptical about these dominant performances.

Team News: Dynamo Kyiv Injuries and Suspensions

The Ukrainian coach faces no significant roster issues, with the exception of the suspended Vivcharenko. Rubchinskyi has been sidelined for an extended period.

Maccabi Tel Aviv’s Domestic Challenges

Maccabi Tel Aviv stumbled in their very first official match, losing the Israeli Super Cup to Hapoel Be’er Sheva (1-2), despite playing with a man advantage from the first half. In another national competition, the Toto Cup, the hosts were only vying for fifth place, which they ultimately secured by defeating Hapoel Jerusalem (2-1). Another significant setback in domestic cup play.

European Campaign: Mixed Results

Naturally, Zarko Lazetic’s squad primarily focused on European competitions. Like Dynamo, they began their journey in the second qualification stage, confronting the familiar Pafos. While Maccabi managed to salvage a draw in the first encounter, dramatically equalizing in the 100th minute (1-1), circumstances quickly turned against the Israelis in Serbia. Before the match, their main goalkeeper sustained an injury, and his backup was sent off during the game. This forced them to play most of the match with ten men and their third-choice goalkeeper. Predictably, the Cypriots capitalized on their numerical advantage and defeated the hosts (0-1). After being relegated to the Europa League, they once again faced a known opponent – Hamrun Sports. Surprisingly, the Maltese side put up a decent fight, even though Lazetic’s men secured victories in both games (2-1, 3-1). In the first leg, Maccabi was even trailing until they scored two late goals. The home game was slightly less challenging. Regarding the recent clash with Dynamo, the Israelis, unexpectedly, delivered arguably their best performance of the current season. They dominated the entire game, only fading slightly towards the end of the first half. If not for Neshcheret’s saves and a touch of misfortune, the scoreline could have been even wider.

Maccabi Tel Aviv Team News

Zarko Lazetic’s injury situation is even more favorable than his counterpart’s, as all players are fully available for selection.