Champions League: Sturm have to bow to Dynamo Kyiv

On the way to the group stage of the premier class, the play-off, in which Benfica Lisbon is expected to be waiting, would have to be mastered as a result. But the first hurdle turned out to be very high, as expected. As with the attempts in 2002, 2011 and 2018, the Champions League could remain unmatched.

For Sturm it was the first defeat of the season after four points from two games in the Bundesliga and the successful start in the ÖFB Cup in the fourth competitive game.

Sturm missed some chances to lead

Sturm coach Christian Ilzer relied on the expected starting formation in front of around 6,000 spectators. Compared to the 2-1 win in the Bundesliga hit against Red Bull Salzburg, only central defender David Affengruber, who had been suspended, returned to the team in place of Alexandar Borkovic.

The Grazers were able to take the hoped-for momentum with them, they pressed early, disrupting the opponent far in the opposing half and even pushing the lead. When Alexander Prass shot, Kyiv goalie Georgij Buschchan had to intervene for the first time (16′).

After that, it was Rasmus Höjlund, the double goal scorer from the Salzburg game, who should have scored the opening goal. At first he showed a good desire to score, but found his master in Buschtschan (20th), four minutes later the 19-year-old Dane shot over the goal from six meters with his left after a great combination including a cross from Stefan Hierländer.

Goal almost out of nowhere

The lack of efficiency took revenge quickly. Dynamo presented almost out of nowhere. After an ideal cross from Wladyslaw Dubinchak, Karawajew volleyed from eleven meters. Amadou Dante wasn’t close enough to the opponent.

The Ukrainians, coached by 77-year-old Mircea Lucescu, almost managed a double in a similar way, but this time they didn’t put the ball in the goal (30′).

Kyiv closer to 2:0 than Storm to 1:1

After the restart, Sturm was no longer able to present himself so well on the offensive. Dynamo dictated and controlled the action and was also closer to the second goal. In the end, however, the 16-time Ukrainian champion was not specific enough, like Karawajew with a shot from 17 meters that went over the bar (84th).

Nevertheless, things are looking good for the second-round conqueror of Fenerbahce Istanbul on the way to a third consecutive entry into the premier class. The Ukrainians can fully focus on the second leg. Sturm, who lost for the first time in their third European Cup game against a Ukrainian club, will be making a guest appearance in the league in Ried on Saturday.

Comments on the game:

Christian Ilzer (Sturm coach): “We can definitely work with the result because we said we want to go away with a result that still gives us every chance of promotion. With the abolition of the away goals rule, you have to win a game, which we will try to do with all vehemence in front of our fans. You could see that we were playing against an experienced, top-class team, who were superior to us and therefore deservedly won 1-0. But we also had two top chances, you have to take advantage of them against such a top opponent to get an even better result.”

Stefan Hierlander (Storm Captain): “We are disappointed. Of course we wanted to win the game in order to have a good starting position for the second leg, but we didn’t manage that. We struggled in the first few minutes but then had two good chances that we unfortunately didn’t take. In return we got the 0:1. It’s difficult at that level after falling behind. Kyiv did well, they have quality in their own ranks, but it’s just a goal to catch up. We’re going into the home game optimistically.”

Champions League, third qualifying round, first leg

Wednesday:

Dynamo Kyiv – Sturm Graz 1: 0 (1: 0)

Lodz, City Stadium, 6.000 Zuschauer, SR Letexier (FRA)

Tor: Karawajew (28.)

Kyiv: Bushtschan – Kedziora, Sabarny, Popow, Dubintschak (71./Wiwtcharenko) – Sidortschuk, Shaparenko – Karavajew, Buyalsky, Schepeliew (71./Garmasch) – Besedin (83./Wanat)

Sturm: Siebenhandl – Gazibegovic, Wüthrich, Affengruber, Dante (67./Schnegg) – Hierländer (67./Ljubic), Gorenc-Stankovic, T. Horvat, Prass (78./Demaku) – Sarkaria, Höjlund (89./C. Lang )

Yellow cards: Popow, Schepeliew or Wüthrich, Gorenc-Stankovic, Hierländer, Höjlund

The best: Dubinchak, Karawajew, Schaparenko and Hierländer, Gorenc-Stankovic

Second leg on August 9 (8.30 p.m.) in Graz – promoted team in the play-off against Benfica Lisbon (POR) or Midtjylland (DEN)