Maccabi Tel Aviv 0 Dynamo Kiev 2: Ukrainians cruise to victory

Goals from Andriy Yarmolenko and Junior Moraes secured Dynamo Kiev a comfortable 2-0 win at Maccabi Tel-Aviv as the Ukrainian club maintained their strong start in Group G.

Sergiy Rebrov’s men headed to the Sammy Ofer Stadium buoyed by an impressive 2-2 home draw against Porto and were rarely troubled as they chalked up their first group-stage win on the road in seven attempts.

Maccabi, meanwhile, were looking to mark their first home game in this phase since 2004 in style, but instead found themselves unable to cope with the visitors’ pace on the break.

Although Eden Ben Basat and dangerman Eran Zahavi did go close on several occasions for the hosts, who improved in the second half, the result was never in doubt once Moraes grabbed Kiev’s second goal just after the break.

And having lost their opening game 4-0 to Chelsea, it appears that the Israelis’ return to the group stage will prove to be a fruitless one.
 
The home fans were in full voice prior to kick-off, but were stunned into near silence after just four minutes when the visitors took the lead with their first attack of the game.

A fine throughball from Paraguayan midfielder Derlis Gonzalez split the Maccabi defence and, having timed his run to perfection, Yarmolenko calmly stroked the ball past Predrag Rajkovic from just inside the box.

The hosts thought they had levelled things up moments later with a similar move, only to have skipper Zahavi’s effort ruled out for offside.

Although Maccabi were enjoying plenty of possession, the Ukrainian side continued to look dangerous on the break, and another sweeping counterattack played in Antunes, only for the defender to fire narrowly over.

Rajkovic’s reflexes were tested by Danilo Silva’s low effort and a Miguel Veloso snap-shot after another surging run down the right from the lively Yarmolenko. 

Maccabi did finally start to ask some questions of the visitors’ defence as half-time approached, but Ben Basat squandered their best chance when he got on the end of Eli Dasa’s fine cross from the right, only to glance his header wide.

Slavisa Jokanovic’s men were left to rue that miss when Kiev stylishly doubled their advantage five minutes after the re-start.

Gonzalez was again the provider, getting away down the left before picking out Moraes who swivelled to get the ball onto his right foot before bending a shot into the top corner of Rajkovic’s net.

Zahavi went close with a 20-yard free-kick for Maccabi just short of the hour-mark, but that was about as good as it got for them as an early elimination looms with a double-header against Porto to come, the Portuguese side sit joint top of the group after Tuesday’s impressive 2-1 win over Chelsea.