Good evening and welcome to the live commentary of the Champions League clash between Dynamo Kiev and Porto.

Kiev are back in the group stages of the Champions League for the first time since the 2012-13 season. The Ukrainian club have competed in the Europa League for the past two campaigns, reaching the quarter-finals of the competition last term. However, manager Serhiy Rebrov will be determined to guide his side to a solid performance in Group G to advance to the knockout round.

Porto put in an impressive display in the competition last season as they managed to reach the quarter-finals. The Portuguese club were forced to come through the qualifying rounds to earn their place in the group stage last term, but they won their group convincingly before easing past Basel in the round of the 16. However, they came unstuck at the hands of Bayern Munich, despite securing a 3-1 victory in the first leg as the German side hammered them 6-1 at the Allianz Arena. Julen Lopetegui's men are back in the competition again following their Primeira Liga triumph last season and will be hopeful of improving on their feat from last season.

The team news has been announced, so we'll start with the home side.

DYNAMO KIEV STARTING XI: Rybka; Danilo Silva, Antunes, Dragovic, Khacheridi; Veloso, Rybalka, Garmash, Gusev; Gonzalez, Junior Moraes
SUBS: Shovkovskiy, Morozyuk, Vida, Petrović, Buyalskiy, Belhanda, Kravets

PORTO STARTING XI: Casillas; Maxi Pereira, Martins Indi, Maicon, Layun; Ruben Neves, Brahimi, Herrera, Andre Andre; Danilo, Aboubakar
SUBS: Helton, Cissokho, Osvaldo, Tello, Corona, Bueno

Kiev have made three changes to their side this evening from their win over Oleksandria. Olexandr Rybka, Alexsandr Dragovic and Oleg Husyev come into the starting lineup to replace Domagoj Vida, Aleksandr Shovkovsky and Andriy Yarmolenko.

Porto have also made three changes to their starting lineup from their 3-1 win over Arouca at the weekend. Hector Herrera, Danilo Pereira and Bruno Martins Indi come into the team to replace Jesus Corona, Marcano and Gilbert Imbula for the clash tonight.

Rebrov has revealed that he is eagerly anticipating his side's clash against the Portuguese champions, but feels that his side have to control their enthusiasm.

He told reporters: "There's a pretty big buzz around the game – me and the players can feel it. We are not afraid of anybody. I hope we can produce our best performance in front of our fans, at our home ground. Younes Belhanda labelled us group favourites? That's great, I like that attitude. It's just important that that confidence doesn't become complacency.

"Porto always manage to find proper replacements for the players who leave the club. At the same time, their style of play has remained unchanged for so many years. They are very dangerous. That's why we have to show the utmost caution at the back."

Lopetegui has admitted that his side are in for a tough challenge this evening in their trip to Kiev, and believes that his players will have to be at their best to claim a positive result from the game.

He told reporters: "We are highly motivated ahead of this game. We know enough about Dynamo. They are a famous club boasting rich exprerience in UEFA club competition, and they have quality players. The in-form Kyiv side are pacesetters in Ukrainian league. Dynamo started their season earlier then us but it's OK. We'll try to compensate for the lack of match practice with some other strong points. How? Tomorrow you'll find out.

"Our calendar is rather heavy, we're up against Benfica soon. It's clear we have to look ahead but now we're focused on tomorrow's contest and we have to do our best. I'll be absent from the dug-out due to my ban but I'm fine with that. I have faith in my team and I hope they'll cope with the task."

A view inside the Olimpiysky National Sports Complex this evening as we approach kickoff.

FORM GUIDE! Porto are unbeaten in their four matches this season as they have recorded three victories and a draw in their Primeira Liga matches to date. Kiev are in excellent form in the Ukrainian League as they have lost just once in a competitive fixtures since July, which came against Shakhtar Donetsk.

The players are making their way out on to the pitch so we should be underway shortly.

KICKOFF! We're underway in this Champions League clash.

Dangerous start by the home side as Danilo Silva raids the right and lifts the ball into the box from the wing, Pereira is forced to head the ball behind for the visitors.

CHANCE! Gusev lifts the corner in from the left and Khacheridi rises highest in the area, but he can only head his effort narrowly wide of the post. The defender got above Martins Indi, but could not hit the target, a real chance for the home side there.

Porto's turn to threaten in the final third as Herrera manages to get down the flank and wins a corner for the visitors. Layun puts the ball in from the left, but his cross is headed away by the first man at the near post.

CHANCE! Kiev win a corner down the right and Miguel Veloso lifts the ball into the box. Casillas looks to have the ball under control when he goes to claim the ball, but he drops it as Garmash and Moraes look to pounce. The three players battle to win the ball on the deck, and despite having two swings at the ball Moraes cannot turn it into the net and Casillas gathers.

Kiev have quickly settled into a rhythm with their passing and are asserting control of the match by pushing the Porto lines back towards their own goal.

Rybalka concedes a needless foul for Dynamo in a dangerous area of the pitch for the home side as he brings down Andre Andre 30 yards from goal. Brahimi stands over the ball in a decent position for the Portuguese side.

CLOSE! Brahimi curls his effort over the wall and the ball sails towards the net, but it has just too much height on it and goes just over the bar. Decent effort from the midfielder.

YELLOW CARD! Maicon goes into the book for a foul on Gusev.

Kiev take the lead as they break down the right when Moraes sends Garmash down the flank with a clever pass. The midfielder raids into the box and sends a low ball across the face of goal, which is missed by Veloso, but Gusev turns the ball home at the back post.

Porto respond immediately as Maicon lifts a diagonal ball over the top of the Kiev defence for Layun down the left. The left-back cuts in on his right foot and curls a pinpoint cross into the box for Aboubakar, who makes no mistake heading the ball into the far corner beyond the reach of Rybka.

The game has settled down after that wild three minutes when both defences were cut open with ease. Play is more measured at the moment as the sides are attempting to find their shape again.

Maicon makes a vital interception for the visitors as Moraes almost plays the ball into the path of Veloso on the edge of the area. The midfielder was just about to take the ball in stride to shoot before the Brazilian bustled him off the ball.

CHANCE! Moraes finds space on the edge of the box as he latches on to a loose ball from a failed clearance from the visitors, but he can only scuff his effort and Casillas gathers with ease.

Kiev win another free kick down the left and Veloso whips the ball towards the near post, where Maicon and Moraes grapple for the ball. The Brazilian comes out on top and manages to steer the ball to safety. Maicon has been impressive in the heart of the defence for the visitors so far.

The quality of the match has dipped over the past 10 minutes or so as neither team has been able to conjure a threat in the final third due to their poor deliveries into the box, especially from the wide areas.

Antunes shows great desire down the left for the home side to beat two challenges and win a corner out of nothing. However, his good work is wasted as Gusev's corner is headed clear by the first defender.

YELLOW CARD! Needless booking for Pereira as he boots the ball away after Martins Indi had conceded a free kick in the centre circle. There was no danger of a quick set piece and now he has to be on his guard for the rest of the game.

Kiev cannot take advantage of the set piece as Khacheridi launches the ball long into the box and Porto manage to clear with ease. The quality from set pieces needs to improve if they are to get back into the lead.

CHANCE! Casillas makes a fine save to keep the scores level just before the break as Gusev lifts a cross in from the left and Garmash latches on to the cross. The forward hits his effort into the ground and the ball loops towards the top corner, but the Spaniard manages to tip the ball over the bar.

There will be one minute of added time.

Veloso wastes a good chance to put the visitors under pressure just before the break from a free kick as he sends his delivery straight down the throat of Casillas.

It's all square in Kiev as Oleg Gusev's 20th-minute opener was cancelled out by Vincent Aboubakar three minutes later. Dynamo will be disappointed to be drawing at the break as Porto have offered very little in the final third apart from the opening that allowed the Cameroonian striker to find the net. Rebrov's men have had plenty of the ball in the final third, but the quality of their deliveries into the box, especially from the wide areas, has been poor.

There are openings for Porto to take, it's just a matter of them producing the quality when they need to. While, Porto will be very wary that Maxi Pereira and Maicon are both on bookings down the right side of their defence, while the home side will undoubtedly look to exploit in the second half.

The players are back out for the second half, so we should be underway shortly.

RESTART! We're back underway in Kiev.

YELLOW CARD! Gusev goes straight into the book for pulling back Andre Andre.

YELLOW CARD! Both goalscorers are in the book now as Aboubakar goes high and late on Garmash.

Slow start to the half in terms of attacking play, but that has been down to some excellent defending from both teams on the edge of their penalty areas.

A scrappy game in the second half half as both teams are committing fouls and misplacing passing, and as mentioned before the defending has been very impressive from the sides. It doesn't make for an entertaining contest, but you have to respect the defensive discipline from the teams.

YELLOW CARD! Rybalka goes into the book for a challenge on Brahimi. The free kick is in a very dangerous position for the visitors as Maicon stands over the ball 25 yards from goal.

CHANCE! Maicon powers an effort towards goal, but his strike goes narrowly past the post and it appeared that Rybka had the shot covered anyway.

Another chance for Porto to whip a dangerous ball into the area as Gonzalez brings down Andre Andre down the left. The midfielder has helped win a lot of free kicks for the visitors this evening.

The delivery from Herrera is poor as the ball sails over the heads of everyone in the box and Rybka gathers with ease.

Layun raids the down the left for Porto and carves out an excellent cross with his right foot, similar to his effort for his side's goal, as he tries to pick out Aboubakar at the back post. However, Dragovic is there to make an important intervention ahead of the forward to clear the danger. Excellent clearance from the Austrian.

SUBSTITUTION: Tello comes on for the visitors to replace Herrera.

SUBSTITUTION: Gusev makes way for the home side to be replaced by Buyalskiy.

Garmash puts the ball into the feet of Moraes on the edge of the box, but the striker loses possession and Porto break. The visitors find space down the left and the ball comes into the middle for Andre Andre, but Garmash gets back in time to make a vital tackle.

CHANCE! The ball comes back to Andre Andre on the edge of the box and he goes for a chipped effort at goal. Rybka looks concerned as it heads towards the net, but his effort lacks the curl to find the corner and goes wide of the post.

SUBSTITUTION: Belhanda comes on for the home side to replace Gonzalez. Kiev need a spark from somewhere because they have done nothing in this half.

Another free kick for the home side to launch into the box and Khacheridi wins the initial header, but he cannot direct the ball towards any of his teammates and it trickles behind for a goal kick.

CHANCE! Belhanda and Danilo Silva link up well down the left for Kiev before the ball finds its way to the feet of Garmash outside the box. The midfielder strikes a powerful effort at goal, only to see his shot deflected inches past the post.

CHANCE! Veloso lifts the corner into the box and his delivery curls towards the six-yard box away from Casillas. Moraes manages to get above his man, but he cannot generate enough power on his header to beat Casillas, who makes the stop on the line. Better from the home side.

SUBSTITUTION: Jesus Corona replaces Brahimi for the home side. The midfielder is fresh off a two-goal display in his side's win over Arouca at the weekend.

CHANCE! Corona almost does make an immediate impact as he receives the ball on the edge of the box and weaves his way through two defenders before striking at goal. His effort takes a deflection and Rybka can only tip the ball over the bar.

Porto take the lead as Rybka commits a huge error as he attempt to punch a cross from the right from Pereira clear, but he misses his punch and falls to the ground. The loose ball lands at the feet of Aboubakar, who takes a touch and then rifles his strike into the bottom corner.

CHANCE! Garmash has a chance for an immediate response, but he can only put his header wide of the post from six yards out under pressure from Pereira. Kiev worked the ball well down the right and Danilo Silva lifted a pinpoint cross for the midfielder to attack, but he just couldn't direct his effort on target. A huge opportunity spurned by the hosts.

YELLOW CARD! Porto's Danilo goes into the book for a challenge on Buyalskiy, which presents Kiev with an excellent chance to get back into game.

Controvery as the home side draw level through Buyalskiy. The goal comes as the initial free kick hits the wall, but Rybalka knocks the ball over the top of the Porto defence. Garmash appears to be in an offside position, but he moves out of the way to allow Buyalskiy to raid forward and beat Casillas to the ball to head the ball into the net. Porto are not happy, but the home side are ecstatic.

There will be three minutes of added time.

SUBSTITUTION: Aboubakar makes way for the visitors and is replaced by Pablo Osvaldo.

CHANCE! Substitute Kravets beats the challenge of Maicon down the left and bears down on goal. He has men in support in the middle but chooses to shot at the target from a tight angle, and his strike crashes into the sidenetting.

The match ends all square and it is probably the fair result as neither team deserved to take all three points from the clash. It was a curious contest as apart from two five-minute spells when the goals arrived, the teams struggled immensely in the final third of the pitch. Vincent Aboubakar was clinical for the visitors as he took the only two chances that fell his way, while Oleg Gusev and Vitaliy Buyalskyi also showed good finishing skills to net their goals to ensure that both teams started their campaigns with a point apiece.

Thanks for joining our commentary, until next time, goodbye.