Good evening and welcome to the live commentary of the Champions League clash between
Porto and
Dynamo Kiev.
Porto can secure their place in the knockout phase of the competition this evening with a win over Kiev tonight following their impressive run of form in Group G.
Julen Lopetegui's men are unbeaten in their four matches and have won their last three games on the bounce, including their 3-1 triumph over Maccabi Tel Aviv last time out. The Portuguese side are top of the group and have been formidable throughout the competition, and face just one final barrier to reach the next round of the competition against
Serhiy Rebrov's side.
Kiev have to win tonight or hope that Tel Aviv can spring a huge surprise against Chelsea to have a realistic chance of reaching the next round of the competition. Rebrov's men were defeated 2-1 by the Blues in their last outing at Stamford Bridge as Willian scored a late goal to fire Jose Mourinho's men to the precious three points. As a result, Kiev have to bounce back this evening by claiming the victory tonight. They have taken five points from their opening four matches, but will need to produce the resilience and attacking prowess they showed against Tel Aviv in their 2-0 win in September.
The team news has been announced and we'll start with the home side.
PORTO STARTING XI: Casillas, Maxi Pereira, Martins Indi, Marcano, Layun, Ruben Neves, Brahimi, Danilo, Imbula, Aboubakar, Tello
Subs: Helton, Evandro, Herrera, Andre Andre, Osvaldo, Corona, Alberto Bueno
KIEV STARTING XI: Shovkovskiy, Danilo Silva, Antunes, Dragovic, Khacheridi, Sydorchuk, Rybalka, Garmash, Gonzalez, Yarmolenko, Junior Moraes
Subs: Rybka, Miguel Veloso, Petrovic, Gusev, Buyalskiy, Belhanda, Teodorczyk
Porto have made two changes from their win over Maccabi Tel Aviv from their last outing. Andre Andre and Evandro drop out of the side to the bench to be replaced by Yacine Brahimi and Gianelli Imbula. Lopetegui retains his 4-3-3 formation as Brahimi and starts in Andre Andre's spot on the left-side of the three-man attack, with Vincent Aboubakar down the middle. Danilo takes Evandro's place in the centre of the midfield, with Imbula coming into the side on the left flank.
Aleksandar Dragovic continues at centre-back following his eventful night at Stamford Bridge last time out as he scored an own goal to put Chelsea ahead before notching the equaliser for his team, only to be denied a point by Willian's late free kick. Kiev have made four changes from their team that was beaten by the Blues as Danilo Silva, Denis Garmash, Junior Moraes and Anele Ngcongca come into the starting lineup.
Lopetegui has insisted that his side have to focus on defeating Kiev tonight rather than thinking of their long-term goals in the competition.
He told reporters: "We go into this match thinking we have not achieved anything yet. Tomorrow we will face a good team at a collective level, with a lot of good players and a lot of them part of the Ukrainian national team. They play good football. We played well at their place but couldn't get the win."
Andriy Yarmolenko has said that his side will take the game to Porto this evening with their future in the competition on the line.
He told reporters: "Our coaching staff instils in us an aggressive style both in defence and attack, so we can control the ball and attack rather than defend. We will need to play like that in Portugal. If we do that, we'll get our three points."
The players are out on the pitch, so we should be underway shortly.
We're underway at the Estadio do Dragao.
CHANCE! First chance of the game falls to the home side. Danilo robs Rybalka in the midfield and drives towards the edge of the box. The midfielder opts to shoot with his left foot, but he strikes his effort just wide of the post.
Moraes goes in hard on Martins Indi after the Dutchman had played a pass down the sideline. Kiev had started the game with an aggressive approach, but that has included giving away a few cheap fouls.
CHANCE! Porto win a corner down the right and Layun lifts the ball into the box near the penalty spot. Danilo makes a run from the back post to meet the ball with a free header, but he can only guide his header tamely into the hands of Shovkovskiy.
Kiev have their first forray into the Porto half and
Derlis Gonzalez tries an ambitious strike from 25 yards, but the effort proves to be no problem for Iker Casillas as he claims the ball by diving forward.
Imbula and Brahimi link up in the final third to carve out space for the forward on the edge of the box. Brahimi tries to curl his effort towards the top corner, but his shot goes well over the bar. Wasteful effort from Brahimi.
Porto have settled into a rhythm in their passing game and are starting to find space in dangerous areas of the pitch to threaten the visitors. Kiev are pressing high up the pitch, which could leave them open at the back.
Imbula collects the ball 25 yards from goal, and opts to drive towards the edge of the penalty area. Imbula shoots with his left foot, but he cannot get any direction on his strike as his effort goes well past the post.
CHANCE! Gonzalez has been Kiev's brightest player this evening and he causes problems for the home side down the left flank by raiding into the final third. The winger cuts back on to his right foot and tries to curl a cross to the back post for the run of Moraes, only to see his cross evade everyone in the area and drift inches past the upright.
Porto work the ball well down the left for the on-rushing Layun to take the ball in stride down the left flank. The former Watford man has Aboubakar to hit in the six-yard box, but he overhits his cross into the box, which goes behind for a goal kick. Huge opening spurned by the left-back.
Yarmolenko gets in behind the Porto back four to collect a pass from Rybalka and tries to beat Casillas with a low effort. The Spaniar makes the save with his feet, but the midfielder was flagged offside anyway.
CHANCE! Casillas is called into action for real this time as he is forced to back-peddle and tip Gonzalez's dipping right-footed strike over the crossbar. The effort may have been creeping over the Spaniard and under the bar, bringing about the fingertip save.
OFF THE POST! Kiev should be ahead as Garmash crashes a free header off the post from close range, while Moraes puts the rebound wide from two yards. The opportunity comes from Yarmolenko's good work down the right as he beats his man to send a pinpoint cross on to the head of Garmash, but he was denied by the woodwork. However, the ball fell to Moraes on the rebound, but he lost his footing at the vital moment and sent his strike wide. Huge miss!
Kiev have been the better side over the past 10 minutes of the match and Porto have been pushed right back to defend on the edge of the penalty area.
PENALTY TO KIEV!
GOAL! Porto 0-1 Dynamo Kiev (Yarmolenko pen.)
Kiev take the lead and their pressure on the home side has paid off as Imbula bring Rybalka down on the edge of the box on the left flank. The referee has no hesitation in his decision and books the midfielder in the process. Yarmolenko stands over the ball and calmly strikes his effort down the middle of the net to beat Casillas and hand his side the lead.
YELLOW CARD! Danilo Silva becomes the second man to enter the book this evening for a foul on Brahimi.
YELLOW CARD! Another booking for Kiev as Maxi Pereira hits the deck under the challenge of Garmash, and the referee brandishes the yellow card to the midfielder.
CHANCE! Tello makes Porto's first promising raid into the final third since the early stages of the match and he manages to show quick feet to play the ball back into the path of Ruben Neves on the edge of the box. The 18-year-old strikes the ball first time, but Shovkovskiy gets down well to make the save.
Imbula feeds the run of Maxi Pereira down the flank and the right-back tries to loft the ball into the path of Aboubakar in the middle, but his delivery fails to beat the first man and Kiev clear.
Pereira struggles again for the home side as he has plenty of space to raid into down the right and has no pressure from Antunes, which allows him time to whip a cross into the box. However, his delivery lands straight into the hands of Shovkovskiy.
CHANCE! Yarmolenko creates an opening out of nothing for the visitors and Casillas is forced to react to palm his powerful strike from a tight angle over the bar. The midfielder strolled with the ball down the right wing before he burst into the box with a great turn of pace and he lashed his strike towards the top corner, but the Spaniard was alert to tip the shot over the bar.
There will be one minute of added time.
HALF-TIME: Porto 0-1 Dynamo Kiev
Kiev take a 1-0 lead into the break at the Estadio do Dragao following a fine first-half display. Andriy Yarmolenko said that his side would play with aggression, but instead they have played with precision and guile in the final third to cause problems for the home side. Serhiy Rebrov's men should have taken the lead when Denys Garmash hit the post and Junior Moraes put the rebound wide. However, a foul from Gilbert Imbula on Sergiy Rybalka earned the visitors a penalty, which was converted with ease by Yarmolenko, who then could have doubled his side's tally with a strike that was well saved by Iker Casillas just before the break.
Lopetegui will be furious with his side following their lacklustre display in the first half. Porto were stagnant going forward and outmanoeuvred at the back, which led to the penalty strike from Yarmolenko. The manager may have a few choice words with his team to illicit a response after the break.
SUBSTITUTION: Maxi Pereira makes way for Porto to be replaced by Andre Andre.
We're back underway at the Estadio do Dragao.
Moraes goes down under the challenge of Imbula, presenting Kiev with an early chance to whip a cross into the box from the right flank.
Moraes reciprocates with a foul in the box to ease the pressure on the home side. A wasted opportunity for the visitors.
Better from Porto as they are able to work the ball in the final third to earn two corners. Layun sends a dangerous cross into the box, and after a scramble in the box, the visitors manage to clear through Khacheridi.
CHANCE! The home side pass the ball from the left flank to the right as Brahimi and Abobakar link up to find Tello on the wing. The forward cuts back on to his left foot to strike an effort at goal, but he miscues his strike to send his shot wide of the post.
Brahimi goes down under the challenge of Dragovic in the box, Lopetegui and the home supporters appeal for the penalty, but the referee waves play on. There was no serious claim from the white shirts in the box.
CHANCE! A mistake from Rybalka allows Brahimi to latch on to the loose ball on the edge of the box. Kiev get numbers back to defend the attempted strike from the foward, who instead has to play in Tello down the left. The former Barcelona man strikes a right-footed effort towards the near post, but Shovkovskiy saves with relative ease.
Andre Andre surges down the left flank and comes across the middle of the field to lay the ball into the feet of Aboubkar before continuing his run into the box. The forward tries to release him in the box, but Dragovic and Khacheridi crowd him out to allow the ball to travel through to Shovkovskiy.
GOAL! Porto 0-2 Dynamo Kiev (Gonzalez)
Kiev double their lead as Gonzalez seizes on a mistake at the back to speed into the box past the desperate challenge of Danilo. The winger tries to power his strike past Casillas, who gets a hand to the ball, but can only send it up into the air and loops backwards to land into the net. Poor keeping from the Spaniard, but Porto are beginning to fall apart in this match, they simply have not turned up today.
CHANCE! Gonzalez almost notches his second goal of the night and his side's third as he raids towards the edge of the area, and even though he has plenty of support, he goes for the strike towards the top corner. However, his strike sails narrowly wide of the post.
SUBSTITUTIONS: Brahimi and Imbula make way for the home side and are replaced by Jesus Corona and Pablo Osvaldo.
YELLOW CARD! Sydorchuk goes into the book for the visitors for a loose challenge on Andre Andre.
Kiev are putting 10 men behind the ball to cope with Porto's attacking substitutions and are looking to hit the home side on the counter. Lopetegui has been very vocal on the sidelines and he does not look happy with the effort of his players as they seek to find a way back into the game.
SUBSTITUTION: Gonzalez makes way for the visitors to be replaced by Belhanda.
OFF THE POST! Porto come within inches of getting back into the match as Andre Andre, who has been the only bright spark for the home side this evening, does well down the right flank to beat the challenge of Antunes before sending a low ball across the face of goal. Rybalka sticks a foot out to stop the ball from finding Aboubakar, but his attempted clearance spins towards goal and is only stopped by the post before Shovkovsky gathers.
Jesus Corona causes disruption down the right flank for the home side before he sends the ball into the box towards the penalty spot. Aboubakar plays a header towards the edge of the area where Andre Andre meets the ball with a first-time effort on his right foot, only to send his strike well over the bar.
A foul from Layun gives the visitors the opportunity to seal the three points with a free kick down the left. Belhanda curls the ball towards the back post, but his effort goes on to the roof of the net with Casillas scrambling backwards.
The tempo has dropped right out of the match as Lopetegui's men look resigned to their fate this evening. Porto have had a shocking evening and have put themselves in real danger of being eliminated at the group stage after entering the night in a commanding position.
SUBSTITUTION: Teodorczyk and Buyalskiy replace Moraes and Sydorchuk for the final five minutes this evening.
The referee takes mercy on Marcano as the defender gets outmuscled for the ball in the penalty area by Teodorczyk, which would have allowed the striker a free run at goal, but the official deemed that their tussle was a foul.
There will be three minutes of added time.
OFF THE BAR! Andre Andre comes within inches of firing in a consolation goal for Porto as he latches on to a loose ball in the box, but his effort is deflected off Khacheridi and crashes off the bar before bouncing to safety.
FULL-TIME: Porto 0-2 Dynamo Kiev
Kiev pull off a huge victory at the Estadio do Dragao to boost their hopes of reaching the next round of the competition. Andriy Yarmolenko scored a first-half penalty after Gilbert Imbula had brought down Sergiy Rybalka in the box to hand the Ukrainian side the lead, and Derlis Gonzalez doubled their advantage in the 64th minute when his strike was palmed into his own net by Iker Casillas. The two goals proved to be enough to secure a vital win for Serhiy Rebrov's men to lead Group G wide open going into the final round of fixtures.
Julen Lopetegui will be furious with his side this evening as theu simply did not turn up. Porto had a couple of half-chances in the opening 20 minutes of the game, but were outbattled for the rest of the contest and surrendered meekly to the Ukrainian side to leave their hopes of qualifying for the next round of the competition in jeopardy.
Porto remain top of Group G going into the last round of fixtures, but go into their clash against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge knowing that a loss could end their hopes of reaching the knockout stage following the Blues' 4-0 win over Maccabi Tel Aviv this evening. As for Kiev, they are two points behind Porto and Chelsea in third place, but a victory over Tel Aviv in the last round of game will see them advance. It's all to play for in Group G.
Thanks for joining our commentary this evening. Until next time, goodbye.