Matviy Ponomarenko said Dynamo Kyiv arrived in Baku for Karabakh Vs Dynamo Kyiv with one aim: win and move on. Speaking ahead of the second leg in the Conference League 3rd qualifying round, he said the visitors carry a one-goal advantage but are treating the match as anything but settled.
That matters now because the trip to Baku is not a routine away day. Ponomarenko said around 30,000 fans were expected in the stadium, a crowd size that can turn a narrow lead into a nervous one in a single half. Dynamo Kyiv and Qarabağ are playing for progression, and the margin gives the game immediate consequences for both sides.
Ponomarenko also made clear why Dynamo Kyiv expects a hard night. He said he had followed Qarabağ last year and watched their Champions League performances, describing them as a good, ambitious team that brings tactical and physical pressure to every opponent. That is the backdrop for a tie that already feels tight before a ball is kicked.
The forward added that Dynamo Kyiv will train and feel the pitch before continuing its preparation. He said the team needs to go out and win, and pointed to his own run of form, saying he had scored in the last two matches and that Dynamo Kyiv won both of them. It is the kind of detail that gives the visitors confidence, but not comfort.
For Dynamo Kyiv, the next step is simple: complete the training session, adjust to the surface, and try to protect a lead that looks fragile under Baku’s pressure. Qarabağ’s recent European level and the size of the expected crowd mean the second leg is less about holding a position than proving it belongs to Dynamo Kyiv at all.
