C3: Rennes has difficulty overcoming the obstacle of Dynamo kyiv

Four years ago, already in C3, Dynamo frustrated Rennes by winning outnumbered (2-1).

Drained of its foreign players and reduced to precarious conditions since the Russian invasion in February, the Ukrainian team found the resources to equalize and only gave in in the final minutes.

Second in their group, tied on points with Fenerbahçe, Bruno Genesio's men are waiting for Nantes on Sunday - beaten 2-0 in Friborg - for a much-awaited derby in the league, before returning to kyiv next week in Krakow, where the team plays its "home" matches.

Faced with well-organized Ukrainians in defense, Rennes multiplied the chances from the start of the match, without managing to set the sights.

Ideally served by a nice heel from Flavien Tait, Terrier thus narrowly missed the target (16th).

The Rennes striker, however, found the fault with a strike from the right, after a wide combination with Amine Gouiri (1-0, 23rd).

Opposite, the Ukrainians struggled to approach Steve Mandanda's goal, forced to settle for long and ill-aimed shots.

But half an hour into the game, Rennes started to let them have the ball and the sanction was not long in coming.

In a scramble of the Rennes defense, Viktor Tsyhankov, forgotten in the area, saw the goalkeeper repel his first shot but not the second (1-1, 32nd).

Already a scorer against Fenerbahçe on Matchday 1 in Istanbul -- Dynamo Kyiv's only goal in the group stage so far -- Tsyhankov celebrated looking up at the sky, cheered by the handful of Ukrainian fans and the 250 refugees invited by the club.

Dynamo kyiv supporters during the Europa League match against Rennes on October 6, 2022 in Rennes LOIC VENANCE AFP

“For those who are now defending our country and supporting us, it is very important that we continue to play, and to play well. We are improving their lives a little bit by doing so,” assured the young 24-year-old winger. watch in front of the press.

Pressed throughout the second period, the Ukrainians thought they could take advantage of the inability of the Rennais to conclude their chances to pocket the point of a draw.

It was finally the very young Désiré Doué, impressive but rarely fair since his entry on the hour mark, who delivered his team by intercepting a bad recovery from the defense to take goalkeeper Denys Boyko on the wrong foot (2 -1, 89th).

© 2022 AFP