Dynamo Kyiv meets Universitatea Cluj in Europa League qualifier at Lublin

Dynamo Kyiv and Romania's Universitatea Cluj will contest the first leg of a Europa League first‑round qualifying tie on Thursday night at the Lublin Arena in Poland. The Ukrainian side, last season's Ukrainian Cup winners and fourth‑place finishers in the domestic league, enter the match after a strong preseason, including a 2‑0 friendly win over LASK Linz. Their lineup features teenage striker Matviy Ponomarenko, while several regulars such as Vladyslav Zakharchenko and Mykola Mykhaylenko miss the game through injury. New signings Ilya Olkhovyi, Tomasz Kedziora and Pierre Mounguengue are available.

Universitatea Cluj, runners‑up in Romania's top division and first‑time Europa League qualifiers, arrived at Lublin after a mixed preseason, with a 0‑0 draw against Újpest and consecutive 3‑0 defeats in friendlies. The Romanian side will rely on top scorer Jovo Lukić, who netted 20 goals last season, while new recruit Andrei Coubis may start in central defence. Both clubs aim to secure a first‑leg advantage before a potential second‑round clash with PAOK.