Match Preview: Benfica – Dynamo Kyiv Prediction and Betting Tips | CHAMPIONS LEAGUE – QUALIFICATION

Benfica – Dynamo Kyiv Prediction and Tips for today

Benfica – Dynamo Kyiv Prediction and Tips for today, August 23, 2022

Football: CHAMPIONS LEAGUE – QUALIFICATION – FINAL
Kick-off: 20:00 Benfica – Dynamo Kyiv
Tip: Home Win
Odds: 1.34
Bookmaker: Bet365
Match Result: 3:0 WON!!!

Benfica – Dynamo Kyiv Prediction and Match Preview

• Last season’s UEFA Champions League (UCL) quarter finalists Benfica find themselves on the brink of qualification to this season’s UCL group stage following a hard-fought 2-0 win in the first leg of this play-off tie. Anything other than qualification for the Eagles now seems unlikely, with Roger Schmidt’s men unbeaten in seven straight UCL qualifiers (W6, D1).
• Strengthening belief that the group stages await is the fact Benfica have only ever lost one UCL qualifier on home soil, and that came way back in 2003 (W10, D1, L1), while scoring at least twice in eight of those ten all-time victories. Perhaps inspiring more confidence is Benfica’s 100% start to the season both domestically and on the continent (W5), with a stringent defence conceding just one goal across the last 372 minutes of play!
• The hopes of a nation rest on Dynamo Kyiv pulling off the impossible after the first-leg, although irrespective of the outcome here, they will at least play in the Europa League group stage at worst. Given the situation back in Ukraine, Kyiv have been up against it from the start with their home games being moved to Poland and that’s not to mention a complete lack of domestic action in 2022.
• Kyiv’s last two ties required extra-time to decide their fate, but overturning this deficit would be historic. Only twice have the Ukrainians won a UCL qualifier after losing the home first leg, but both followed a single-goal loss and the most recent came against Trabzonspor, peculiarly almost 18 years ago to the day.
• Players to watch: Rafa Silva has been in the thick of it for Benfica this term with three yellow cards in five appearances offset by his three goal contributions (G2, A1). Meanwhile, defender Kostiantyn Vivcharenko’s contributions have come in clutch for Kyiv, and before this tie, he had made a goal contribution during extra-time in their previous two UCL ties (G1, A1).
• Hot stat: Kyiv manager Mircea Lucescu has faced Benfica five times despite never managing in Portugal (W1, D1, L3), but his side have failed to score in each of the last three encounters.