Preview: Club Brugge vs. Dynamo Kiev - prediction, team news, lineups

It is all to play for between Club Brugge and Dynamo Kiev as the sides are locked at 1-1 heading into Thursday's Europa League last-32 second-leg tie.

Brandon Mechele struck to cancel out Vitaliy Buyalskiy's opener in Kiev, with that away goal giving Brugge a slim advantage heading into the reverse fixture at Jan Breydel Stadium.

Match preview

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Dynamo have failed to win any of their last eight European matches, conceding at least twice in each of their last four, though a score draw could prove enough on Thursday.

Mircea Lucescu's side are perhaps fortunate not to be a goal behind heading into this contest, however, as Bas Dost missed a good chance for Brugge late on last week.

Brugge followed up their draw in Ukraine with a 3-0 win against Leuven in the Belgian First Division on Monday to move 15 points clear at the summit.

Philippe Clement's men are now unbeaten in 12 matches in all competitions, winning 11 of those - the exception being their draw with Kiev.

Dynamo have been in decent enough form themselves, drawing two and winning one of their three competitive matches in 2021.

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The Ukrainians have already won in Belgium this season, too, as they saw off Gent in Champions League qualifying - Vladyslav Supriaha and Carlos de Pena on target that day.

However, they take on a Brugge side that have lost only one of their seven previous home Europa League knockout ties, most recently drawing 1-1 with Manchester United in the last 32 last season.

Brugge, who like Kiev dropped into the Europa League after finishing third in their Champions League group, will therefore enter this tie as favourites to protect what they have and advance.

If that is to to be the case, though, then the hosts will have to keep Buyalskiy and Viktor Tsygankov quiet, the pair having been directly involved in 14 of Dynamo's last 16 Europa League goals.

Club Brugge Europa League form: W
Club Brugge form (all competitions): WWWWDW

Dynamo Kiev form (all competitions): WWDWDD

Team News

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Brugge quartet Mats Rits, Stefano Denswil, Matej Mitrovic and Hans Vanaken recently tested positive for coronavirus and are not expected to be back in time for this match.

Noa Lang, who has a combined 17 goals and assists in the league this term, has also missed the Belgian side's last two games and his availability at this point is unknown.

In more positive news for the home side, though, Eduard Sobol is back from suspension after missing the first leg.

As for Dynamo, Lucescu may be tempted to recall Artem Besedin to his starting lineup after his showing last week.

Other changes are otherwise unlikely, however, with the likes of Mykyta Burda, Volodymyr Kostevych and Tudor Baluta all ruled out through injury.

Club Brugge possible starting lineup:
Mignolet; Mata, Kossounou, Mechele, Sobol; Dirar, Vormer, Balanta; Ketelaere, Okereke; Dost

Dynamo Kiev possible starting lineup:
Bushchan; Kedziora, Popov, Zabarnyi, Mykolenko; Shaparenko, Sydorchuk; Tsyhankov, Buyalskiy, Pena; Besedin

We say: Club Brugge 2-1 Dynamo Kiev (3-2 on aggregate)

Draw specialists Kiev will know that they do not necessarily have to win this game to advance, as long as it does not finish 0-0.

However, Brugge have a good home record in Europe and have won 11 of their last 12 matches in all competitions, so we can see the home team progressing in normal time.