Teenage goalkeeper Maxim Koval believes Dynamo Kiev (10/3 in Match Betting) can defeat Ajax in tonight’s Champions League play-off because they ‘want it more’.
The Ukrainian champions overcame the twin blow of Denys Garmash’s4/5, Draw 13/5 56th-minute dismissal in the first leg and Ajax () taking the lead in the tie a minute later when Oleh Gusev smashed home a late equaliser to level the scores ahead of tonight’s return leg in Amsterdam.
And Koval, 17, who made an impressive debut in the first leg, believes Martin Jol’s side will hold no fear for Dynamo – or be able to surprise them.
“It’s a pity we conceded an away goal, but we shouldn’t worry too much about that,” he said. “I have no doubt that we can win the return game.
“Our opponents cannot surprise us: they are a team we really can beat. Why? Because, I think we simply want it more.”
Ajax are without injured Kenneth Vermeer, Rasmus Lindgren and Nicolás Lodeiro tonight while Vurnon Anita is suspended.
But they showed signs of getting back to their form of last season by winning 3-0 at home to Roda JC at the weekend.
Jol unveiled his new strike partnership of last season’s 49-goal top scorer Luis Suarez (7/2 First Goalscorer) and new signing Mounir El Hamdaoui (9/2).
The Uruguayan set up two goals for El Hamdaoui, who arrived this summer from AZ Alkmaar, and the Moroccan returned the favour with an assist for Suarez’s goal.
Dynamo were disappointing in a 0-0 draw with Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk at the weekend and coach Valeri Gazzaev admits he has a selection headache tonight with several key players either injured or out of form.
Garmash’s suspension and an injury to Argentinian Facundo Bertoglio has left the visitors short of creativity behind veteran striker Andriy Schevchenko (15/2 First Goalscorer).
“Bertoglio has a muscle problem, [Artem] Milevskiyn (10/1) is out of form, Gilherme (8/1) and Andre (7/1) are not in top condition,” said Gazzaev.
However, fit-again Serbian playmaker Milos Ninkovic; and central defender Yevhen Khacheridi are available to the coach.
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