The Ukrainian and Italian clubs will play on neutral ground, this time provided by Hamburg. This arrangement somewhat eases Lazio’s task, but Dynamo Kyiv are currently in good form.
Since the start of the season and until last Saturday, Dynamo Kyiv had not dropped a single point in the Premier League. For the first time, the team failed to score, with Rukh Lviv breaking the spell while playing away (0:0). In fact, the team from Lviv could have taken all three points if not for hitting the woodwork twice in addition to their three shots on target. Overall, their combined xG of 3.54 turned into nothing. Dynamo Kyiv now embark on their Europa League campaign because they narrowly missed out on the Champions League. Red Bull Salzburg set the barrier, allowing at most a draw (0:2, 1:1). Even despite losing the home leg, Dynamo Kyiv had the opportunity to advance past the Austrian side, but their 19 shots resulted in just one shot on target, which was their goal.
The Italian side are currently lagging in Serie A: two wins, two losses, and a draw in between. Last weekend, Lazio lost to Fiorentina (1:2), having led at halftime but conceding two penalty goals. The team managed 20 shots but only earned 1.05 xG, while their opponents scored twice from 14 shots and 2.78 xG. It is also worth noting that the Both Teams to Score bet has come through in all five of Lazio’s matches.
Dynamo Kyiv have scored in 10 out of 12 matches this season and have kept a clean sheet in just five. Most of their shutouts were against lower-level opponents, with the exception of Rangers and, arguably, Partizan Belgrade. Despite their low position in Serie A (eighth place), Lazio still have a squad of more skilful players overall, meaning Dynamo Kyiv are likely to concede.
