'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Dynamo Kyiv will face Sturm Graz on Wednesday in the first leg of their third round UEFA Champions League qualifying tie.
The Bilo-syni kicked off their qualification tie in the second round and were drawn against Turkish giants Fenerbahce. They played out a goalless draw in the first leg before picking up a 2-1 extra-time win against their 10-man opposition in the second leg, with Oleksandr Karavaev coming off the bench to score the winner.
Dynamo Kyiv have featured in the group stages of the continental showpiece in back-to-back seasons and will be looking to extend that run this year.
Sturm Graz finished second in the Austrian Bundesliga last season. They will begin their quest for Champions League football this week and will be looking to start on a positive note.
Die Schwoazn last appeared at this stage of the qualifiers back in the 2011-12 campaign, facing Georgian outfit Zestafoni and winning 2-1 on aggregate. They were, however, knocked out in the next round and will be hoping to go a step further this time around.
Dynamo Kyiv vs Sturm Graz Head-to-Head
Wednesday's game will mark just the second-ever meeting between Dynamo Kyiv and Sturm Graz. The only other matchup between the two sides came in a friendly clash back in 2018 which the Austrian outfit won 2-0.
Dynamo Kyiv Form Guide (All Competitions): L-W-D-L-L
Sturm Graz Form Guide (All Competitions): W-W-D-W-W
Dynamo Kyiv vs Sturm Graz Team News
Dynamo Kyiv
Benjamin Verbic came off injured in the Bilo-syni's last game and could miss out on the midweek clash. Ibrahim Kargbo Jr., Vladyslav Kulach and Volodymyr Kostevych are all injured and will not play here.
Injured: Ibrahim Kargbo Jr., Vladyslav Kulach, Volodymyr Kostevych
Doubtful: Benjamin Verbic
Suspended: None
Sturm Graz
Die Schwoazn also have a few injured personnel ahead of their trip to Poland this week, including Jakob Jantscher, Otar Kiteishvili and Niklas Geyrhofer.
Injured: Jakob Jantscher, Otar Kiteishvili, Niklas Geyrhofer
Doubtful: None
Suspended: None
Dynamo Kyiv vs Sturm Graz Predicted XI
Dynamo Kyiv Predicted XI (4-4-1-1): Georgiy Bushchan; Tomasz Kedziora, Denys Popov, Ilya Zabarnyi, Vladyslav Dubinchak; Viktor Tsyhankov, Sergiy Sydorchuk, Mykola Shaparenko, Vitaliy Buyalskyi; Vladyslav Vanat, Artem Besyedin
Sturm Graz Predicted XI (4-3-1-2): Joerg Siebenhandl; Jusuf Gazibegovic, Gregory Wuethrich, Alexandar Borkovic, Amadou Dante; Stefan Hierlander, Jon Gorenc-Stankovic, Alexander Prass; Tomi Horvat; Manprit Sarkaria, Rasmus Hoejlund
$1,100 First Bet Insurance at Caesars
Dynamo Kyiv vs Sturm Graz Prediction
Dynamo Kyiv have won just one of their last five games across all competitions, with three of those games ending in defeat.
Sturm Graz, on the other hand, are on a run of back-to-back victories and are undefeated in their last 11 matches. The Bundesliga outfit should win this one.
Prediction: Dynamo Kyiv 1-2 Sturm Graz
