Dynamo face cup challenge

The pressure is on FC Dynamo Kyiv coach Olexiy Mykhaylichenko as he faces FC Shakhtar Donetsk in tomorrow's Ukraine Cup final.

The match of the season
In his first game in charge of Dynamo, Mykhaylichenko will lead his side into what many in Ukraine are billing as the biggest match of the season. The final will be played in Kiev tomorrow, and the winner will receive the metre-high trophy from Ukraine's president, Leonid Kuchma.

Sombre occasion
The meeting of Ukrainian football's two biggest clubs will be magnified by Mykhaylichenko's presence on the Dynamo bench for the first time since the death of Valery Lobanovskiy. The heir to the legendary coach, who died earlier this month, said he was thinking only about victory.

Nothing but victory
"There is only one task before us - that is, to win, especially in this match," said Mykhaylichenko. Mykhaylichenko added he was aware of Shakhtar's threat: "Shakhtar have been desperate to prove they are better than us for several years now."

No fear for Shakhtar
The statistics heavily favour Dynamo, who have won nine Soviet and five Ukrainian Cups. However Shakhtar, who have won six cup titles in the Soviet Union and Ukraine, insist they will not be overwhelmed by their opponents' record. "Shakhtar do not have any Dynamo-related complexes," said their Italian coach, Nevio Scala. "If we manage to play our game, we can win it."

Golden memory
It has been 17 years since the two teams met in a cup final - a Soviet cup decider in 1985 which Dynamo won 2-1, thanks to a goal from their current assistant coach, Anatoly Demianenko. Dynamo have a slight edge this time playing the final at their Olimpiyskyi stadium but they have several key players missing for Saturday's game.

Key absentees
Midfield player Vitaly Kosovsky is still recovering after surgery, and striker Serhiy Serebrennikov is currently on trial with Belgian side Club Brugge KV. Shakhtar's missing list is even longer as in-form forward Julius Aghahowa has joined Nigeria's FIFA World Cup squad alongside sweeper Isaac Okoronkwo. Polish goalkeeper Wojciech Kowalewski and midfielder Anatoly Tymoschuk are both doubtful because of injuries.

Grand finale
Whatever the outcome, an even more important game between the sides will take place a week after the final. Next week Dynamo will travel to Donestsk to face Shakhtar in a potential grand finale to the domestic season.