Ukraine round-up: Own goal gives Dynamo edge

FC Dynamo Kyiv took what may prove a decisive lead in the Ukrainian Premier League with four games left as an own goal gave them a 2-1 victory against champions FC Shakhtar Donetsk.

Champions take lead
Shakhtar's victory against Dynamo similarly late in last season helped them end the capital club's nine-season domination of the title, but this time around the title-holders, who were top going into tonight's encounter, were second best and now trail by a single point. Serhiy Popov actually gave visitors Shakhtar the lead on 26 minutes, and Olexiy Bielyk shot wide moments later as he had a chance to double the advantage.

Substitute scores own goal
That proved a vital moment, as Dynamo regrouped, and equalised just before half-time as Maxim Shatskikh shot in during a goalmouth scramble to score his 17th of the season. And Shakhtar defender Adrian Pukanykh, a substitute for the injured Daniel Florea just after the half-hour, inadvertently decided the game 13 minutes into the second half as he deflected Valentin Bialkevich's cross into his own net.

Final meeting
The two sides meet again on 25 May, when they are to contest the Ukrainian Cup final at the Olympiyskiy stadium in Kyiv. Shakhtar will be without the injured Julius Aghahowa, Hennadiy Zubov and Mykhaylo Starostyak, while Dynamo will have to do without Yuri Dmitrulin and László Bodnár.