Dynamo wary of on-song Thun

By Pavel Gognidze and Marko Keller

FC Dynamo Kyiv are looking to build on last year's success as they enter the UEFA Champions League in the second qualifying round but in-form Swiss side FC Thun will provide a stern test.

Strong showing
Dynamo Kyiv enjoyed a fine run last season after edging out Turkish club Trabzonspor to earn a place in the group stage. Few gave them much hope when they were drawn in a gruelling section with AS Roma, Real Madrid CF and Bayer 04 Leverkusen but good performances helped them garner ten points, narrowly missing out on a Round of 32 berth.

Shakhtar dominance
After claiming 23 victories in 30 Premier League games, Leonid Buryak's side could also consider themselves a little unlucky not to win the Ukrainian title as FC Shakhtar Donetsk completed a domestic double. But second spot still carries a place in European football's premier club competition and a new-look team are looking to impress again this term.

Rebrov revival
The Football Federation of Ukraine has restricted clubs to eight foreign players on the pitch at any one time, and Buryak has been quick to adapt to the policy, signing proven internationals like Serhiy Rebrov and former FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk playmaker Ruslan Rotan. Nevertheless, he still considers Thun's strength to be their cosmopolitan lineup.

Thun threat
"The Swiss league is a mini-Bundesliga - the sides are well organised, with the players concentrating only on what they do well," Buryak said. "Thun have strengthened over the pre-season, they have ten foreign players, two of them very good Brazilians. Striker Mauro Lustrinelli is a very serious threat, he will always score given half a chance."

Exponential rise
The 29-year-old Italian Lustrinelli scored 20 goals as Thun secured runners-up spot behind FC Basel 1893 in the Swiss Football League, a remarkable improvement on the preceding campaign when only a late sequence of victories lifted them comfortably clear of the relegation zone. The 2005/06 season has just got under way but all signs point to them continuing their rise.

Thun pessimism
However, when the draw was made, Thun sporting director Werner Gerber was none too pleased to be paired with such an accomplished outfit. He said: "I have to say that we aren't really happy. We will face a really tough rival."

In-form sides
Still, Urs Schönenberger's side waltzed to a memorable 3-0 win at home to champions Basel on Saturday to give them a huge boost ahead of tonight's match in the Ukrainian capital. Dynamo Kyiv will also be buoyant, however, after going one better against FC Stal Alchevsk the day before.