Dynamo set to cross the threshold

With Anatoliy Demyanenko's men finding their form, few in Kiev are expecting FC Dynamo Kyiv to slip up in the second leg of their tie against FK Sarajevo.

In-form striker
Having won 1-0 in the away leg in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Dynamo already looked to be in a strong position to qualify, but their form has continued to improve following a shaky start to the season, with new signing Ismaël Bangoura epitomising their burgeoning confidence. The 22-year-old Guinean, signed from French side Le Mans UC 72, has already scored four league goals and has high aims for the season. "I am aiming to score at least 20 goals per season," he said. "The main step to the group stage was made in Sarajevo. I failed to score there so I will try to do so in Kiev. However the result is still much more important for me. I will have the time to count my goals when we go through to the group stage."

'Final step'
Left-back Andriy Nesmachniy will be absent after picking up an injury in Ukraine's 2-1 friendly win against Uzbekistan, and midfielder Taras Mikhalik is also out but otherwise Dynamo are at full strength and are determined to earn a group stage place as they celebrate the 80th year since their foundation. "We are close to the group stage," admitted Demyanenko. "We are about to take the final step and it can't be a false one."

Fear of flying
Sarajevo are travelling to Kiev more in hope than expectation, and with a much weakened squad. Veldin Muharemović and Marko Maksimović are both suspended after receiving bookings in the first leg, while forward Almir Turković is unlikely to travel because of his fear of flying - he missed the away leg of Sarajevo's first qualifying round tie against Marsaxlokk FC in Malta for the same reason and went to Belgium by car to face KRC Genk in the next round. "We are going to Kiev in a weakened state but we will not give up easily," said coach Husref Musemić. "Dynamo's team is stronger than ours but we will try to find a way to spring a surprise."

'What happens happens'
Defender Zdravko Šaraba, who previously played in Ukraine with SC Volyn Lutsk, is expecting another tough night after doing great work to keep the score down in the first leg. He said: "If we play well, we can show we did not reach the third qualifying round by accident, but I am not sure we can go any further. We are not going to Kiev with the white flag raised. We won't give up. We will go to cause a shock so what happens happens. When we went to Genk [in the previous round] we didn't expect to win but we were celebrating after 90 minutes."