Nothing to separate Rubin and Dynamo

FC Rubin Kazan missed the chance to strengthen their claim to qualification from UEFA Champions League Group F after being held to a goalless draw by FC Dynamo Kyiv in wintry conditions in Russia.

Tight section
The hosts' best opportunity arrived just before half-time when Olexandr Shovkovskiy produced a spectacular save to deny Alejandro Domínguez, before Dynamo assumed control in a more entertaining second period. The stalemate left the group delicately poised with newly crowned Russian champions Rubin level on six points with second-placed FC Internazionale Milano, and Dynamo only a point further back.

Yarmolenko efforts
The match started in relatively sedate fashion as both teams seemed unwilling to take unnecessary risks – two shots wide from Dynamo striker Andriy Yarmolenko, both from Andriy Shevchenko passes, being the only efforts of note in the opening 25 minutes. At the other end, Rubin responded with Gökdeniz Karadeniz crossing for Aleksandr Bukharov but the forward's looping header was easily gathered by Shovkovskiy.

Lively Domínguez
Domínguez, who had broken the deadlock in Rubin's 3-1 defeat in Kyiv on Matchday 1, then sprang into action. First, the Argentinian fired wide of the near post after Dynamo's Roman Eremenko slipped when attempting a clearance. Then he burst down the left and whipped a ball across the face of goal that narrowly eluded team-mate Bukharov. Dynamo were continuing to ask questions of their own, though, which forced Rubin to play on the counterattack, and from one such foray they almost forged ahead moments before the interval.

Spectacular effort
From another Gökdeniz delivery from the right, Domínguez executed an acrobatic bicycle-kick which Shovkovskiy dived superbly to his left to palm out. Bukharov nodded the rebound off target. Dynamo began the second half strongly and created a golden chance within six minutes, pressing Sergei Ryzhikov into service for the first time. Artem Milevskiy sent Yarmolenko racing clear with a perfectly weighted pass but the Rubin No1 was quickly off his line to block.

Forced change
Rubin were now pushing forward in greater numbers as the game became more open. They did, however, lose Roman Sharonov to injury and had Ryzhikov to thank on 64 minutes for keeping out Gérson Magrão's attempt. Yarmolenko then failed to direct his header on target at the far post following a corner, while Shevchenko blazed straight at Ryzhikov from the edge of the penalty box as Dynamo started to take charge of proceedings.

Milevskiy denied
With Rubin required to defend, the fans launched a Mexican wave but even that failed to warm the crowd as Dynamo maintained their dominance. Ryzhikov survived a scare late on when he spilled Shevchenko's drive and with Milevskiy also frustrated in his efforts to find the breakthrough, Dynamo had to settle for a draw.