Hiram Moreno
The most important club tournament in the world is about to begin, and this Dynamo Kiev vs. Benfica match will be the first of a series in which one of the remaining tickets to the group stage of the Champions League 2022/23 will be shared.
Stay with us at JefeBet to analyze this match and the teams that will play it, as well as to give you odds on the most important betting markets for the event.
Dinamo Kiev vs. Benfica Champions League Playoffs 2022/23 Betting Predictions
- Where: Stadion Miejski al. Unii Lubelskiej 2, Lodz, Poland
- When: Wednesday, August 17, 2022, 3:00 PM ET
- Moneyline: Dynamo Kiev (+430) / Draw (+305) / Benfica (-130)
- Asian Handicap: Dinamo Kiev (AH -1, +139) / Benfica (AH +1, -140)
- Over/Under (2.5): Over (+107), Under (-109).
- Both teams score: Yes (+110) / No (-111).
Dinamo Kiev Preview
Dynamo Kiev earned their place in this Champions League qualifying round after finishing second in the Ukrainian league last season by the time the league was suspended due to the Russian invasion, and will seek to qualify for the group stage of this tournament in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2015/16 and 2016/17 to bring joy to their fans.
For the same reason, Dynamo Kiev will not be playing this match at their usual stadium and will be traveling to Poland to face their Portuguese counterparts. While the league is suspended, it cannot be said that the Ukrainians are lacking in competitive rhythm.This will be the third time they have played in this Champions League qualifying phase, and they needed extra time against both Fenerbahce (1-2 on aggregate) and Sturm Graz (1-3 on aggregate) to get here.
Absences: Volodymyr Kostevich (surgery), Vladyslav Supryaga (hip), Denys Garmash (suspension), Sergiy Sydorchuk (suspension).
Possible starting eleven (4-2-3-1): Georgi Buschan, Tomasz Kedziora, Ilya Zabarnyi, Denys Popov, Vladyslav Dubinchak, Mykola Shaparenko, Volodymyr Shepelev, Viktor Tsygankov, Vitaliy Buyalskyy, Oleksandr Karavaev, Artem Besedin.
Benfica Preview
A third place finish in the 2021/22 Primeira Liga means that Benfica will have to play this Champions League qualifying round, and they will try to return to the competition in which they had an outstanding performance in the last edition, by reaching the quarterfinals, where they were eliminated by Liverpool by a 4-6 aggregate score.
The two-time European champions already played a round prior to this one, comfortably beating Midtjylland by an aggregate score of 7-2. In fact, Benfica remains in perfect form in this 2022/23 season, winning all four official matches it has played. This will come in handy as they prepare to play their 16th ever match against a Ukrainian team, having a record of eight wins, two draws and five defeats against Ukrainian clubs – with one of those losses coming against Dynamo Kiev (1-0, Champions League 1991/92).
Absences: Lucas Veríssimo (ruptured ligament), Joao Victor (unknown injury), Joao Mario (hematoma).
Possible starting eleven (4-2-3-1): Odysseas Vlachodimos, Gilberto, Nicolas Otamendi, Morato, Grimaldo, Enzo Fernandez, Florentino, Diogo Golcanves, Rafa Silva, David Neres, Goncalo Ramos.
JefeBet Prediction
The fact that they required overtime in their two series to reach this stage shows that, despite being a good team, Dynamo Kiev is not at the right level to compete in this competition.The lack of competitiveness and the fact of having to move around Europe so much due to the conflicts in their country are taking their toll.
Benfica has scored a total of 12 goals in its four games this season 2022/23, and has also won four of its last five official matches against Dynamo Kiev.And after that defeat in 1991, has not allowed another goal when facing the Ukrainians, with the most recent meeting between the two being in 2021.
The Portuguese team will surely be able to make history in this match and take a positive result from Poland to finish the game in Portugal next week.
Prediction: Benfica wins
