Oleg Blokhin is looking to get Dynamo Kiev's UEFA Champions League campaign back on track against Dinamo Zagreb on Wednesday.
Both sides looking to bounce back from opening defeats
Oleg Blokhin is looking to get Dynamo Kiev's UEFA Champions League campaign back on track against Dinamo Zagreb on Wednesday.
The Ukrainian side lost out 4-1 to Ligue 1 giants Paris St Germain in their opening fixture but Blokhin is still confident of progressing from Group A.
Dinamo also lost out in a tough first fixture against two-time European Cup winners Porto, marking their seventh consecutive defeat at the group stage.
They will be looking to kick-start their own campaign but Blokhin is focused on the win and is refusing to write off his side's hopes at this early stage.
Blokhin told his club's
official website: "In the Champions League, Dynamo will fight for a way out of the group.
"The defeat by PSG with a score of 4-1 does not say anything. I remember a couple of years ago, the same happened when Shakhtar Donetsk lost in London, 5-1 to Arsenal.
"They then went into the play-offs with first place in the group."
Sergiy Rebrov, the former Ukraine and Dynamo forward, is now assistant coach at the club and travelled to Croatia to scout the midweek opposition.
Rebrov knows Dinamo will provide a tough test and pinpointed Brazilian-born Sammir, who scored twice in the side's 3-1 derby win over Hajduk, as the key man to watch in their attack.
"My impressions have not changed," Rebrov said.
Even chances
"Dinamo is the best Croatian club, and I would single out Sammir. He's one of the best, if not the best, player in Dinamo.
"As for the upcoming games in the Champions League, I can say that our Dynamo [Kiev] has more experience in the Champions League. But on paper before the game - chances are always 50/50."
Dinamo coach Ante Cacic conceded the opposition has more experience in European competition but believes his side could pull off a result away from home.
"I expect the team to step forward and do everything we can to achieve a good result," Cacic told his club's
official website.
"Sure, they are more experienced and probably a better team than us, but we are in good form. Against Hajduk we played well, showed that we have a game, and after a good game [against Hajduk] we have the right to expect something in Kiev."
Milos Ninkovic (knee) is Dynamo's only absentee, while Luis Ibanez is doubtful for the visitors due to a knee problem.
