Ukrainian Premier League runner-up Dynamo Kyiv crashed out of the Europa League, the continent’s second-tier football tournament, after taking a 5:0 beating by English soccer club Chelsea on March 14 in front of a home crowd at Kyiv’s Olympiskiy Stadium.
Dynamo began its 2018-19 European campaign by defeating Slavia Prague in the Champions League third qualifying round, but the team was knocked out of the most prestigious European club competition by Dutch team Ajax in the play-off qualifying round.
The team went on to win its Europa League group and cruise past Greek team Olympiacos in the round of 32, only to be crushed by Chelsea in the round of 16.
The six-time English title holders had far fewer problems in the two-leg tie, winning the first game against Dynamo Kyiv 3:0 on March 7 at Stamford Bridge in London.
The second leg, played on March 14 at the sold out Olimpiyskiy Stadium in downtown Kyiv, was much the same, with the 70,000-strong home crowd witnessing yet another defeat.
Chelsea striker Olivier Giroud opened the score on the fifth minute and doubled the score half an hour later. Marcus Alonso then scored a third goal, devastating the home team.
Chelsea’s Brazilian midfielder Willian (L) and Chelsea’s French forward Olivier Giroud celebrate after scoring a goal during the UEFA Europa League round of 16, the second leg football match between FC Dynamo Kyiv and Chelsea Football Club at Olimpiyskyi Stadium in Kyiv on March 14, 2019. (Kostyantyn Chernichkin)
Giroud scored his hat-trick midway through the second half, and 18-year-old English striker Callum Hudson-Odoi had the final say, scoring Chelsea’s fifth goal on the 78th minute.
Dynamo Kyiv supporters had little to cheer for: both of the team’s goals were deemed offside by German referee Tobias Stieler.
