PARIS, Aug 4 — Dynamo Kyiv won the first leg of their Champions League third qualifying round tie 1-0 against Austria's Sturm Graz on neutral ground in Poland on Wednesday.
Dynamo, who were second in Ukraine last season when the league was abandoned following Russia's invasion, played the game in Lodz because of the ongoing conflict in their country.
Oleksandr Karavaev, the hero of Dynamo's extra-time win away to Fenerbahce in the second round, again scored the decisive goal as he volleyed in after 28 minutes.
The Ukrainians will take a slender advantage to Austria for the second leg on August 9. The winners of the tie will likely face two-time European champions Benfica for a place in the group stage.
Benfica, who reached the quarter-finals last season, crushed Midtjylland of Denmark 4-1 in Lisbon on Tuesday with Goncalo Ramos scoring a hat-trick.
Norwegian champions Bodo/Glimt are on course for the play-off round following Wednesday's 5-0 rout of Zalgiris Vilnius.
Ghana winger Osman Bukari struck three times as Red Star Belgrade, winners of the 1991 European Cup, also demolished Armenia's Pyunik 5-0.
Israel's Maccabi Haifa thrashed Cypriots Apollon Limassol 4-0, while Ferencvaros drew 1-1 away to Qarabag in Baku. — AFP
