KRYVYI RIH (Interstat) — Dynamo Kyiv defeated Kryvbas 2-0 on Monday, using an early goal from Matvii Ponomarenko and a productive but turbulent outing from Andriy Yarmolenko to secure its third win in the competition. The visitors controlled the scoreboard despite a contentious end to the first half, when Yarmolenko was sent off and several players entered the referee’s book. The teams combined for six yellow cards and one red card in a first half that ended with a flurry of disciplinary decisions. The visitors’ win came despite the red card and a heated finish to the first half.

Ponomarenko gave Dynamo Kyiv the lead in the 18th minute with the game’s first goal. The visitors had the better of the opening exchanges and were rewarded when Ponomarenko found the net. The home side struggled to generate a sustained response, and Kryvbas’ discipline frayed before halftime. D. Pidgurskyi was cautioned in the 33rd minute, and V. Vilivald followed in the 42nd. The match then turned ragged in first-half stoppage time. Dynamo Kyiv’s V. Brazhko and Kryvbas’ Herbert G. were both booked in the 45th minute plus two, while M. Shaparenko and Kryvbas’ Jones J. were cautioned in the 45th minute plus six. Yarmolenko received a red card in the 45th minute plus five. Kryvbas received four yellow cards, and Dynamo Kyiv received two in a contentious stretch before halftime. Kryvbas tried to respond through its midfield, but Dynamo Kyiv kept the home side at bay.

Despite playing with 10 men after Yarmolenko’s dismissal, Dynamo Kyiv protected its advantage and added to it. Yarmolenko was credited with a goal and an assist to go with his red card, while Ponomarenko finished with a goal. Yarmolenko’s red card was the only dismissal of the match. Kryvbas pushed forward after the break but could not find a breakthrough. Dynamo Kyiv’s defense held firm, and neither side scored after halftime. The visitors’ substitutions helped them manage the closing stages. Kryvbas made a double substitution in the 63rd minute, bringing on Seck and Nawi, and Dynamo Kyiv answered with a double change of its own in the 64th minute, introducing Ogundana and Pikhalyonok. The home side could not convert its late possession into a goal, and Dynamo Kyiv closed out the shutout.

The result lifted Dynamo Kyiv to 3-1 in the competition and 3-2 across all competitions. Kryvbas dropped to 0-3-1 in the competition and 1-4-1 overall. Dynamo Kyiv’s competition record now stands at 3 wins and 1 loss, while Kryvbas’ competition record is 0 wins, 3 losses and 1 draw. Kryvbas remained without a win in the competition. Dynamo Kyiv’s overall record is now 3 wins and 2 losses, while Kryvbas is 1-4-1. Kryvbas’ overall record includes one draw. Dynamo Kyiv had entered the match after a 3-0 loss at Shakhtar Donetsk, one of two defeats in its previous four matches across all competitions. Dynamo Kyiv had beaten Kudrivka 3-1 and Karpaty Lviv 1-0 and lost at Polissya Zhytomyr 3-1 before the Shakhtar defeat. Kryvbas was coming off a 2-1 win at FK Zorya Luhansk but had lost three of its previous five matches in all competitions, with a draw at Bukovyna mixed in. Kryvbas had also lost to LNZ Cherkasy, Obolon and Shakhtar Donetsk before beating Zorya.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Dynamo Kyiv 2, Kryvbas 1. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Dynamo Kyiv with a 73.3 percent probability to win. Dynamo Kyiv had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of -1. The total score of 2 went over the over/under line of 3.