Dynamo spoil Gent debut

Andriy Shevchenko was among the scorers as FC Dynamo Kyiv took command of their UEFA Champions League third qualifying round tie with a convincing 3-0 win against KAA Gent at the Valeriy Lobanovskiy Stadium in the Ukrainian capital.

Andriy Yarmolenko opened the scoring in the 19th-minute before late strikes from Shevchenko, with his 58th goal in the competition, and substitute Roman Zozulya left the Belgian club facing an uphill task in the return next week.

Playing in their first match in Europe's premier club competition, Gent started on the back foot. The home side's possession paid in the 19th minute when Gent goalkeeper Bojan Jorgacević deflected Roman Eremenko's cross away from the feet of Denys Garmash, only for Yarmolenko to collect the loose ball, round the keeper and turn it in.

Gent's most likely avenue back into the game looked to be from set pieces and though they began to match the home side for possession, Dynamo were still the more dangerous. Shevchenko in particular was causing the visitors' defence no end of problems, the striker doubling Dynamo's lead after a neat one-two with Garmash put him one on one with Jorgacević.

Gent pushed forward but their hopes of staying in contention for next Wednesday's second leg suffered another blow two minutes into added time when they were caught on the break by Zozulya, who, after being sent clear by Shevchenko, ran half the length of the pitch to round off the scoring.