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Belhanda and Lens on Dynamo Kyiv superiority

FC Dynamo Kyiv pair Younes Belhanda and Jeremain Lens were left to reflect on a job well done after giving Rio Ave FC a hostile welcome to European football.

Dynamo Kyiv celebrate at the end of the game
Dynamo Kyiv celebrate at the end of the game ©AFP/Getty Images

Younes Belhanda says the visitors captialised on Rio Ave's defensive weakness
Jeremain Lens believes Dynamo Kyiv's extra quality showed through
Renan Bressan hails Dynamo as the strongest club in Group J
Diego Lopes: Rio Ave deserved a goal for their efforts
• Next games: AaB v Rio Ave, Dynamo Kyiv v Steaua (2 October )

Younes Belhanda, Dynamo Kyiv midfielder 
We played very well and made a good start. We knew they played good football, like all Portuguese teams, and the main thing was to win here. I played a crucial role and we were good in the first half. We controlled things in the second period and pressed them high up the pitch.

The pitch was difficult and there was wind as well as rain, yet despite all that we managed to keep the ball on the ground and play quick football so they couldn't counter us. We knew they had weaknesses at the back and we took advantage of them.

Before thinking about how far it's possible for us to go in this competition, though, we have to get out of the group and that won't be easy because there are good sides in the group. Rio Ave will want revenge when we play them again but I think we're well set up to qualify.

Jeremain Lens, Dynamo Kyiv forward
Our experience counted this evening but I think there was also a big difference in quality between us. We used our qualities and the likes of myself, Younes Belhanda and Andriy Yarmolenko had some space that we used well. The most important thing is to win your first game, and we did, so that's a good start for us. I think we can make it through the group stage with the quality we have.

Renan Bressan, Rio Ave midfielder
Dynamo scored two goals very quickly and that meant the game was more complicated for us. Maybe if Marcelo had scored the header early in the second half then the game would have been different. Congratulations to Dynamo, who for me are the strongest team in the group. They are a big club. They managed to thwart our attacks and score three goals. We have to continue to work hard.

Diego Lopes, Rio Ave midfielder
It's a tough scoreline to take. They were clinical and scored three goals. We had to take risks and that left a lot of space in our defence and they profited from that. This was a good learning experience for us. Dynamo are a good team. The two goals in the first half were tough on us and I think we deserved to score too.

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