Dnipro-1 host Apollon Limassol on Thursday night as the Europa Conference League group stage comes towards its exciting conclusion.
The Ukrainian hosts know that a win will secure safe passage to the next stage of the competition, whereas Limassol need to avoid defeat to give them any chance of qualifying going into the final round of group matches next week.
Match preview
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Unbeaten and top of the Ukrainian Premier League, Dnipro-1 have taken their stellar domestic performances into Europe this season and look set to at least obtain a playoff place in this year's Europa Conference League.
Oleksandr Kucher's men grabbed three points late on in their last continental gameday, with a 91st-minute Artem Dovbyk header downing FC Vaduz in Liechtenstein.
In Ukraine international Dovbyk the hosts on Thursday have the joint-top marksman of the Conference League so far with four goals, and the forward's six strikes in their domestic league makes him the leading goalscorer in that competition also.
The Kosicka Futbalova Arena in Slovakia is Dnipro's European home due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, and despite their relative success in their opening four matches they are yet to record a victory at their designated home venue, losing once and drawing once.
Cypriot side Apollon Limassol travel to Slovakia knowing a loss would draw the curtains on a rare European adventure for the club.
Spanish boss David Catala will be happy his side have got an opportunity to fight for qualification after a poor start to the group which saw them winless and having collected only a single point after three matches.
An unlikely 1-0 victory against group leaders AZ Alkmaar last time out gives them a chance of progressing, and with the struggling Vaduz to come at home in their last game of the group stages, Limassol know holding Dnipro to a draw in this fixture could set up a dramatic and ultimately successful final day.
Veteran central defender Valentin Roberge grabbed the winning goal against Alkmaar and the 35-year-old will be key in stopping a Dnipro side with one of the competition's hottest attacking properties in Dovbyk.
Team News
Talisman Dovbyk is set to start up front, looking to add to his tally of six goal contributions in the competition so far.
The three attack-minded midfielders behind the Ukrainian are likely to be Oleksiy Hutsuliak, Oleksandr Pikhalyonok and Volodymyr Tanchyk, a first-choice trio who will be tasked with helping secure qualification to the knockout stages.
Apollon Limassol are likely to name the same team that pulled off a remarkable win against AZ Alkmaar in their last Europa Conference League fixture.
Dutchman Patrick Joosten provided the assist that defeated the club from his homeland last time out and the winger is set to start alongside Nicolas Diguiny and Ido Shahar in the advanced midfield roles.
Dnipro-1 possible starting lineup:
Walef; Adamyuk, Svatok, Sarapiy, Hamache; Gorbunov, Babenko, Tanchyk, Pikahalyonok, Hutsuliak; Dovbyk
Apollon Limassol possible starting lineup:
Jovanovic; Cabral, Artymatas, Roberge, Khammas; Kyriakou, Spoljaric, Joosten, Diguiny, Shahar; Dabo
We say: Dnipro-1 2-0 Apollon Limassol
Dnipro are full of confidence after continuing their unbeaten start to their domestic league season and will be looking to dominate the visitors from Cyprus on Thursday night.
Limassol have shown they can earn positive results against the group's bigger names, but a journey to Slovakia and a meeting with Artem Dovbyk could prove to be a step too far.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Carter White
