Dynamo Kiev on glory trail

Dynamo Kiev captain Oleksandr Shovkovskiy believes team-work is the key to overcoming Manchester City’s star-studded line-up.

Dynamo are within reach of a berth in the Europa League quarter-finals after defeating City 2-0 in the home leg of their last-16 tie.

The Ukrainian club travel to Eastlands on Thursday for the return leg full of confidence, though they will be without striker Artem Milevskiy, who fractured his hand against FC Vorskla Poltava on Sunday.

If any club has the firepower to score three times within 90 minutes it is City, and Shovkovskiy is under no illusions about the challenge facing Dynamo.

But the Dynamo goalkeeper is confident his team-mates can wreck City’s European title ambitions by simply playing for each other.

“I don’t feel as though myself, or any of my team-mates have anything to prove. We have demonstrated our skills already,” Shovkovskiy said.

“We all know Manchester City have a very good financial base and that they have some great players.”

“But tomorrow is not about their stars. Tomorrow is about how we do as a team. That is how we intend to play against them and use our spirit to its maximum effect.”

“We deserved to win in Kyiv, but the game in England will be completely different. We have to play even better away.”

“Even if we had scored three times at home, nothing would be settled. We are happy with our two-goal lead and are looking forward to the game.”