The Portuguese and the Ukrainian team had a decisive clash in the last match of Group B: it was already clear that the winner of the match would win the quartet, and in the case of a draw, Dinamo would come first and Sporting second, as the Lusitanians had won 2-0 against Flamengo yesterday, so the result against each other would favour them if they ended up with the same number of points as the Brazilians. In the first ten minutes, there was no danger on either goal, but by the second third of the half, the ball was in the back of the net: after a Kiev corner, the ball fell to Hussev, who put it past David Ivanov Miguel with a powerful shot (0–1).

From then on, it was the turn of the Portuguese side, as they had to score two goals if they were serious about reaching the final. They took control, had more of the ball, but the danger was there that the Ukrainian squad could increase their advantage further with a quick counterattack. And this happened, although the goal in the 22nd minute was not scored from a counter but after a corner delivered from the right, when Daniel Ishchenko attacking the far post headed into the back of the net (0–2). However, Sporting did not give up and managed to pull one back before the break: in the 27th minute, Viola Serafim put it through to Sérgio de Matos who rolled calmly into the goal (1–2).

The second half started with a chance for Kiev: after a free kick from the right, Nazar Balaba could head on goal, but Ivanov Miguel was able to parry it. In the 39th minute, Danis Dikiy got the Portuguese goal in his sight, but his attempt missed the goal - this also showed that the Ukrainians awoke after the consolation goal Sporting scored before the end of the first half. In the 47th minute, the Lisboners got a free kick in front of the Ukrainian goal, but Mendes bent it over the bar. Eight minutes later, the Kiev players decided the match: Dmitri Kremchanin, coming on as a sub, passed to Kirilo Pashko who placed it into the net in cold blood (3-1). Although Ukrainian-sounding Konstantin Nikitenko scored the second Portuguese goal in stoppage time, Kiev made it to the final with a 3-2 victory and forced Flamengo to settle for the bronze match.

GALLERY

XV. Puskás–Suzuki Cup, group B

Sporting CP–Dinamo Kiev 2–3 (1–2)

Goalscorers: de Matos (27.), Nikitenko (60+2.) and Husev (11.), Ishchenko (22.), Pashko (55.)

Sporting: Ivanov Miguel (goalkeeper); Queta, Machado, Monteiro, Momade (Nikitenko, 56.), Viola (Moreira, 56.), Mendes, Kandala, Baldé (Chaves, 48.), de Matos, Silá (Vitorino, 56.).
Dinamo: Avramenko (Sourkis, 58.) (goalkeepers); Dzen (Kremchanin, 46.), Balaba, Sizonyuk, Vasilets (Biliy, 46.), Boychenyuk, Matkevich (Groholskiy, 58.), Ishchenko, Pashko, Husev, Dikiy.