Dynamo Kyiv v Rangers: Three players Gers must watch - young leader, the goalscorer and ex-EPL enigma

The Gers opened their Scottish Premiership campaign with a 0-0 draw at Tynecastle on Saturday, but will now turn their attention to Ukrainian giants Dynamo Kyiv as they pursue a spot in this year’s Champions League.

Set to be played in the Polish city of Lublin due to the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Gers have injury concerns heading into the game after Oscar Cortes was ruled out for up to five weeks, while Dujon Sterling remains a doubt after missing the weekend game in Edinburgh. As for Kyiv, they are fresh off the back of a commanding 9-2 aggregate win over Partizan Belgrade last week and will be looking to pile further misery on Rangers this evening.

It is certain to be a tough game for the Light Blues, and we have picked out the three Dynamo Kyiv players Rangers must watch this evening if they are to come away with a positive result - including a former English Premier League magician, an imposing young midfielder and a pacey net-buster who is already off the mark in the UEFA Champions League.

Volodymyr Brazhko - Midfielder

Still just 22-years-old, the imposing central midfielder made a huge impact on the international stage after playing a big role in Ukraine’s Euro 2024 playoff win over Iceland. Brazhko was surprisingly dropped for Ukraine’s opening game against Romania at the Euros this summer, however, when he was restored to the starting XI following the 3-0 loss, they went undefeated in Germany. The former captain of the Ukrainian under-21 side, Brazkho was also extremely impressive for Dynamo Kyiv in 23/24 after breaking into the first team. He helped to contribute nine goals across 26 games in the Ukrainian Premier League, all whilst playing in a deep holding midfield role and became a key figure in the engine room for the blues and whites. While many pinpoint Shakhtar Donetsk’s Georgiy Sudakov as the country’s leading light, 6ft central midfielder Brazhko is just as talented and shows leadership skills beyond his years. Rangers’ midfield will be in for a tough battle.

Vladyslav Vanat - Forward

Another young starlet making waves in Ukraine, the 21-year-old was the club’s top scorer last season and contributed to 21 goals in just 27 games - and he’s already off the mark this season after scoring against Partizan Belgrade in the UEFA Champions League qualifiers. Standing at just over 5ft 9in, Vanat is very much a traditional centre-forward with an instinctive ability to score goals. A ‘sniffer’ with a knack for being in the right place at the right time, his pace offers Kyiv an opportunity to play with speed on the counter, where he is more than capable of stretching the back line. He will be a huge concern for the likes of John Souttar and Leon Balogun, with Vanat able to comfortably beat both in a foot race if offered the opportunity. If Clement is aiming to stop Kyiv from scoring tonight, then Vanat must be kept quiet.

Andriy Yarmolenko - Forward

He may be 34-years-old, but the ex-West Ham United and Borussia Dortmund man still has the ‘x-factor’ that can turn a game in an instant. Back in Ukraine after a stint playing for UAE outfit Al-Ain, Yarmolenko has rolled back the years after returning to his former club in June 2023. The forward spent four successful years in Kyiv between 2014 and 2018, winning eight trophies in the process, and is now back in the Ukrainian capital looking to round off his career with more silverware. While his game time is managed due to his age and recent injury record, Yarmolenko has proven to be hugely important when he is on the pitch for Oleksandr Shovkovskyi’s side. He scored eight goals, and assisted a further three, in just 18 games following his return to the club and is already off the mark for the season, having scored the opening goal in the 3-0 UEFA Champions League qualifier second leg win over Partizan Belgrade. Looking motivated and in search of bringing glory back to Kyiv, he will be a dangerman for Rangers tonight.