Dynamo Kiev vs. Chelsea: Winners and Losers from Champions League Game

Chelsea were held to a 0-0 draw against Dynamo Kiev in Ukraine on Tuesday night, but the performance will represent a significant step on the road to improvement. The Blues hit the bar, the post and had a decent penalty shout turned down as Willian and Co. dominated for long periods.

They just couldn't find that elusive cutting edge in front of goal.

"We created chances, Willian hit the bar, [we had] a penalty shout that wasn't given," John Terry told BT Sport's live broadcast after the game. "We are making progress, we are. We built on the weekend, we're a great side."

Here, B/R picks its winners and losers from the game.

Winner: Derlis Gonzalez, Dynamo Kiev

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Dynamo Kiev boast two electric wing talents in Derlis Gonzalez and Andriy Yarmolenko. The latter is a well-known weapon across Europe, but the former, perhaps, is still something of an unknown gem.

Both played well, but it was from Derlis’ side—the left—that much of Dynamo’s danger was created. Playing against an out-of-position Kurt Zouma, he danced and wriggled his way down the left, lured his markers out of position and created space to utilise.

He nearly got Zouma sent off, compounding his superiority in the one-on-one duel.

Loser: Artem Kravets, Dynamo Kiev

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Dynamo Kiev were pretty poor for 75 minutes but sparked offensively for the final stages of the match. In the final 10, the hosts looked more likely to net the winner than Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea did.

The correlation between starting striker Artem Kravets being replaced by Junior Moraes and the significant uplift in Dynamo’s attacking play is undeniable. For the duration of Moraes’ late cameo, the football was slicker, the moves quicker and the passing more incisive.

This spells trouble for Kravets, who is fighting Moraes directly for one striking spot. The latter could come in for the next domestic game and be given the chance to earn his role.

Winner: Gary Cahill, Chelsea

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Gary Cahill put in the sort of performance you desperately want from your centre-back on a European away night on Tuesday: commanding, efficient and dominant in all areas.

Chelsea dominated long periods of the match and reduced Dynamo Kiev to the counter-attack, but whenever the home side edged forward, Cahill was there to break things up.

He excelled in the air, offered a threat from set pieces and repelled everything that came his way. John Terry made perhaps the most important block late on to deny a pass into Andriy Yarmolenko’s path, but Cahill put in the better 90-minute showing.

Loser: Diego Costa, Chelsea

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Diego Costa pressed well and put himself about but ultimately failed to show the clinical edge required in front of goal to bag Chelsea three points on Tuesday.

The Blues hit the bar and the post and had a penalty claim denied, but Costa was strangely quiet, barely getting a sniff at goal and taking up a peripheral role despite his side’s dominance on the ball.

His goal against Aston Villa suggested he’d return from his suspension sharp and ready, but this performance speaks to the contrary.

Winner: Willian, Chelsea

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"Willian [was] once again a star performer for Chelsea despite failure to win,” B/R’s Karl Matchett lauded on Twitter. “[He’s] easily their most in-form midfielder at the moment.”

The Brazilian struck the underside of the bar with a wicked effort from a free-kick and looked the Blues’ best creative outlet throughout the game. Eden Hazard did flash brilliance, hitting the post himself, but it was Willian who was the consistent runner in midfield, ducking between challenges and drawing fouls.

Had it not been for Willian’s strong form early this season, Chelsea’s chances of finishing in the top four and progressing from their group would already have been finished. His excellence from set pieces and good form in front of goal has bailed out most of his colleagues for the last two months.

Jose Mourinho will desperately be hoping it continues while his other performers recover their form.

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