Drogs come up just short

Dynamo Kiev 2 Drogheda United 2

(Dynamo won 4-3 on aggregate)

The width of post deprived Drogheda of a remarkable Champions League victory in Kiev tonight as Ukrainian giants Dynamo limped into the third qualifying round.

With the scores level at 2-2 a minute into stoppage time, substitute Faz Kuduzovic put Shane Robinson away down the right and his low cross was parried onto the post by keeper Taras Lutsenko with the ball rolling across the goal to safety. If it had gone in Drogheda would have won on the away goal rule.

An incredible finish to the match saw Graham Gartland stab home Paul Keegan's 88th minute free-kick to level at 2-2. Seconds later Australian midfielder Adam Hughes then somehow shot over the bar from six yards after Ibrahima Iyane-Thiam had flicked on Joe Kendrick's cross from the left.

Oleksandr Aliev scored a brilliant late winner at Dalymount Park as Dynamo won 2-1 in Dublin last week. And the Ukrainian under-21 star scored the early goal Drogheda dreaded to appear to end the tie.

Graham Gartland failed to cut out a cross and Ismael Bangoura controlled the ball to set-up Aliev who planted a stinging right-foot shot through the arms of Jamie Ewings and into the far corner of the net from 16 yards.

Drogheda silenced the home crowd by equalising on 40 minutes. Kendrick put the superb ball in from the left for the run of Richie Baker who was pulled down by Badr El Kaddouri. Turkish referee Cuneyt Cakir pointed to the spot and Robinson confidently fired the penalty into the bottom right corner despite Lutsenko diving the right way.

Aliev fired into the side netting early in the second half while Tiberiu Ghionae rattled the Drogheda bar before Dynamo regained the lead 73 minutes. Brazilian right-back Betao was taken down by Kendrick and substitute Artem Milevsky blasted the spot kick to the roof of the net.

Dynamo now meet former Soviet rivals Spartak Moscow in the third qualifying round next week.