Good evening! Thank you very much for joining Sports Mole for tonight's Champions League clash between Dynamo Kiev and Manchester City in Ukraine. Both sides will be looking to gain a first-leg advantage in the last 16 tonight as Kiev aim to reach the quarter-finals for the first time this century, while City have never graced the final eight. There is plenty on the line over the two legs, then, so let's get started with a look at who will be playing tonight...

DYNAMO KIEV STARTING XI: Shovkovskiy; Danilo Silva, Dragovic, Vida, Khacheridi; Rybalka, Garmash, Gonzalez, Buyalskiy, Yarmolenko; Teodorczyk

DYNAMO KIEV SUBS: Korzun, Veloso, Petrovic, Moraes, Husyev, Makarenko, Rudko

MAN CITY STARTING XI: Hart; Sagna, Kompany, Otamendi, Clichy; Fernando, Fernandinho, Toure, Silva, Sterling; Aguero

MAN CITY SUBS: Caballero, Demichelis, Zabaleta, Mangala, Kolarov, M Garcia, Iheanacho

What can we make of those two teams, then? Well, the biggest news as far as the hosts are concerned is the inclusion of their star man Andriy Yarmolenko. He was considered a big doubt for this match haven't not featured in any of Kiev's winter friendlies, since picking up an ankle injury on matchday six of this competition. He is the only Kiev player to have scored more than one Champions League goal this season and has the ability to trouble City, but it remains to be seen whether he is 100% fit.

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In addition to that inclusion, there is something of a surprise exclusion as Junior Moraes only makes the bench this evening. The Brazilian picked up an injury in training camp but was considered to be fit enough to start this match. Sergiy Rebrov, though, has opted to name him on the bench, with Teodorczyk leading the line for the hosts tonight. That means that Kiev are without their top league goalscorer, at least from the start this evening.

There are two further changes made by Rebrov to the side named in Kiev's last competitive game, back at the start of December, both of which have been enforced. Antunes misses out due to suspension, which sees Vida fill in at left-back, while in midfield Buyalskiy comes in to replace the injured Sydorchuk. There were question marks over the fitness of Rybalka too, but he is fine to start tonight.

While Kiev's main attacking threat tonight is expected to come from Yarmolenko, Man City will also need to keep a close eye on Gonzalez, while Garmash can also provide a goalscoring threat from midfield. Indeed, Kiev have goals throughout their side having had seven different scorers in the group stages. They also know how to defend, as they showed when holding Chelsea to a goalless draw here in the groups.

As for Man City, it is no surprise to see the big boys return after Pellegrini had named six teenagers and five full debutants in his side for the FA Cup clash with Chelsea on Sunday. The main threat for the visitors will, of course, come from Sergio Aguero, who has scored an impressive 15 goals in his last 16 starts in the Champions League. There is little doubt that he belongs on this stage, and he could be the key for City to make further inroads in the competition this year than ever before.

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In addition to Aguero, the attacking trio behind the striker of Toure, Silva and Sterling all return to the starting XI this evening. Toure has played much of the season, and indeed previous seasons, in a deeper midfield role, but he has been pushed a little further up recently, with Fernando and Fernandinho operating in the holding positions. That trio, like Aguero ahead of them, contains world-class talent, and it is about time that they showed it on this stage.

In all, it is a full 11 changes from Pellegrini tonight, which comes as no surprise at all. The inclusion of Sagna was not expected, though, with the right-back thought to have been struggling with a knee injury in the build-up to the match. He is passed fit to start, though, replacing Zabaleta in the side, while captain Kompany is also back in alongside Otamendi at the heart of the defence.

There was a little more choice in that position for Pellegrini tonight than in recent weeks, with Eliaquim Mangala back available for selection following a hamstring injury that has seen him miss the last 10 games. It was always unlikely that he would be thrown straight back into the starting XI, but it is certainly a boost to have him back during what has been a relatively difficult time for City as far as injuries are concerned. The likes of Kevin De Bruyne, Jesus Navas, Samir Nasri, Fabian Delph and Wilfried Bony are all currently sidelined.

Even with that injury list, Man City are able to name a star-studded side tonight, and they certainly go into this tie as favourites. Dynamo Kiev were seen as one of the kinder draws that City could have got - certainly the kindest any of the Premier League teams did get - so it would be something of a shock if the Ukrainian side were to condemn City to yet another last-16 exit. Tonight's hosts are no pushovers, though, as they proved in the group stages.

The odds were against them then too after being drawn in a group alongside Chelsea and Porto, in addition to Maccabi Tel Aviv. As expected, the latter turned out to be the whipping boys of the group, but Kiev more than held their own against the other two sides and eventually pipped Porto to the second qualification spot. It was a 2-0 win at the Estadio do Dragao - a result that was as impressive as it was unexpected - which proved to be the key result for Rebrov's side in their qualification push.

They were only beaten once in their six group games, with that coming against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge after they had held the Blues to a goalless draw here. In the end, they only narrowly edged Porto out by a point, but it was enough to book their place in the knockout rounds of this competition for the first time since 1999-2000, when current boss Rebrov was leading the line for the club. They are now looking to reach the quarter-finals for the first time since the 1998-99 campaign.

They come into this match unbeaten in their last nine home matches in European competition, a run that stretches back two years to February 2014. That does include a spell in the Europa League, though, and in this competition alone they have won just one of their last five home games. That came on matchday six of the competition as they beat Maccabi Tel Aviv 1-0 to seal their place in the last 16, meaning that tonight they are bidding for back-to-back home Champions League wins in the same season since qualifying for the 2006-07 edition.

The big concern for Dynamo heading into this match will be their fitness levels. I mentioned earlier that there could be a question mark of Yarmolenko, who has played since the win over Maccabi Tel Aviv, but no-one at the club has featured in a competitive match since then. Kiev have been on their winter break since early December and don't return to domestic action until the start of next month. City have played 16 times since Kiev last had a competitive outing.

The Ukrainians won seven, drew three and lost three of their 13 friendlies during the winter break, and they were in good form before the break too. Their last six competitive outings have yielded six wins, with their last defeat coming at Chelsea back in November. Indeed, they have only been beaten two times in 25 appearances all term, with that other defeat coming at the hands of joint league leaders Shakhtar Donetsk.

Their 3-0 home loss to Shakhtar was something of an anomaly, being the only defeat that Kiev have suffered in front of their own fans since April 2014 - a run of 38 games in all competitions. It also provided half of all the goals that Kiev have conceded in the league this season, with Sergiy Rebrov's side boasting the Ukrainian Premier League's best defence with just six conceded in 16 games. That has helped them to stay level on points with Shakhtar at the top of the standings, with both sides having only dropped five points from a possible 48 all term.

Tonight's hosts can provide some rather daunting numbers, then, and Man City may not feel as confident heading into this match as they might have when the draw was made. Having seen Barcelona come out of the hat in the last-16 stage in each of the last two seasons, Pellegrini would have been delighted to be drawn against Kiev this time around. It gives him the chance to take City into uncharted territory in Europe, with the club never before having reached the quarter-finals.

It would certainly be a good legacy for the Chilean to leave when he departs in the summer and, while there remain doubts as to their place among Europe's elite just yet, a quarter-final spot would also be a good platform for the incoming Pep Guardiola to build on. The owners have made no secret of their desire to bring European success to the club, and two-time winner Guardiola may well be the man to do that going forward.

The immediate future looms even larger for City, though, as they go in to a make-or-break few days following what has already been a damaging month. Defeats to title rivals Leicester and Tottenham in the Premier League have left them six points off the top, and while that trophy was slipping away, another went begging at the weekend as Pellegrini's weakened side were thrashed by a full-strength Chelsea outfit at Stamford Bridge.

It means that they have now fallen to three defeats in a row for the first time since November 2010, but a victory tonight and another on Sunday, when they take on Liverpool in the final of the League Cup, would suddenly make things look a lot more promising again. Defeat tonight, though, would be another major setback and, aside from seeing them fall to four in a row for the first time since 2006, it would also leave them short of confidence heading to Wembley at the weekend.

The Champions League has so far been kind to them this season, though, and City have already broken new ground in the competition by winning their group for the first time. That was no mean feat considering they were drawn alongside last season's runners-up Juventus as well as Sevilla and Borussia Monchengladbach, the latter two of whom City beat both home and away. The main concern from the groups would be their two losses to Juventus, which perhaps suggests that they are not up with Europe's elite quite yet, but victory over Kiev in this tie and a kind draw in the quarters could see them challenging for the semi-finals.

They won two of their three away games in the group stages, but have only won three of their last eight on the road in this competition. They have been shaky away from home in all competitions this season, in fact, although that has calmed down somewhat, with the 5-1 defeat to Chelsea at the weekend being the first away loss in five. Even so, away victories are still not particularly common for City, so they may see a draw tonight as a good result.

City have lost all three of their previous two-legged ties in this competition, including defeat in the European Cup first round against Fenerbahce back in 1968-69. As already mentioned, it is Barcelona who have been their downfall in the last two campaigns, but while the club may not have experience beyond this stage in the Champions League, their manager does. Manuel Pellegrini has taken both Villarreal and Malaga to the quarter-finals of this competition in the past.

PREDICTION: We're 10 minutes from kickoff at the Olympic Stadium, which means that it is time for a prediction! First legs generally tend to be a little cagey, and that is even more likely considering neither of these teams have a great amount of experience in the knockout rounds. Kiev are tough to get through, as they showed in a defensive performance against Chelsea in the group stages, but City have a wealth of attacking talent at their disposal and I am backing the visitors to come away with a 1-0 victory.

That was the scoreline the last time these two sides met back in March 2011, with Kolarov getting the only goal of the game at the Etihad. However, it wasn't enough for City in their Europa League last 16 clash, as Kiev had already won the first leg 2-0, with Shevchenko and Husyev on the scoresheet for the Ukrainians. Kiev went through 2-1 on aggregate in what is the only previous competitive tie between the two teams.

That is also Man City's only previous visit to Ukraine, and English teams in general don't have a particularly good record on these shores in recent years. They have failed to win any of their last five visits here in the Champions League, since City's local rivals Manchester United ran out 4-2 winners in October 2007.

That is one of only two home matches that Kiev have ever lost against English opposition, winning five and drawing six of the 15 clashes, including the goalless draw with Chelsea in this season's group stages. Their most recent win against a Premier League side here came last season, when they beat Everton 5-2 in a Europa League clash.

Right, we're just a couple of minutes away from kickoff at the Olympic Stadium! A reminder that the second leg will take place on March 15 at the Etihad, but for now all of the focus is on Kiev.

KICKOFF: Here we go then! Man City get us underway in an electric atmosphere as they look to move one step closer to a first ever Champions League quarter-final appearance.

Interestingly, Toure has started in a deeper role, with Fernandinho occupying a place in a more advanced position out to the right. That is something of a surprise from Pellegrini, and it will be interesting to see whether it stays that way throughout this match.

SAVE! The first threat comes from Kiev as Yarmolenko's dangerous delivery from a free kick is well defended by Otamendi. Yarmolenko picks up the second ball, though, and reaches the byline before firing one across goal that Hart uncertainly pushes onto the top of his own crossbar.

Kiev keep up the pressure and win another corner shortly afterwards that Hart punches clear. This has been an encouraging start for the hosts to this match.

SAVE! The 41-year-old Shovkovskiy is called into action for the first time this evening, but it is a routine stop for the keeper as he gets down to collect Toure's effort.

Buyalskyy needs treatment here having gone down and done a few rolls after getting a tiny little knock in the face from Fernando's hand. It didn't look to be much at all, but the Kiev midfielder is making the most of it.

Kiev are looking to get it to Yarmolenko whenever possible, and it is easy to see why. He does look dangerous whenever he is on the ball, and is showing no signs so far of his recent injury.

SHOT! Good work from Gonzalez as he buzzes about Fernando and wins possession inside the City half before slipping a pass inside for Teodorczyk. The Polish strike takes the shot early with a low drive towards the near post, but Hart is there to watch it wide.

City have a chance to break forward as Aguero carries the ball forward up the middle, but his pass out to Silva is just a little too heavy and the attack fizzles out.

Big goal for Man City as they break the deadlock after just 15 minutes! It stems from a corner as Silva's delivery finds Toure at the back post, with the Ivorian knocking it down to Aguero in the box. From there, it is all about the Argentine as he chests it down before rifling his shot past the keeper from close range.

That should settle any nerves for City. They will be delighted to have got an away goal so early, and it is good news for the neutrals too as Kiev now need to come out and play a bit.

Shovkovskiy is alert here to race off his line and collect a sliced Vida clearance inside the area. City have settled into this game nicely and Kiev may be worried about the pattern that is developing in the game.

Another chance for City to break forward as the ball arrives to Aguero, who quickly gives it to Silva. The Spaniard ignores Aguero's run forward, instead finding Sterling, who in turn gives it on the overlap to Clichy, but his cross is blocked.

CLOSE! Almost a second for Man City! Fernando does well to win the ball back high up the field before finding Silva. He slides a pass to Aguero on the right side of the area, but the Argentine drives a strike narrowly past the bottom far corner.

Kiev have actually enjoyed 60% of the possession in this match so far, but it is Man City who feel in control at the moment. Kiev haven't really responded to falling behind just yet and City are looking quite comfortable.

It might take something special for them to get back into the game, and Teodorczyk tries to provide it here. He is alert to latch on to a loose pass inside from Sterling but lets fly from range and his effort goes well off target.

Fine piece of defending from Otamendi as he throws himself in the way of a Yarmolenko cross after the Kiev attacker had got behind the defence and reached the byline.

Yarmolenko does look like the only source of a goal for the hosts at the moment, it must be said. Teodorczyk has had a couple of pot shots and has been charp to pounce on loose balls, but he isn't causing the City defence many problems.

It looks as though Rebrov is considering a substitution already, which is very interesting. There don't appear to be any players struggling with injury. so it could be a tactical switch.

DYNAMO KIEV SUB: Indeed there is the change as Miguel Veloso replaces Garmash, who looks to be move perfectly freely. Big call from Rebrov.

CHANCE! The change almost pays immediate dividends as Veloso peels off Otamendi inside the box and has space for a header, but he can't steer it on target and in the end Kiev have to make do with another corner.

Yarmolenko again looks to create something, picking the ball up on the right side of midfield before bending a cross into the middle. However, it is too far in front of Gonzalez and runs all the way through to Hart.

CHANCE! Another big chance for City! It is great work again from Fernando as he steals the ball back inside the Kiev half before giving it to Aguero. He slides a pass to Toure on the overlap, but Shovkovskiy gets down well to stop the Ivorian's low drive.

It must be said that City have defended very well so far tonight. Kiev have seen a lot of the ball, but all over the field City are not giving them an inch. They are being very aggressive off the ball, winning it back numerous times in the Kiev half and also protecting Hart very well at the other end.

City come forward down the right this time and the ball is played inside to Silva from Sagna, but his shot takes a deflection and ends up comfortably in the arms of the keeper.

City have a second, and it is all going better than the visitors would have dreamed! It is a lovely little goal too, with Aguero collecting the ball and holding it up well before back-heeling it into the path of Sterling. He in turn feeds a low pass across the six-yard box, and Silva is there waiting to tap it home from close range.

CHANCE! City should have a third! A poor defensive touch gifts possession to Fernandinho, and he threads a pass through to an unmarked Aguero with Kiev out of position. The Argentine races through on goal, but then drags his effort wide of the far post.

This has been seriously impressive stuff from Man City. Both in possession and out of it they have been a class above Kiev so far tonight, and they look capable of adding to this lead as the night goes on.

There will be two minutes of added time at the end of this first half.

CHANCE! Another chance for City at the end of this half as Silva swings a free kick into the box that Fernando meets, but he can't steer his header on target when he probably should have done better.

Referee Antonio Mateu blows for half time, and it is Man City who have the lead at the break. In truth, it is bordering on job done for City already, with two away goals and a very encouraging display in that opening 45 minutes. Kiev need to throw caution to the wind in the second half if they are to give themselves any hope whatsoever heading into the second leg.

The opening goal arrived after just 15 minutes when Silva's corner was knocked down by Toure to Aguero, who chested it down before volleying it past the keeper from close range. Shovkovskiy didn't have a chance against a player of his quality from such a position, and it was a good bit of predatory play from the Argentine to see the potential knockdown and get into place.

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The second goal came just five minutes before half time to put City in complete control of the tie, with Silva firing the ball into the roof of the net from close range. It was a lovely team move from the visitors, with Aguero holding the ball up before flicking it into the path of Sterling, who fed a low ball across the face of goal to leave Silva with a simple finish from close range.

City have had a number of other chances too, with Aguero coming close twice and both Toure and Fernando having good openings too. It has been a really good display from the visitors, who have looked aggressive on and off the ball, giving Kiev little time at all. There could be more goals for City in this too, although Pellegrini would be perfectly content for this to end 2-0 to his side.

KICKOFF: Kiev get us back underway for the second half, and the hosts have made another change at the break as Junior Moraes replaces Teodorczyk.

It has been a brighter start to this second half from Kiev, although it is worth noting that they also looked relatively spritely in the opening minutes of the first half. The hosts don't really have a choice other than to go all out for this one now.

Yarmolenko has been the one danger for the home side tonight and again he causes problems, bursting down the right and winning a free kick in a dangerous crossing position...

Veloso whips it into the middle, but it is straight at Hart, who opts to punch it clear rather than catching it.

CLOSE! A City error leads to some sustained pressure from the hosts, with Yarmolenko once again heavily involved. The winger cuts inside onto his left foot and drives an effort goalwards, but it bounces a couple of yards wide of the far post.

City respond with some pressure of their own, sparked again by Fernandinho winning the ball. He and Fernando have been brilliant in winning the ball back for City tonight.

PENALTY SHOUT! This is becoming nice and open now. Silva breaks forward for Kiev, flicking the ball over Otamendi before being dispossessed, and moments later City are on the attack. Sterling breaks into the box and cuts inside the defender before going down, but the referee is having none of it. It will be interesting to see the replay there - Sterling looked like he went down quite easily but there was no reason for him to do so.

The replay proves the referee right, with the contact pretty minimal between Sterling and Dragovic. That is poor from Sterling, who would have have a glorious chance had he stayed on his feet.

Sterling again provides a threat down the left and again ends up going down inside the box, but there are no penalty claims this time after he had cut inside with a great turn of pace.

A lifeline for Kiev! They halve the deficit here as Otamendi can only clear a lofted ball into the bos as far as the edge of the area. City are, for once, slow to react, and Buyalskiy drives a first-time effort past Hart. It took a big deflection off Otamendi on the way through, but the hosts don't care at all. They are right back in this match.

PENALTY SHOUT! Another penalty shout for City as this time Silva goes down inside the area having reached the ball before the defender, but once again the referee says no. I've seen them given!

That goal has completely changed the atmosphere inside the stadium, and suddenly Kiev fans believe that they could stand a chance here. We saw Juventus come from two goals down against Bayern Munich last night, and Kiev are now looking to do the same.

Good period of possession here from City to calm things down, although the fans' whistles grow and grow with every passing second.

DYNAMO KIEV SUB: The hosts are forced into their third and final change already as Danilo Silva limps off with a hamstring injury to be replaced by Yevhen Makarenko.

Another warning sign for City as Yarmolenko reaches the byline down the right flank, but his low pass into the box is straight at Hart when he needed to pull it back a little more.

City have another penalty shout as Fernandinho has his legs taken from beneath him inside the area, but once again the referee waves play on. Kiev break and Veloso picks up the ball in a good position, but a combination of Sterling and Clichy force the ball to ricochet off the midfielder and behind for a goal kick.

They won't make it too far in this competition if they can't improve this record...

4 - Manchester City have kept just four clean sheets in 35 Champions League games and none in the last nine. Leaky. — OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) February 24, 2016

This is certainly not the way City would have wanted the second half to go. Their game management can be called into question here as, at 2-0, it probably would have been wiser to shut up shop a little. Instead, they have carried on playing in an open style which, while being entertaining for the neutral, is also handing Kiev chances to get themselves back into the tie.

Very nearly a chance for City to restore their two-goal lead as some slick passing sets Silva through down the right. He tries to pull the ball into the box, but a combination of Shovkovskiy and Veloso avert the danger.

SAVE! Almost a third for City! It is another nice move, but it would have been a very lucky goal had it gone in. Fernandinho's low cross was defended before Aguero could connect with it, but the subsequent attempted clearance rebounded against Fernandinho and, fortunately for Kiev, straight at the keeper.

Kiev will be pleased with their improvement in this second half, but this scoreline still doesn't do much for them. They have never won in England, so could really do with another goal here.

CHANCE! And they very nearly get another goal! It is Buyalskyi who is there again to steer a low strike towards the bottom corner from inside the area, but Hart is down quickly to make a brilliant save. He crucially pushes it far enough away to prevent Moraes from having a tap-in too.

WHAT A MISS! Huge chance for City to wrap the tie up! City are patient in an around the area before Sterling races down the left channel, cuts back and stands the ball up for Toure in the middle. The midfielder is unmarked and looks destined to finish it, but he somehow plants his header wide of the target.

Kiev have just six minutes left to get a second goal here. This second half may have provided them with a little more hope and even optimism, but it would be a big, big ask for them to overturn any sort of deficit at the Etihad.

Interestingly, Pellegrini has not used his bench at all in this match. He has the League Cup final at the weekend and it looked at half time as though he would get the chance to rest some players before that, but all the stars are still out there.

Having said that, Iheanacho is warming up now and could make a late cameo for the visitors. It is City who are looking the more likely to add another goal right now.

There is the third goal! Toure atones for his miss with a lovely strike, playing a one-two with Fernandinho before cutting inside and bending a beauty of a finish into the far corner. Game over, and you have to think tie over too.

MAN CITY SUB: The visitors make a change in the aftermath of that goal, with Kelechi Iheanacho replacing Aguero.

It is a big win for City in Kiev, then, and surely their passage into the quarter-finals is all but secured now. Aguero, Silva and Toure are all on the scoresheet during what was a very impressive away performance from Manuel Pellegrini's side, and the last eight now beckons for the first time in the club's history. Kiev improved in the second half but were ultimately well beaten tonight and would have to pull off something special to save themselves at the Etihad now.

That is all we have time for this evening! Thank you very much for joining Sports Mole for tonight's Champions League clash as Man City put one foot in the quarter-finals with a 3-1 away victory over Dynamo Kiev. I will leave you with our match report, and be sure to stick around for reaction too. From me, though, it is goodbye for now!