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Haifa - Dynamo Kiev secured a comfortable 2-0 victory at Maccabi Tel Aviv as a goal in each half from Andriy Yarmolenko and Junior Moraes helped them record their first win in Champions League Group G on Tuesday.
The Israelis were undone by the pace and strength of their opponents, who scored early and never looked back despite Maccabi's desperate efforts to claw a way back.
The Ukrainians sit joint top of the group alongside Porto with four points, after they drew 2-2 at home to the Portuguese in their first fixture two weeks ago.
Yarmolenko quickly set the visitors on their way when in the fourth minute, he ran behind the Maccabi defence to latch on to a through ball from Derlis Gonzalez and slotted home easily.
Maccabi took time to shake off the jitters that had been very apparent when they lost 4-0 to Chelsea in their first group game in London two weeks ago and they started to gain in confidence as Dynamo eased off.
Yet the Israelis were unable to make their possession tell and Moraes made it 2-0 in the 50th minute with a powerful shot from the edge of the area as Gonzalez again provided the assist after a surging run from the left.
That strike not only put the result beyond doubt but very clearly outlined the differences between the two sides, with Maccabi desperately trying to match the pace of their far more experienced opponents.
"I am so happy that we managed to get three points in a very hard game. I think (Maccabi) tried their best but we worked very hard and we deserved this," Dynamo coach Serhiy Rebrov said.
Maccabi coach Slavisa Jokanovic admitted that his side were not used to the level of opposition they were facing in the Champions League.
"After 11 years, Maccabi realised their dream and made it into the group stages of the Champions League and it is a dream come true but it is very difficult at this level," he said.
"We still have 12 points that we can gain and we will fight. Tonight we fought as much as we could but I am not disappointed, we know that Dynamo Kiev are a better team than we are," Jokanovic added.
