Brentford B 0 FC Kryvbas 0: Excellent team performance earns draw against Ukrainian Premier League side | OneFootball

Brentford B put on an excellent defensive display in a 0-0 friendly draw against FC Kryvbas Kryvvi Rih in Spain on Thursday lunchtime.

The Bees demonstrated a dogged performance in the sun against the Ukrainian Premier League first team side.

Riley Owen was lively in midfield from the off in his first game since returning from injury.

The first good chance of the game for Brentford came on 10 minutes when Kyrie Pierre's deflected cross caused issues for Kryvbas goalkeeper Bogdan Khoma with Conor McManus challenging at the near post, but the Ukrainian side smuggled the ball away.

Andre Grey made a vital block on 26 minutes when the ball fell to Olekcandr Kamenskiy just inside the Bees' box to divert the ball over the crossbar.

Kamenskiy then bent a free-kick just wide of Marley Tavaziva's far post as the physically contested first half drew to a goalless close.

Seck Assane curled an effort perilously close to the top corner shortly after the game restarted, but it floated wide again for Kryvbas.

Sam Saunders' side defended with real grit and solidarity against the side who sit fifth in the Ukrainian Premier League.

Michel Boni had the first chance of the half for the Bees when Maxwell McKnight found space on the right after an excellent switch from Josh Stephenson. The right-back whipped the ball in but Boni's header was straight at Daniil Suchev from a tight angle.

On 65 minutes, Tavaziva made an excellent reaction save from a corner before the referee pointed to the spot after Gregory Asemokhai was ajudged to have fouled during an aerial duel on the rebound.

Volodymyr Myluk stood up but blazed his penalty over the crossbar to keep the score level at 0-0.

Asemokhai and Beau Redknapp (who played 90 minutes up from the Under-18s) both had snap-shots blocked inside the box following a corner on 69 minutes.

Carlos Rojas sent a swerving effort from 30-yards just wide with 10 to play.

The west Londoners could've won it late on when Asemokhai headed a deep free-kick back across goal and Otis Honor diverted the ball goalbound but Suchev held on.

It ended as a fiercly competed 0-0 draw, which will give Saunders plenty of encouragement in his team's heart and desire going into an important PL Cup round of 16 clash against Burnley on Monday 9 February (7pm kick-off GMT)

Brentford: Tavaziva, McKnight, McManus (Ogungbemi 60), Stephenson (Asemokhai 60), Klimas (Wheeler-Henry 60), Owen (Boni 30), Pierre, Grey (Honor 60), Laidlaw (Giscombe 60), Redknapp, Mawene

Subs: Wolfheimer, Avenell, Picotto

Booked: Boni 86

FC Kryvbas: Khoma, Rojas, Vilivlad, Shevchenko, Assane, Jones, Bodnar, Kamenskiy, Butenko, Myluk, Dibango

Subs: Bekavac, Mendoza, Paraco, Mironuk, Bar, Arauho, Dudarenko, Suchev, Korobka, Mayakov, Zaderaka

Booked: Butenko 90+2