This is an occasion that Everton would, of course, rather they didn't have to host.
What is continuing to take place in Ukraine following the invasion of Russia was why these two teams came together at Goodison Park on Friday evening. Over 30,000 were in attendance for a night where undoubtedly a huge amount of both money and awareness was raised for humanitarian efforts back in the war-torn country - which could well be vital in the coming weeks and months.
This was, however, even a slight escape for many. A night of togetherness, compassion, respect and - at the heart of it all - football.
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The atmosphere in the crowd was relaxed right from the off, as you would expect a pre-season friendly to be. Throughout much of the 90 minutes, the loudest noise was chants of "Dynamo" from Ukrainians dotted all around the stadium - not just inside an away end which was packed in the bottom half of the Bullens Road stand.
The images that came before kick off with both teams emerging from the tunnel draped in their own personal Ukraine flags, before lining up together, was a poignant one. Those images were accompanied by the sound of belting tones from Tina Karol, who stood in front of both sides to sing the anthem of the Ukrainian resistance.
Pre-season friendlies always have a more relaxed feel to them and that was certainly the case here. The football was a slightly important aspect for Everton as this is their final match before welcoming Chelsea to Goodison to kick off the 2022/23 Premier League season, but for the majority of the occasion it took a back seat.
This wasn't just a normal pre-season match, there was a higher cause here, and that was at the heart of the atmosphere around the stadium. It was up-beat, lively - the family-oriented nature of this match meant that good feelings were at its heart.
This was a great opportunity for people to bring their children to the stadium for potentially the first time, to experience one of the most welcoming atmospheres you could possibly imagine. And, you would hope, it provided the requisite brief escape for anyone who has been affected by this conflict.
Of course Vitalii Mykolenko was to get a standing ovation from all sides of the ground after he left the pitch in the second half, as did all of the Dynamo Kyiv squad as they made an effort to applaud everyone before they went down the tunnel at the end of the game. This would no doubt have been an important and heartfelt match for everyone involved.
A poignant rendition of "Imagine" closed out the match after Everton fan Paul Stratton had been "brought off the bench" to bag a penalty in the last stages to make the game 4-0. In essence, these were all the things that really mattered.
This was a match for the people of Ukraine, whether they were one of the many making loud noise in the stadium or the thousands watching from a stream online. This was less of a pre-season game, and more of an occasion in which two clubs could come together in solidarity.
This was a Match For Peace.
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