Champions League. Shakhtar - Benfica 1:2. It's all over

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Shakhtar 1:2 Benfica Lucarelli 30 (п.) Oscar Cardozo 6, 22 Pyatov, Kucher, Fernandinho, Jadson, Ilsinho (Willian 67), Lewandowski (Hubschman, 57), Brandao, Rat, Chyhrynskiy (capt), Srna, Lucarelli (Hladkiy, 74) Quim, Luisao, Leo, Petit (capt), Oscar Cardozo (Nuno Gomes, 90), Katsouranis, Rui Costa, Pereira (Filipe, 83), Di María (Assis, 67), Nelson, David Luiz Yellow cards: Kucher 68, Brandao 90 Yellow cards: David Luiz 29, Filipe 90

If you were to tell some Donetsk supporter after the first two Champions League matches, when Shakhtar was on top of their group with two victories and zero conceded goals, that the team would fail to qualify even for UEFA Cup, they would laugh at best or even call an ambulance. However the reality turned out to be even more severe than the most pessimistic predictions. The match against Celtic was lost in the injury times of both halves, and the crucial home game against Benfica who haven’t won away games in European cups for over two years, in the beginning of the first half.

The teams started the game lively – Fernandinho checked Quim’s alertness and shot from the edge of the area into the far corner but the keeper leaped and turned it behind. Ilsinho took a short corner to Jadson who passed to Lucarelli but young central defender David Luiz cleanly tackled the ball. Then Quim coolly saved Srna’s cross as Lucarelli tried to get ahead of him. The beginning of the match inspired supporters with the feeling that the goal was soon to come.

However it was scored into hosts’ goal. Shakhtar players did everything for Oscar Cardozo to score. Lewandowski was put under pressure by Rui Costa and made a backpass between Kucher and Chyhrynskiy that was intercepted by Cardozo who went one-on-one with Pyatov. The forward easily rounded the keeper and sent the ball into the empty net.

Against all expectations, Benfica weren’t going just to sit back and defend. Their counterattacks were even more dangerous than Shakhtar’s attempts to attack positionally. Rat and Srna made forward runs trying to break through the flanks and were not always able to come back in time. After another mistake in the left flank Pereira crossed the ball into the penalty area and Oscar Cardozo got his head to the ball and scored his second goal. Kucher and Lewandowski were unable to stop the Paraguayan forward.

Lucarelli gave hope to Shakhtar when he was brought down in Benfica’s box and the referee awarded the spot kick. The Italian forward converted it himself, and the ball went into the net off the goalkeeper’s feet.

1:2, and Shakhtar had to score only once in the remaining hour. Theoretically it was possible, but in practice visitors allowed Shakhtar to make just one shot on goal in the end of the first half when Jadson shot on the volley from the edge of the area but Quim parried the ball and there was nobody to come to the rebound. In comparison, Benfica threatened the hosts’ goal twice more in the first half. Pyatov saved Di Maria’s shot from 20 meters and Katsouranis smashed the ball over the bar from 14 meters.

In the second half Shakhtar didn’t shoot on Quim’s goal at all and made just six wide shots in 45 minutes. Tomas Hubschman who went on the pitch on 57 minutes, made two of them but both of them went past the goal. Willian and Hladkiy who also came in from the substitute’s bench also failed to make a difference. Olexandr made one missed header after he won the ball in the air off David Luiz. The young Brazilian added some creativity in the left flank but his passes never resulted in anything dangerous.

Shakhtar lost 1:2 and finished the Champions League group stage on the fourth place, so no European competitions in spring. Donetsk club ultras’ chants after the match cannot be quoted here, but they were clearly unhappy with both players and the head coach. Having lost European campaign and the top spot in the championship, it is surely not the best time to present the new club emblem, “corporate religion” and soon – new jerseys from Nike. It is interesting whether a new head coach will be added to this list?

Comments:

So sad :( Shakhtar don't deserve nothing like that :(