UEFA Champions League: Shakhtar start their tournament draw with a heavy draw

19.09.2018 23:53

Photo by shakhtar.com

Shakhtar's debut match in the next Champions League draw was not easy for the Pitmen. In the home match, Donetsk was satisfied with a draw with not the strongest rival in their group - German "Hoffenheim".

The miners' considerable territorial advantage did not benefit them for a long time. Shakhtar's players played their combinations mostly at a considerable distance from the visitors' goal, creating only two goal opportunities during the entire first half. The counterattacks of the German club looked much sharper.    

Hoffenheim took the lead in the 6th minute. Donetsk lost two matches for the ball in a row in the middle of the field, Grillich went through the center, easily dealt with Khocholava and threw the ball over Pyatov, who tried in vain to guess the direction of the blow.

The miners played back thanks to the individual actions of Ismaili, who on his flank sewed in the fools of Nordtweite and struck a difficult to execute a low shot into the far corner. But soon the Germans were ahead again. The same Nordtweit corrected his mistake, beating opponents in the air after a corner. In this episode of an obvious mistake, Pyatov made the second time this season, who went to the exit, but did not get to the ball.

In addition to these situations, Hoffenheim created at least three more great moments in the first half, in which Pyatov, in contrast to the episode in the 38th minute, acted reliably. Shakhtar's assets include Stepanenko's slightly inaccurate header after Rakitsky's serve before the break.

After the break, Shakhtar's territorial advantage became even more noticeable, which was not surprising given the current score in favor of the guests. The miners added in speed, and also began to find free zones more often and to break into them. This pressure was finally felt when Maicon, for whom it was his debut match in the Champions League, celebrated his substitution with a great long-range shot. 2: 2. Shakhtar created another real moment after a corner in the last minutes, but the Germans were lucky - Marlos's killer shot from outside the penalty area hit the defender.  

Shakhtar players who were called up to the last training camp of the national team of Ukraine took part in the game: Pyatov, Rakitsky (yellow card), Stepanenko, Marlos (goal pass).     

Champions League. Group round. 1 round

Shakhtar (Ukraine) - Hoffenheim (Germany) - 2: 2 (1: 2)

Goals: Ismaili (27), Maicon (81) - Grillich (6), Nordtweit (38).

Shakhtar: Pyatov, Butko, Khocholava, Rakitsky, Ismaili, Stepanenko, Alan Patrick (Maicon, 76), Marlos, Tyson (k), Bolbat (Kovalenko, 57), Moraes.

Substitutions: Shevchenko, Danchenko, Krivtsov, Fernando, Totovitsky.

Trainer: Paulo Fonseca.

«Hoffenheim": Baumann, Nordweit, Vogt (k), Posh, Kaderzhabek, Grillich, Schultz, Beattencourt (Demirbay, 64), Kramarich (Nelson, 85), Joelington, Salai (Zuber, 75).

Substitutions: Kobel, Hoogma, Akpoguma, Grifo.

Trainer: Julian Nagelsmann.

Referee: Jacob Kehlet (Denmark).  

Booked: Moraes (45), Alan Patrick (52), Rakitsky (77) - Grillich (29).

19 vernacularno. Kharkiva. USC "Metalist".

In the second match of Group F, Manchester City and Lyon will meet today.