Shakhtar vs Chornomorets: match report

Sunday, April 9, 2017

FCSD

In the 24th round of the Premier League, Shakhtar took on Odesa-based Chornomorets

2016/17 Ukrainian League. The 24th round.

April 9, 2017. Kharkiv. OSC Metalist. Att: 7,131. +11^oC.

Shakhtar Donetsk 1-2 (1-1) Chornomorets Odesa

Goals: 1-0 Bernard (27), 1-1 Andriievskyi (37), 1-2 Elias (68)

Shakhtar: Pyatov, Srna (c), Kucher (Kovalenko, 84), Ordets, Ismaily, Stepanenko, Malyshev (Alan Patrick, 61), Marlos (Ferreyra, 70), Taison, Bernard, Blanco Leschuk

Unused subs: Shevchenko, Azevedo, Kryvtsov, Zubkov

Head coach: Paulo Fonseca

Chornomorets: Kanevtsev, Tatarkov, Khocholava (c), Ablitarov, Azatskyi, Musolitin (Mashnin, 72), Tretyakov, Andriievskyi, Silvio (Kovalets, 46), Barilko (Elias, 59), Khoblenko

Unused subs: Bezruk, Kapliienko, Kabaev, Carnoza

Head coach: Oleksandr Babich

Booked: Khocholava (26), Khoblenko (39), Silvio (42), Stepanenko (71), Andriievskyi (76), Kanevtsev (78), Mashnin (90+4), Bernard (90+5), Kovalets (90+5), Ferreyra (90+5)

Referee: Yurii Mozharovskyi (Lviv)

Before the match

Shakhtar head coach Paulo Fonseca had to make one change in the starting line-up compared with the recent match against Zorya. The suspended Yaroslav Rakits’kyy was replaced at centre-back by Olexandr Kucher due to yellow cards.

First half

From the opening minutes, the Orange-and-Blacks occupied the visitors’ half of the pitch. The Donetsk team controlled the ball for long and carried out positional attacks. A scoring chance occurred as early as in the 11th minute. Bernard and Ismaily played one-two in Chornomorets’ box, followed by a cross to Gustavo Blanco Leschuk. The Argentine was the first on the ball, still missing the target.

Bernard and Ismaily played one-two in Chornomorets’ box, followed by a cross to Gustavo Blanco Leschuk. The Argentine was the first on the ball, still missing the target

Nearly the whole Odesa outfit dropped deep, competently sealing off open spaces, nevertheless the Pitmen succeeded in some attacks, which could well have been effective. In the 18th minute, Taras Stepanenko brought Taison through on goal through a great pass, with the Brazilian striking just inches over the bar. Shortly afterwards, the Ukrainian found himself within scoring range, but sent the ball past the goal from the edge of the goal area. The players of Shakhtar managed to convert their huge advantage in the 27th minute. Darijo Srna cut inside and fed Bernard. The Brazilian played one-two with Gustavo Blanco Leschuk and, finding himself in front of the goal, elegantly sent the ball into the far corner – 1-0. The game pattern has not changed, with the visitors equalizing in one of the few attacks. In the 37th minute, Oleksandr Andriievskyi succeeded in sending home a long ranger – 1-1. The ending of the first half saw the Pitmen attacking, with the teams leaving for the break with the draw on the scoreboard.

Second half

The game pattern remained the same: the Donetsk team produced some all-out attacks, with the Odesa team defending. The 55th minute could have become decisive. Firstly, Taison’s shot went out for a corner, after which Taras Stepanenko struck over the goal from close range. Soon, two central defenders found themselves within scoring range, but Olexandr Kucher and Ivan Ordets interfered with each other, failing to produce a precision shot. In the 61st minute, Paulo Fonseca made the first substitution, fielding Alan Patrick instead of Maksym Malyshev. In the 68th minute, the visitors scored the second goal. In a rare counterattack, Khoblenko crossed to Elias, with the Brazilian firing it just home. Immediately after that, the head coach of Shakhtar fielded the second striker Facundo Ferreyra, who replaced Marlos. The Orange-and-Blacks increased the pressure on the opposing goal, still failing to overcome defensive redoubts. In the end of the meeting appeared Viktor Kovalenko, who came on for Olexandr Kucher. In the 88th minute, Facundo Ferreyra could have equalised, but his header after Darijo Srna's set-piece delivery went just inches wide. Alan Patrick had a chance in the injury time, but the defender knocked the ball out of the unguarded goal towards a corner.