We started with a victory
Thursday, February 16, 2023
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Shakhtar hosted Rennes in the UEFA Europa League knockout round play-off first leg in Warsaw
Head coach of the Miners Igor Jovicevic fielded the line-up we used to see in the autumn in the Champions League: Anatolii Trubin took the place in goal, Yukhym Konoplia and Bohdan Mykhailichenko operated as fullbacks, Mykola Matviienko and Valerii Bondar appeared at centre-back, Taras Stepanenko, Artem Bondarenko and Heorhii Sudakov were in the centre of the field, Dmytro Kryskiv, as expected, took the left winger position after Mudryk has left, Oleksandr Zubkov played on the right side, and Lassina Traore had a role of a central striker.
The match began with a moment of silence in memory of the victims of the earthquake in Türkiye and Syria.
Good head start before the break
Starting part of the meeting saw even game, but already in the 11th minute, Shakhtar managed to open the score: gorgeous diagonal pass from own half to the left flank released Mykhailichenko one-on-one, Mandanda blocked Bohdan’s attempt, however Dmytro Kryskiv was the first at follow-up, striking the ball below the crossbar – 1-0. The French side became more active after the conceded goal and orchestrated few threatening attacks on Trubin’s goal, but the Pitmen’s keeper and defenders acted reliably and dealt with danger. The Miners responded with a quick combination finished by Traore almost from the edge of the box – the ball went high. Shortly after, Rennes players created their first chance: after a turnover near the penalty area, Toko-Ekambi appeared in front of the goalkeeper and performed a powerful shot, but Trubin carried out a super save. The Orange-and-Blacks doubled the advantage in the final minute of the first half: Ugochukwu brought Konoplia down in the penalty area after a cross and the referee awarded a spot-kick, Artem Bondarenko shot a little to the left of the centre, the ball slipped under Mandanda’s hand, making it 2-0.
The French kept the intrigue
The beginning of the second half was led by the visitors who started to assault the penalty box of the Pitmen. And if Trubin dealt with Bourigeaud’s long-ranger, then in the 59th minutes, Rennes did pull one goal back – Toko-Ekambi finished a cross from the left near the far post. Traore, who appeared in the one-on-one situation after a long ball, could have responded with a goal immediately, but the Burkinian’s attempt was blocked by the defender at the last moment. Stepanenko performed a dangerous header from the penalty box centre after a corner-kick by Sudakov – the ball passed just few centimetres from the goal. Zubkov almost made it, when he bent an attempt towards the far corner that ended near the post. Igor Jovicevic refreshed the attacking positions by fielding Ivan Petriak and Danylo Sikan. The forward created a half-chance at once, but Omari’s block made it impossible to hit the target. There were more challenges at the end of the game, resulting in several yellow cards, but the fans didn’t see any more goals.
2-1 – Shakhtar defeated Rennes in the first play-off game.
On February 23, the teams will play the second leg in France. The winner of this match will advance to the UEFA Europa League Round of 16.
Shakhtar Donetsk 2-1 (2-0) Rennes
Warsaw, Stadion Miejski Legii Warszawa im. Marszałka J. Piłsudskiego, att.:13,415
Goals: 1-0 Kryskiv (11′), 2-0 Bondarenko (45+1′, pen.), 2-1 Toko-Ekambi (59′)
Shakhtar: Trubin, Konoplia, Bondar, Matviienko, Mykhailichenko, Stepanenko (c), Bondarenko, Sudakov, Zubkov, Kryskiv (Petriak, 77′), Traore (Sikan, 77′)
The match began with a moment of silence in memory of the victims of the earthquake in Türkiye and Syria.
Good head start before the break
Starting part of the meeting saw even game, but already in the 11th minute, Shakhtar managed to open the score: gorgeous diagonal pass from own half to the left flank released Mykhailichenko one-on-one, Mandanda blocked Bohdan’s attempt, however Dmytro Kryskiv was the first at follow-up, striking the ball below the crossbar – 1-0. The French side became more active after the conceded goal and orchestrated few threatening attacks on Trubin’s goal, but the Pitmen’s keeper and defenders acted reliably and dealt with danger. The Miners responded with a quick combination finished by Traore almost from the edge of the box – the ball went high. Shortly after, Rennes players created their first chance: after a turnover near the penalty area, Toko-Ekambi appeared in front of the goalkeeper and performed a powerful shot, but Trubin carried out a super save. The Orange-and-Blacks doubled the advantage in the final minute of the first half: Ugochukwu brought Konoplia down in the penalty area after a cross and the referee awarded a spot-kick, Artem Bondarenko shot a little to the left of the centre, the ball slipped under Mandanda’s hand, making it 2-0.
The French kept the intrigue
The beginning of the second half was led by the visitors who started to assault the penalty box of the Pitmen. And if Trubin dealt with Bourigeaud’s long-ranger, then in the 59th minutes, Rennes did pull one goal back – Toko-Ekambi finished a cross from the left near the far post. Traore, who appeared in the one-on-one situation after a long ball, could have responded with a goal immediately, but the Burkinian’s attempt was blocked by the defender at the last moment. Stepanenko performed a dangerous header from the penalty box centre after a corner-kick by Sudakov – the ball passed just few centimetres from the goal. Zubkov almost made it, when he bent an attempt towards the far corner that ended near the post. Igor Jovicevic refreshed the attacking positions by fielding Ivan Petriak and Danylo Sikan. The forward created a half-chance at once, but Omari’s block made it impossible to hit the target. There were more challenges at the end of the game, resulting in several yellow cards, but the fans didn’t see any more goals.
2-1 – Shakhtar defeated Rennes in the first play-off game.
On February 23, the teams will play the second leg in France. The winner of this match will advance to the UEFA Europa League Round of 16.
Shakhtar Donetsk 2-1 (2-0) Rennes
Warsaw, Stadion Miejski Legii Warszawa im. Marszałka J. Piłsudskiego, att.:13,415
Goals: 1-0 Kryskiv (11′), 2-0 Bondarenko (45+1′, pen.), 2-1 Toko-Ekambi (59′)
Shakhtar: Trubin, Konoplia, Bondar, Matviienko, Mykhailichenko, Stepanenko (c), Bondarenko, Sudakov, Zubkov, Kryskiv (Petriak, 77′), Traore (Sikan, 77′)
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