Fantastic comeback!
Wednesday, October 4, 2023
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Shakhtar played against Belgian champions Antwerp in the away match of the 2nd round of the Champions League
Mykola Matviienko, who played in the centre of defence together with Yaroslav Rakitskyi, returned to the starting line-up of the Miners. Yehor Nazaryna came on in the middle of the field from the first minutes, Irakli Azarov and Dmytro Kryskiv played on the left wing, and Danylo Sikan had a central forward position.
A better conversion of the opponents
The game started with a dangerous long-range shot by Taras Stepanenko, but the ball flew into the goalkeeper’s hands. But the host team took their first chance and opened the scoring in the 3rd minute: Vermeeren fought in front of Shakhtar’s penalty area and passed the ball to the right to Muja, who shot accurately into the far corner. In the heat of the moment, Antwerp immediately created two more sharp moments: Muja kicked the ball over the target from a radius in front of the penalty area, and Janssen’s long-range shot hit the post. The Miners recovered closer to the middle of the half and responded with their goal-scoring opportunities: Sikan’s shot and Stepanenko’s follow-up from the edge of the penalty area were blocked by the defenders, and Matviienko was centimetres away from turning the corner cross right home. However, despite all the efforts of the visiting team, the Belgians managed to score again: in the 33rd minute, Vermeeren led Balikwisha to the goal with a neat pass, and the latter shot past Riznyk and doubled the advantage of Antwerp.
Goals by Sikan and Rakitskyi turned the game around
However, already in the beginning of the second half, Shakhtar managed to reduce the gap. In the 48th minute, Sudakov’s long-range shot hit the post, but the attack continued - Nazaryna shot into the goalkeeper, the ball bounced off the crossbar, after which Danylo Sikan kicked it into the net – 2-1. After this, Konoplia’s attempt was blocked by Coulibaly, and Nazaryna’s shot narrowly missed the post. The Miners continued to act at a high pace, not allowing the opponents to catch their breath, and they achieved what they wanted after a series of dangerous attacks. In the 71st minute, Yaroslav Rakitskyi powerfully shot from the penalty area, and the ball deflected off the opponent into the near corner – 2-2. And 5 minutes later, the Orange-and-Blacks took the lead: the goalkeeper of the host team made a mistake in his own penalty area, giving the ball to Nazaryna, who rolled it along the line, and Danylo Sikan scored into an unguarded net – 2-3. Then Antwerp had to react: Alderweireld shot powerfully under the post from the penalty area – Riznyk blocked it, Yusuf's long-range attempt went next to the post. Their captain had another chance to save the Belgians, but the goalkeeper of the Miners managed Toby’s header again. And already in the 6th added minute, the referee awarded the spot-kick after the ball hit Stepanenko’s arm, Alderweireld approached the point and shot off target!
3-2 – Shakhtar show incredible character and defeat Antwerp in the away match!
The Miners will play their next away game in the Champions League against Barcelona on October 25 after the international break.
Antwerp 2-3 (2-0) Shakhtar Donetsk
Antwerp, Bosuilstadion, 13,509 spectators
Goals: 1-0 Muja (3′), 2-0 Balikwisha (33′), 2-1 Sikan (48′), 2-2 Rakitskyi (71′), 2-3 Sikan (76′)
Missed penalties: Alderweireld (90′+7, off target)
Shakhtar: Riznyk, Konoplia, Matviienko, Rakitskyi, Azarov, Stepanenko (c), Sudakov, Nazaryna, Zubkov, Kryskiv, Sikan (Shved, 87′)
A better conversion of the opponents
The game started with a dangerous long-range shot by Taras Stepanenko, but the ball flew into the goalkeeper’s hands. But the host team took their first chance and opened the scoring in the 3rd minute: Vermeeren fought in front of Shakhtar’s penalty area and passed the ball to the right to Muja, who shot accurately into the far corner. In the heat of the moment, Antwerp immediately created two more sharp moments: Muja kicked the ball over the target from a radius in front of the penalty area, and Janssen’s long-range shot hit the post. The Miners recovered closer to the middle of the half and responded with their goal-scoring opportunities: Sikan’s shot and Stepanenko’s follow-up from the edge of the penalty area were blocked by the defenders, and Matviienko was centimetres away from turning the corner cross right home. However, despite all the efforts of the visiting team, the Belgians managed to score again: in the 33rd minute, Vermeeren led Balikwisha to the goal with a neat pass, and the latter shot past Riznyk and doubled the advantage of Antwerp.
Goals by Sikan and Rakitskyi turned the game around
However, already in the beginning of the second half, Shakhtar managed to reduce the gap. In the 48th minute, Sudakov’s long-range shot hit the post, but the attack continued - Nazaryna shot into the goalkeeper, the ball bounced off the crossbar, after which Danylo Sikan kicked it into the net – 2-1. After this, Konoplia’s attempt was blocked by Coulibaly, and Nazaryna’s shot narrowly missed the post. The Miners continued to act at a high pace, not allowing the opponents to catch their breath, and they achieved what they wanted after a series of dangerous attacks. In the 71st minute, Yaroslav Rakitskyi powerfully shot from the penalty area, and the ball deflected off the opponent into the near corner – 2-2. And 5 minutes later, the Orange-and-Blacks took the lead: the goalkeeper of the host team made a mistake in his own penalty area, giving the ball to Nazaryna, who rolled it along the line, and Danylo Sikan scored into an unguarded net – 2-3. Then Antwerp had to react: Alderweireld shot powerfully under the post from the penalty area – Riznyk blocked it, Yusuf's long-range attempt went next to the post. Their captain had another chance to save the Belgians, but the goalkeeper of the Miners managed Toby’s header again. And already in the 6th added minute, the referee awarded the spot-kick after the ball hit Stepanenko’s arm, Alderweireld approached the point and shot off target!
3-2 – Shakhtar show incredible character and defeat Antwerp in the away match!
The Miners will play their next away game in the Champions League against Barcelona on October 25 after the international break.
Antwerp 2-3 (2-0) Shakhtar Donetsk
Antwerp, Bosuilstadion, 13,509 spectators
Goals: 1-0 Muja (3′), 2-0 Balikwisha (33′), 2-1 Sikan (48′), 2-2 Rakitskyi (71′), 2-3 Sikan (76′)
Missed penalties: Alderweireld (90′+7, off target)
Shakhtar: Riznyk, Konoplia, Matviienko, Rakitskyi, Azarov, Stepanenko (c), Sudakov, Nazaryna, Zubkov, Kryskiv, Sikan (Shved, 87′)
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