Friendly match between the champions
Thursday, February 13, 2025
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On February 13, Shakhtar played the friendly match against the Latvian champions RFS
Both of the winter newcomers of the team – central defender Diego Arroyo and forward Kaua Elias – made their debut in the starting line-up of the Pitmen, in an unofficial game so far.
Shved’s early goal and the first goal by Kaua Elias
The match started very actively, and already in the 3rd minute, Marino Pusic’s team opened the scoring: thanks to high pressing, Pedrinho took the ball on the left wing, entered the penalty area, distracting the goalkeeper and defenders, and rolled the ball into the centre to Marian Shved, who scored into an empty net – 1-0. Then, Shved could have quickly doubled their lead, but his curved shot from the right side of the penalty area was turned into a corner. The Orange-and-Blacks continued to fully control the game and, after several attacks on the opponent’s goal, they managed to score a second time: in the 20th minute, after a positional play in the middle of the field, Bondarenko sent a through ball to Shved on the right flank, the latter shot to the goal-area line, where Brazilian Kaua Elias made a one-touch shot past the Latvian goalkeeper – 2-0. For a while, the game moved to the central zone and slowed down, but the champions of Ukraine still had more ball possession and dictated the pace. The Pitmen got another chance shortly before the end of the half, when Bondarenko led Shved to a shooting position, he kicked the ball powerfully from outside the penalty area, but the goalkeeper saved the Riga-based team.
Playing time for everyone and Traore’s spectacular goal
During the break, Shakhtar’s coaching staff changed the line-up almost completely, because even in the first half Matviienko entered the game due to Pedrinho’s injury. The second half began with a series of dangerous attacks by the Miners. Konoplia made a great pass to the centre of the penalty area, where Traore headed the ball while falling – the ball flew near the post. Later, Konoplia and Traore could have scored after sharp crosses from the left wing. In another episode, RFS goalkeeper saved Nazaryna’s long-range shot, and Hlushchenko’s follow-up went over the crossbar due to deflection. In response, the Latvians arranged a one-on-one situation, but Talla shot above the target. However, the Pitmen continued to attack the opponent’s goal, and if the shots by Nazaryna and Tsukanov were covered by the defenders of the Riga-based team, then in the 65th minute, Lassina Traore, who was not stopped by anyone, turned Konoplia’s cross right home with a beautiful header – 3-0. The teams continued to try to play toe-to-toe and attacked each other, but there were almost no intense moments. The opponents exchanged long-range shots only in the final minutes, and if Newertton’s attempt was blocked by the Latvian goalkeeper, then in the last seconds of the game, Shakhtar Academy graduate, and now RFS player, Maksym Derkach, sent the ball exactly into the far corner from outside the penalty area and set the final score.
3-1 – Shakhtar claimed a victory over RFS in their fifth test match at the training camp in Turkey.
Shakhtar Donetsk 3-1 (2-0) RFS Riga
Antalya, Titanic Deluxe
Goals: 1-0 Shved (3'), 2-0 Kaua Elias (20'), 3-0 Traore (65'), 3-1 Derkach (90')
Shakhtar: Riznyk (Fesiun, 46'), Vinicius Tobias (Konoplia, 46'), Bondar (c) (Ghram, 46'), Arroyo (Faryna, 46'), Azarov (Pedro Henrique, 46'), Marlon Gomes (Nazaryna, 46'), Bondarenko (Hlushchenko, 46'), Pedrinho (Matviienko, 27'), Shved (Tsukanov, 46'; Kante, 81'), Kevin (Newertton, 46'), Kaua Elias (Traore, 46')
Shved’s early goal and the first goal by Kaua Elias
The match started very actively, and already in the 3rd minute, Marino Pusic’s team opened the scoring: thanks to high pressing, Pedrinho took the ball on the left wing, entered the penalty area, distracting the goalkeeper and defenders, and rolled the ball into the centre to Marian Shved, who scored into an empty net – 1-0. Then, Shved could have quickly doubled their lead, but his curved shot from the right side of the penalty area was turned into a corner. The Orange-and-Blacks continued to fully control the game and, after several attacks on the opponent’s goal, they managed to score a second time: in the 20th minute, after a positional play in the middle of the field, Bondarenko sent a through ball to Shved on the right flank, the latter shot to the goal-area line, where Brazilian Kaua Elias made a one-touch shot past the Latvian goalkeeper – 2-0. For a while, the game moved to the central zone and slowed down, but the champions of Ukraine still had more ball possession and dictated the pace. The Pitmen got another chance shortly before the end of the half, when Bondarenko led Shved to a shooting position, he kicked the ball powerfully from outside the penalty area, but the goalkeeper saved the Riga-based team.
Playing time for everyone and Traore’s spectacular goal
During the break, Shakhtar’s coaching staff changed the line-up almost completely, because even in the first half Matviienko entered the game due to Pedrinho’s injury. The second half began with a series of dangerous attacks by the Miners. Konoplia made a great pass to the centre of the penalty area, where Traore headed the ball while falling – the ball flew near the post. Later, Konoplia and Traore could have scored after sharp crosses from the left wing. In another episode, RFS goalkeeper saved Nazaryna’s long-range shot, and Hlushchenko’s follow-up went over the crossbar due to deflection. In response, the Latvians arranged a one-on-one situation, but Talla shot above the target. However, the Pitmen continued to attack the opponent’s goal, and if the shots by Nazaryna and Tsukanov were covered by the defenders of the Riga-based team, then in the 65th minute, Lassina Traore, who was not stopped by anyone, turned Konoplia’s cross right home with a beautiful header – 3-0. The teams continued to try to play toe-to-toe and attacked each other, but there were almost no intense moments. The opponents exchanged long-range shots only in the final minutes, and if Newertton’s attempt was blocked by the Latvian goalkeeper, then in the last seconds of the game, Shakhtar Academy graduate, and now RFS player, Maksym Derkach, sent the ball exactly into the far corner from outside the penalty area and set the final score.
3-1 – Shakhtar claimed a victory over RFS in their fifth test match at the training camp in Turkey.
Shakhtar Donetsk 3-1 (2-0) RFS Riga
Antalya, Titanic Deluxe
Goals: 1-0 Shved (3'), 2-0 Kaua Elias (20'), 3-0 Traore (65'), 3-1 Derkach (90')
Shakhtar: Riznyk (Fesiun, 46'), Vinicius Tobias (Konoplia, 46'), Bondar (c) (Ghram, 46'), Arroyo (Faryna, 46'), Azarov (Pedro Henrique, 46'), Marlon Gomes (Nazaryna, 46'), Bondarenko (Hlushchenko, 46'), Pedrinho (Matviienko, 27'), Shved (Tsukanov, 46'; Kante, 81'), Kevin (Newertton, 46'), Kaua Elias (Traore, 46')
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