FULL TIME: Shakhtar Donetsk 2 Roma 1
An entertaining game that saw Roma take a deserved first-half lead through Cengiz Ünder’s 41st minute strike. Shakhtar’s response in the second half was excellent and having got back on level terms through Facundo Ferreyra’s well-taken goal on 52 minutes, they went ahead not long after via an excellent free-kick from Fred.
Roma were largely poor after the interval but ultimately may feel satisfied with a 2-1 defeat given Shakhtar failed to convert a glaring chance right at the death to make it 3-1.
Eusebio Di Francesco’s men will fancy their chances in the return at the Stadio Olimpico on 13 March but as they showed tonight, Shakhtar are a dangerous team on the attack. This last-16 tie is nicely poised.
That’s it’s from me. Thanks for your company. Bye!
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90 + 2 min: Big chance for Shakhtar! Taison plays a low right-sided cross into the area from the byline. The ball eventuall lands at the feet of Ferreyra who from inside the six-yard area hits a shot that appears set to go in only for Alisson to make an excellent reaction save as he lays on the turf. That could be a huge, huge moment in this tie.
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90 min: Some late needle after Perotti and Tiason clash by the far corner flag. Perotti hits the deck, players from both sides get their handbags out before the referee calms the situation by showing a yellow card to both of the initial players involved. A replay suggests he could, and perhaps should, have shown a red to Taison for throwing an elbow into Perotti’s face.
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89 min: It’s keep ball from Shakhtar. All of a sudden Rakitskiy hits a long pass out to the right flank which Butko collects. He drives inside and drives a cross into the Roma area that is blocked and cleared.
88 min: Roma make a forward push and having got within range of Shakhtar’s goal, Gerson hits a low, skidding drive that is held with relative ease by Pyatov.
86 min: The final stages of this match have become increasingly scrappy. Roma appear to have run out of will and ideas while Shakhtar look content to move the ball about and see what happens.
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83 min: Roma make their final substitution and it’s no surprise to see Nainggolan taken off. The Belgian has been very quiet. He’s replaced by Gregoire Defrel. Meanwhile, Di Francesco appears to be absolutely furious with his players, and no wonder - Roma have been outplayed by Shakhtar in the second half.
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81 min: I take it all back - Shakhtar are still coming forward. Marlos plays the ball out to the left where Ferreyra looks to open up Roma. The ball is blocked and comes out to Stepanenko whose shot from just outside the area is saved by Allison.
79 min: Ismaily has been impressive for Shakhtar and once again the full-back bombs down the left and hits a low, dangerous cross into the Roma area. The visitors stand firm and eventually win a free-kick that also leads to the first booking of the match, for Ferreyra.
77 min: It’s Shakhtar who now appear happy to soak up pressure and hit on the counter. Roma are dominating possession but largely going sideways and nowhere. They may well decide to cut their losses and take a 2-1 defeat back to the Stadio Olimpico.
75 min: There’s been a couple of Roma subs: Bruno Peres for Florenzi and Gerson for Ünder.
GOAL! Shakhtar 2-1 Roma (Fred 71)
Fred scores. And how. The Brazilian strikes the ball with side-foot and power. It rises over the wall, arrows straight and crashes into the net via the bar. Alisson scrambles across but stands no chances of pulling off a save and Shakhtar have well and truly turned this game around.
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70 min: Shakhtar are awarded a free-kick just outside Roma’s area after Strootman hauls down Marlos as he came in from the right. Fred is over the ball and clearly looking to curl the ball over the wall and in ....
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67 min: Shakhtar have largely threatened from their left flank and it’s from that area that Marlos again looks make in-roads. Roma clear the danger and attack down the left themselves via Kolarov. That too comes to nothing. But definite signs this game is opening up - both teams appear to want that second goal.
66 min: Perotti has been quiet during the second-half but just now he forces Butko into giving away (another) corner. Kolarov takes it from the left but the ball safely lands up in the hands of Pyatov.
63 min: What a save by Alisson! Taison hits a wicked right-footed shot towards the top corner of Roma’s net. The ball appears to be going in only for the visitors’ goalkeeper to rise like a salmon and palm the ball away with his left hand. No wonder the likes of Liverpool have shown interest in him.
62 min: Roma starting to enjoy a bit of possession now. They’re moving the ball across the pitch with some assurance which leads to Nainggolan hitting a speculative shot from the edge of the area. It’s comfortably held by Pyatov.
59 min: No doubt Shakhtar have been lifted by that equaliser. They’re now dominating possession and territory. Roma look rattled but are doing their best to keep a strong defensive shape and just now forced Fred to hit another shot from long-range that, once again, went well over.
56 min: It’s all Shakhtar now and they came close to taking the lead after Ismaily drove into the area, collected Taison’s well-weighted through pass and hit a low cross towards the back post that Marlos hit towards goal and thought was heading in only for Alisson to make a good reaction save.
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GOAL! Shakhtar 1-1 Roma (Ferreyra 52)
Well, that came from absolutely nowhere. Rakitskiy played a long ball forward after seeing no one useful to pass to in front of him, Florenzi went to ground in an attempt to cut out the delivery but missed completely, allowing Ferreyra to gather possession, cut inside Manolas and then place the ball under Alisson’s reach. Game well and truly on.
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51 min: Guess what - Roma have a corner. No.833 if I’m not mistaken. Florenzi takes it from the right-hand side. The outswinger reaches Manolas at the back post but his header is easily held by Pyatov.
Robin Hazlehurst has been in touch: ‘Hi Sachin. In the highlights it (more or less) says “Goal: Roma under 41”. Is this just a way of saying it wasn’t Totti who scored? I’ll get my coat.’
No, come back Robin, you’re literally the only person following this MBM. Without you, I’m nothing.
47 min: Early days but looks like Roma are going to be happy to sit back and play on the counter-attack in the second-half. They’re dropping off and allowing Shakhtar to have the ball. The hosts take up the invitation and have the first shot of the period, an effort from Ferreyra from the left-hand side of Roma’s area that is easily held by Allison.
And we’re off again! Roma get the second-half underway in -9 temperatures. In other words - cold.
HALF TIME: Shakhtar Donetsk 0-1 Roma
Cengiz Ünder’s 41st minute goal is the difference between the sides. Despite having only 48% possession, Roma deserve to be in the lead having been more dangerous when on the attack and generally disciplined when defending. Shakhtar have caused some concern from their left flank but overall look blunt and have not been helped by the loss of Kryvtsov to a nasty-looking injury on the stroke of half-time. The defender left the pitch on a stretcher and was replaced by Ivan Ordets.
That’s all for now. Back shortly.
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45 min: That goal appears to have taken the wind out of Shakhtar’s sails. And now Kryvtsov is on the ground following an ariel duel with Dzeko. The defender appeared to land badly on his left ankle and it’s unlikely he’s going to be able to carry on.
GOAL! Shakhtar 0-1 Roma (Ünder 41)
It’s been coming and not surprisingly, Perotti was involved, playing a pass from the left into the path of Dzeko. The Bosnian then delivered a delicious defence-splitting through ball into the path of Ünder who took a touch before hitting a side-footed shot that Pyatov blocked but not strongly enough to prevent the ball going into the net.
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40 min: Whistles of frustration come from the crowd after referee Collum does not award Shakhtar a free-kick for what appeared to be a foul on Taison by Fazio as he motored towards Roma’s area.
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37 min: Perotti is increasingly Roma’s principal threat and just now he jinxed into the area with a lovely, piercing run. It almost led to a penalty as Bernard hung out a leg in an attempt to stop the winger. Perrotti continued past the Brazilian but, not for the first time tonight, the move led to nothing, this time after Nainggolan was correctly deemed to be in an offside position.
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35 min: Roma getting lots of bodies back whenever Shakhtar get near their area, as seen just now as Marlos, Bernard and Fred combined in an attempt to open them up. The move came to nothing after the later of that trio played an inaccurate pass into space down Shakhtat’s left flank.
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33 min: Both sides have moved the ball about well but neither causing too much danger in the final third, which suits Roma more than Shakhtar given there’s a return in Rome to come. The hosts need to try and make something happen here and just now Fred had a shot from long-range having been teed-up by Marlos. It went well, well over.
31 min: Nainggolan has struggled to make an impression in this game so far but just now he collected a pass from the impressive Perotti in the inside left-channel and looked to make something happen. Nothing did happen but at least he tried.
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29 min: Another corner for Roma. Lost count how many they’ve had but it may well be double figures by now. Kolarov again takes it from the left and again it comes to nothing.
27 min: Ooh, that was cheeky from Ismaily. With Ünder breathing down his neck in an attempt to connect with Perotti’s delicate cross into the area, the Shakhtar full-back calmly chests the ball back to Pyatov. That could have gone horribly wrong. But it didn’t.
25 min: Once again Shakhtar build a bit of momentum, once again it comes down their left and once again it leads to nothing. This time it’s Rakitskiy - yes, a centre-half - who causes the danger after running onto Bernard’s pass. His cross flashes across the Roma area.
21 min: Dzeko forces Pyatov into a save after turning Perotti’s sideways pass towards the Shakhtar goal. It was a quick, relatively tame effort by the Bosnian who went with a first-time side-foot finish when he should have perhaps taken a touch, moved further into the area and smashed the ball with his laces. Easy for me to say, of course.
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19 min: Another corner for Roma after Perotti’s cross from the left following a good run by the winger is blocked. Kolarov takes the set-piece and it eventually leads to another corner from the same side. Kolarov takes it again and presents Manolas with a free header from a central position. The defender’s attempt drifts wide, however.
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17 min: Shakhtar have their first corner of the game after Bernard’s cross into the Roma area is blocked. It’s played short to Fred who, well, does very little with it. Goal-kick to the visitors.
14 min: Another Roma cross from the left, this time by Florenzi, is easily caught by Pyatov. Shakhtar, in possession, play the ball around at the back before it’s hoofed forward towards Tiason. He cannot control it, however.
12 min: Lovely burst of pace by Ünder down the left-hand side but his looping cross into the Shakhtar area is easily caught by Pyatov. The hosts are soon attacking themselves, this time down their right as Marlos sends Kolarov to the shops and back with a lovely bit of skill. His resulting shot is tame, however.
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10 min: Once again Shakhtar attack down the left. This time it is Ismaily who causes concern for Roma with a low cross. It leads to nothing but the game is definitely more even now.
8 min: A really fast pace to the start of this game and overall it’s Roma who have been on top. But the hosts look dangerous when they are able to get on the front foot, especially down the left-hand side and just now Bernard caused a bit of panic in the Roma area with a run and shot.
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6 min: Chance for Roma! A third corner, and second in quick succession, for the visitors is turned towards goal by Dzeko. Pyatov makes a good double save and as the ball comes out to Fazio his shot is blocked by Stepanenko and cleared away.
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3 min: Shakhtar finally build some momentum down the left and after a patient build-up, create the first chance of the game as a crossed is flashed across the area. But Marlos, coming in the back post, is unable to turn the ball past Alisson.
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2 min: Been a positive start from Roma, who have pushed Shakhtar back and earned the first corner of the game. Ünder took it from the right but it was blocked from close-range and the ball went out for a thrown in on the same side.
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And we’re off! Shakhtar get proceedings underway and are kicking left-to-right as I see it.
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The teams are out. Shakhtar are in their usual orange and black strip while Roma in their all-white away colours. Appears to be cold in Kharkiv, which is hardly a surprise given we’re talking about Ukraine in winter, here.
Back with all the action shortly.
We’re less than 10 minutes away from kick-off at the Metalist Stadion. Atmosphere appears to be building nicely there.
There’s another Champions League last-16 first leg tie taking place tonight. It’s in Spain and sees Sevilla take on [checks the internet] ... Manchester United. You can follow all that action as it happens with the one-and-only Scott Murray:
No surprises in the Shakhtar line-up then, as Fonseca sticks with his usual 4-2-3-1 formation that will see Bernard start on the left of a three-man attack behind lone forward Facundo Ferreyra. The Brazilian was a doubt with a shoulder injury but makes the startling-up for tonight’s game.
Roma will line-up in the same formation, with manager Di Francesco able to call upon right-back Alessandro Florenzi, who had been an injury doubt. There is also a Champions League debut for Cengiz Ünder, the young Turkish winder who has been in fine form for Giallorossi.
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Teams
Shakhtar: Pyatov, Butko, Kryvtsov, Stepanenko, Taison, Fred, Bernard, Marlos, Ferreyra, Ismaily, Rakitskiy. Subs: Shevchenko, Dentinho, Ordets, Patrick, Petriak, Zubkov, Kovalenko.
Referee: William Collum (Scotland).
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Preamble
Welcome to live coverage of Shakhtar Donetsk versus Roma, a match that falls short in the historic-rivalry stakes but carries a fair amount of intrigue and potential for drama.
Shakhtar reached this stage of the Champions League after finishing second in a group that also contained Manchester City, Napoli and Feyernood - not the easiest, in other words, and so they are unlikely to fear the arrival of Eusebio Di Francesco’s men to the Metalist Stadion in Kharkiv, Shakhtar’s home for the past four years due to the conflict between Ukrainian armed forces and pro-Russian separatists in Donetsk. They won all three of their group matches there, including a 2-1 victory over City in December that makes Shakhtar one of only three teams to have beaten Pep Guardiola’s side this season, alongside Liverpool and, as of Monday, Wigan Athletic.
Roma will be no pushovers, however. The Italian side topped arguably the toughest group of all, containing as it did Chelsea, Atlético Madrid and those pesky Azerbaijanis Qarabağ, and have a host of stellar names in their ranks, including Alisson, Radja Nainggolan, Diego Perotti and Edin Dzeko. And following a poor run of results either side of new year, Roma are slowly coming back into form.
These sides have met four times previously, with Shakhtar coming out on top on three occasions and Roma once. Their last meeting was also at the last-16 stage of the Champions League, back in the 2010-11 season, with the Ukrainians winning 6-2 on aggregate. Manager Paulo Fonseca, who has been linked with a move to Everton in the summer, would definitely take a repeat of that, starting with a positive outcome this evening.
Team news to follow ...
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