Shakhtar Donetsk, the only Ukrainian team to secure a place in the Champions League this season, pleased its fans with an incredible game against RB Leipzig as they netted four goals.
Highlights
Throughout the 90 minutes, the German team diligently tried breaking down the opposition with numerous attempts on target. Unfortunately, the task turned out to be not so easy, as Shakhtar made it too difficult for them.
Despite the need to uphold the gate, the team’s new signing, Marian Shved, who previously played for Celtic, scored twice in his debut match. For now, he is considered the only Ukrainian player who netted two goals in Champions League since 2017.
The Rising Star
Mykhaylo Mudryk, the rising Ukrainian star, a target for several Premier League teams during the summer transfer window, has also stolen the spotlight by producing a breakout performance with his goal and two assists. Brentford and Everton expressed interest in signing the winger as they both were ready to spend over €30 million.
Looking at the qualities possessed by the top young talent, the club management decided to rebuff all bids. €50 million was the only suitable price for them. Now we can see why the team’s desires are considered so prominent.
A Youthful Line-up
As many fans have noticed, Shakhtar’s starting line-up consisted of young players with little experience in tournaments of this level. But this did not prevent the team from delivering four goals. The Croatian coach Igor Jovicevic tends to experiment by letting each one perform during the legitimate battle.
One of the Shakhtar players recognised the latter & thanked the manager for his trust.
Show of Elation
Jovicevic’s elation was hard not to notice as he lived every emotion. He said- “To be honest, I am very happy for them because we showed what we are capable of. We demonstrated the level that must be kept, and this bar should not be lowered. After all, we will be required to proceed to play in a way that is not always possible because these are young players. However, I am grateful to them. I love them very much. We will continue to work on and move humbly from match to match. It is our priority.”
Resilience During Adversity
As Shakhtar’s homeland has been encountering difficult times, the team dedicated its victory to all the Ukrainians. Further, they paid tribute to the Armed Forces of Ukraine, who have been resilient against the Russian forces for half a year. Mykola Matviyenko took the Ukrainian flag from one of the fans in the stands and encouraged the team to take a group photo thanking everyone with loud applause.
With a 1-1 draw against Celtic in the Champions League, the Ukranian giants still are in pole position to achieve the unthinkable. Further, it is wise to remember that each team has four more games ahead, which implies a high probability of cardinal alterations in the table.