The match may have been overshadowed by the festivities in Spain, but it played out relatively the same way. Between Ukrainian champions Shakhtar Donetsk and visiting Borussia Dortmund, one team?s control met another persistence and potential, ultimately ending in a draw. But unlike the match in Madrid, the controlling side were left needing a late goal to salvage a result, with Mats Hummels? 87th minute equalizer giving Dortmund a valuable 2-2 draw.
To say Dortmund controlled this match to the same extent Real Madrid controlled theirs would be misleading. At no point in today?s game at the Bernabeu were Manchester United the aggressor, and while the Germans were the more imposing side at points of today?s match, the second period saw the Shakhtar recover from a pre-intermission fade and assume a bigger role. Douglas Costa?s 68th minute, go-ahead goal was more Shakhtar?s coming into the match rather than a team scoring against the run of play.
The same couldn?t be said for Shakhtar?s opener. Benefitting from a 30th minute foul just outside the penalty area from Dortmund defender?Felipe Santana (playing for Neven Subotic), Shakhtar captain Darijo Srna curved his direct kick over the wall and away from Roman Weidenfeller for the game?s first goal.
(MORE: Breaking down Real Madrid-Manchester United.)
Dortmund responded five minutes before half through Robert Lewandowski, who held a ball in from the right up near the penalty spot while defenders went to ground. The Polish international eventually slotted his right-footed equalizer just inside Andriy Pyatov?s left post, sending the teams into half tied 1-1.
After being dominated over the first 45 minutes, Shakhtar began the second half on more even footing with the German champions. Relying more on quick, direct movements rather than attempting to beat Dortmund at their own frantic game, Shakhtar was eventually able to create a 68th minute chance for Douglas Costa off a long ball from defender Yaroslav Rakitskiy. Winning his matchup against Marcel Schmelzer after a misread by Hummels, Costa brought the ball down before getting his foot above a high bounce, putting a go-ahead goal into the right of net.
Hummels made amends in the 87th minute when he headed home a Dortmund corner, giving the visitors two goals to take back to Germany ahead of the teams? Mar. 5 reverse leg.
The timing of the equalizer might leave Shakhtar feeling aggrieved, but the result may have been slightly more than they deserved. A series of early close calls and near misses allowed the game to go into half even, and while the Ukrainians were improved in the second half, their control of the match never matched Dortmund?s. Shakhtar should be content with a draw and two weeks to figure out a way to improve.
For BVB, Wednesday?s result gives them ever reason to believe they?ll survive this dangerous matchup. Jurgen Klopp may feel his team could have left the Donbass Arena with a more decisive result, but two road goals and a draw given them enough to work with. They won?t have to play as well as they did today to secure passage into the quarterfinals.
Check back later this today as ProSoccerTalk drills down on both Manchester United?s visit to Real Madrid and German champion Borussia Dortmund voyage to Ukraine to face Shakhtar Donetsk.
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