European Champions League

Shakhtar Donetsk 3 - Real Madrid 4

Shakhtar: Pyatov; Kobin, Ordets, Rakitskiy, Azevedo (Dentinho 64‘); Fred, Stepanenko; Marlos (Taison 62’), Alex Teixeira, Bernard; Gladkiy (Ferreyra 74’). 4-2-3-1.
Madrid: Kiko Casilla; Dani Carvajal, Varane (Danilo 32‘), Pepe, Nacho; Modric (Kroos 62‘), Casemiro, Kovacic; Isco, Ronaldo, Bale (Benzema 71‘). 4-3-3.

Goals:
0-1. 18. Ronaldo. Far post header into empty net after Bale hooked ball across.
0-2. 50. Modric. Got on the end of Ronaldo cross to turn shot wide of Pyatov.
0-3. 52. Carvajal. Fired angled shot over keeper after picking up Ronaldo pass.
0-4. 70. Ronaldo. Connected with Bale cross and beat keeper at second attempt.
1-4. 77. Teixeira (penalty). After Casemiro tripped up Taison inside the area.
2-4. 83. Dentinho. Chested ball in on far post after Stepanenko headed on corner.
3-4. 88. Teixeira. Collected Taison pass and steered angled shot wide of Casilla.

Real Madrid were already sure of a place in the last sixteen, but a 3-4 victory over Shakhtar Donetsk on Wednesday night tied up top spot in group A. Rafa Benítez’s side raced into a four goal lead, Ronaldo opening the scoring in the eighteenth minute with the easiest of headers after Bale lifted the ball across goal. Ronaldo and Bale tested Pyatov again before the break, and early in the second half Modric made it two after Ronaldo played over a long Casemiro pass. Two minutes later Dani Carvajal scored the third with an angled shot over the head of the keeper, and Ronaldo got the fourth, connecting with another Bale cross and beating Pyatov at the second attempt. However the Ukrainian side came back with three goals themselves to set up a frenetic finish, Alex Teixeira scoring the first from the penalty spot after Casemiro tripped Taison in the area. Soon afterwards Dentinho chested the ball past Kiko Casilla on the far post after Stepanenko headed on a Bernard corner, and with two minutes to go Teixeira got his second of the night after Taison set him up. A win in the end for Madrid though, and a relief after the weekend debacle against Barcelona, although Benítez will not be happy about those three goals at the end.