Celta: Sergio Alvarez; Hugo Mallo, Cabral, Roncaglia, Jonny; Daniel Wass, Radoja (Jozabed 74’), Pablo Hernández; Iago Aspas, Guidetti (Rossi 84’), Bongonda (Pione Sisto 58’). 4-3-3.
Shakhtar: Pyatov; Srna, Ordets, Rakitskiy, Ismaili; Marlos (Azevedo 93’), Malishev, Fred, Taison (Bernard 84’); Dentinho (Kovalenko 46’); Gustavo Blanco. 4-4-1-1.
Goals:
0-1. 25. Blanco. Turned ball in to net after Bongonda blocked shot from Marlos.
Yellow cards: Ordets 41’, Taison 45’, Srna 45’, Radoja 67’, Daniel Wass 71’, Iago Aspas 75’, Malyshev 75’, Rakitskiy 81’.
Not the best eight days for Celta, and after getting knocked out of the semi-finals of the Spanish cup and then throwing away the lead to lose against Atlético, they are now in danger of being eliminated from the Europa League after a 0-1 defeat at home to Shakhtar Donetsk. Bongonda missed an early chance for the Galicians, but a few minutes later the Ukrainians launched a counter-attack following a Celta corner, and although Bongonda blocked a shot from Marlos, Blanco turned the rebound in to the net. Either side of half time Fred and Taison failed to convert chances, and at the other end Pablo Hernández and Guidetti had penalty appeals turned down, and Cabral and Guidetti both fired shots off target. Still hope though of turning things around in next week’s second leg, which will be played in Kharkiv due to the political unrest in the South East of Ukraine.