Posted in Real Madrid, champions league, Shakhtar

Real reached Champions League after Shakhtar

 October 12, 2022

Real Madrid reached the Champions League last 16 with a last-gasp 1-1 draw against Shakhtar Donetsk in Warsaw on Tuesday.

It seemed like Madrid were poised to lose their first match of the season across all competitions, but Rudiger headed home from Toni Kroos’s cross in the fifth minute of five added on,

colliding with goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin in the process.

Watch goals of Real Madrid vs Shakhtar today!!

Rudiger left the pitch covered in blood,

and the Shakhtar goalkeeper had to see out the final seconds with a bandage wrapped round his head.

Carlo Ancelotti had rested Vinicius Junior, among others,

keeping an eye on Sunday’s Clasico against bitter rivals Barcelona at the Santiago Bernabeu.

However, Madrid talisman Benzema started the game after missing the 1-0 win over Getafe on Saturday,

and was the first to test Trubin with a blast straight at the goalkeeper.

The Ukrainian made several brilliant saves at the Santiago Bernabeu in a 2-1 defeat last week,

but had a much quieter opening half on this occasion.

Trubin made another stop to deny Benzema from a tight angle,

but had little else to do as Los Blancos rarely clicked in attack.

Shakhtar took a surprise lead at the start of the second half,

with Lucas Vazquez failing to cut out Bogdan Mykhaylichenko’s cross and Zubkov getting the jump on Mendy to head home.

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Ancelotti responded by withdrawing Belgian playmaker Eden Hazard,

who failed to make an impact in an attacking midfield role,

and threw on Vinicius and Luka Modric.

Still, the Ukrainian side, filled with youth players after many senior squad members departed because of the war, were tireless.

Pouring forward, Zubkov played in Lassina Traore,

who was first denied by Madrid goalkeeper Andriy Lunin, and then the crossbar,

coming inches from the second goal.

Lunin was forced into another save by the electric Zubkov from distance and Ancelotti threw on more stars from the bench,

with David Alaba, Eduardo Camavinga and Marco Asensio entering the fray.

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It looked like Madrid’s unbeaten streak was up,

but Rudiger’s bravery at the last meant they have not tasted defeat in 13 matches, and will be in the last 16 of the Champions League,

come February 2023.

A LAST-GASP header by Real Madrid defender Antonio Rudiger rescued a 1-1 draw against Shakhtar Donetsk after the Ukrainian side had taken the lead in the Champions League on Tuesday.

Shakhtar went ahead one minute into the second half in Warsaw when Bogdan Mykhaylichenko found Oleksandr Zubkov unmarked in Real’s box and the midfielder nodded home into the bottom right corner.

However, Rudiger levelled five minutes into stoppage time by taking advantage of a neat pass from midfielder Toni Kroos to deny Shakhtar a famous victory.

The draw did at least stop Real from immediately advancing to the knockout stage, although Carlo Ancelotti’s men can secure their spot in their next group game at RB Leipzig on Oct. 25.

Real hold a four-point lead in Group F over second-placed Leipzig, who won 2-0 at Celtic.

Shakhtar slipped one place down to third, on five points.

Real Madrid’s draw in Warsaw vs Shakhtar Donetsk secured their place in the round-of-16 of the Champions League. Here are Managing Madrid’s player ratings for Real Madrid’s starters on the night:

Andriy Lunin: 6.5. He was not at fault for the goal, and did make a good stop on Traore in the box in the 64th minute. He had one shaky moment dealing with a long distance shot from Oleksander Zubkov from distance.

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